“The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.”
― Elie Wiesel
Cole sat alone against a bench, outside, beneath an empty small shelter, through the side-entrance of the cafeteria. A cigarette placed between his fingers and his knees drawn up to his chest. There was a chill outside and with the rain and wind his hands were going numb. That's always how it went. First his fingers went numb, then his lips, then his nose. It was lunchtime. The following two classes after the first had gone fine. Quiet and uneventful. He didn't talk with anyone. He was fighting it. He could feel it creeping up in him - the obscurity.
He closed his eyes and pushed it back - reaching for some semblance of comfort and dragging it to the forefront. It was too soon from last time to let it take over again.
"Cole." his voice came from nowhere and startled the sitting boy. He looked at the door where Dawson stood, a few feet away on the small patio. Cole dropped the cigarette and toed it out on the bricks. Dawson came over and sat by him, dropping his bag by his feet and leaning back against the wall. "My shoes?" he nodded towards the Vans.
"My other ones weren't working this morning."
Dawson looked at him hard, "Right, what happened this morning?" he tried not to sound too accusing - but he immediately felt like he'd failed. Cole looked out at the rain which came down harder.
"Car wouldn't start. Need you to take a look at it." he stated, seeming unwilling to go further. He knew it was going to annoy Dawson - his reluctance to divulge - but at the moment he'd rather focus on Dawson's irritation than fight his own tenacious demons.
"What the hell Cole?" Dawson turned fully to look at the other, towering over him as Cole slumped and the other sat up straight. "You were soaking wet and late. Why in the fuck didn't you call me?"
Cole grinned again, the corner of his mouth pulling upward. "I wanted to walk. The rain was great. Alleviating - I guess."
Dawson leaned back again and shook his head. "You drive me insane." but he smirked and pulled out two granola bars from his book bag and the Gatorade from that morning. "Have you eaten anything today?"
Cole shook his head, instantly snatching the one with chocolate and ripping into the foil. He chewed slowly and looked out at the field past the gate that ran two miles to a line of trees. The field was all winter-dandelions and the school was contemplating building a new gymnasium in the space. Cole quite liked it how it was though - an expanse of green. Lightening flashed in the far-off and the warning bell rang.
Cole grabbed the Gatorade and finished off the inch or so left at the bottom. "Skip with me." he said as he kicked his bag under the bench and pulled the hood of his sweater over his head.
Dawson laughed incredulously, shaking his head. "No."
Cole widened his eyes and turned his head a little. "C'mon please. What have you got to do the rest of the day? PE and art. Which is dodge-ball and fucking fruit. So come with me, cause I'm going. I must break free of the institute." Lighting flashed again, shaking the ground and there was a distant shriek of a group of girls who were passing in the hall by the door.
Dawson sat still, watching the boy in front of him. "God you're crazy." he yelled over the pounding of water.
Cole smiled and yelled back, "You love me."
"Sometimes it's the opposite."
"I heard once that the opposite of love isn't hate. It's indifference." and grinned he took off for the fence.
