Forest

Chapter Four

Forest

"Do you know anything about Atlas Hart?" I asked Jackson. I'm leaning against the locker next to his, waiting for him to get done grabbing his things so we can go to second period.

"Oh that skinny kid? Hart? With the funky eyes?Why?" I'm going to ignore the comment about his beautiful eyes.

   "Hart?"

   "Yeah his last name, no one actually calls him by his first name. It even feels weird to say." He replied.

   "Why?"

   "I don't know, I've never talked to the dude. I don't know much about him because he's never in fucking class, and when he actually does show up he's starting fights and sleeping. I think I actually have classes with him, he's just never there." Jackson shuts his locker and we make our way down the hall.

   "Starts fights? How?" I keep prying, I know I shouldn't but I do anyway. It'll only cause more questions for me in the long run, but it's totally worth it.

   "With Landon, I don't know who starts it because you know Landon. I've seen the kid fight, he's pretty good at it." We get high-fives and nods as we walk down the hallway, perks of everyone knowing you. "I heard he's in a band too, lead guitarist or something like that. He's into guys I'm pretty sure, maybe that's why Landon doesn't like him. Landon's super religious." So he's not only in the schools concert and jazz band, he's in his own band as well. And he likes guys? I don't know why that made me feel happy, but I ignored it.

   "Wow, he didn't mention that to me." I say more to myself than him, but he still heard it, and it made his head snap towards me.

   "Wait, you actually talk to this guy?" Shit.

   "Well, once or twice. He's," I pause, trying to think of the right word to describe Atlas. "Interesting."

   "Yeah, interesting is one way to put it." He grabs my sleeve and pulls me to lean against the wall, assuming he wants to talk more privately and be out of other peoples way. "Listen, I would stay away from him, Forest. I heard he's trouble, and he will only bring it to you." He's definitely right about that, but I can't seem to stay away.

   "I'll try." I didn't mean one bit of that, I mean how much trouble could a high schooler bring me? Plus I think I need a little more trouble in my life. It's always been planned out and calculated since the second my parents figured out I was on the way, why not derail their plan just a little and only for a certain amount of time? It's not like he'll be a big or long term part of my life, just something to spice it up. A new friend.

   We parted ways and entered our second period classes. Jackson's in general classes, ones I already took the first years of high school. I don't think we've had the same classes since middle school. We talked about the big game coming up tonight, and how nervous he is for it. I'm not. I'm never nervous for games. I sit down in the back of the class next to a few people I know, ignoring a couple girls begging me to sit next to them. They're so clingy. I honestly cannot stand them sometimes. 

   It's now been a full week since the last time I saw Atlas. I know a lot more about him now. Maybe not everything, but enough to decide I'm going to make him my friend. He doesn't seem to have any, which is probably why he hates coming to school in the first place, and if anyone's going to change that it's going to be me.

I don't want to be his friend just because he doesn't have any, though, I also just enjoy his company. I find him intriguing and mysterious. I feel different with him than I've ever felt with anyone else, like there isn't this big pressure being put on me to be perfect. I always feel the need to be closer to him, which is dangerous. It's something I need to stay away from.