Leon, Leon (BoyxNB romance)

Chapter 6

“Hey, Leon. How are you doing today? Ready for some more cool literature fun?”

I smiled as widely as I could, still trying to sail on while worrying about what exactly the whole ‘I know’ thing meant. What was he trying to say? What was I trying to say? Were either of them good? Bad?

Why did you have to turn up, Leon? My life was amazingly dull and straightforward before you.

“Yes, I am good, thank you, and you?”
“Not too bad. Not excited for English first lesson of day, but could be worse.”
“You do not like this lesson?”
“Nah, not really. Too much writing, and I always hate the books they choose. I respect them well enough, because they’re well written and have a ton of metaphors, sure, but they’re just so dull and old.”
“I understand, in Belgium a lot of the books were very old too. The words are difficult, sometimes, and it is very... I do not know the way to say my idea... many words and not a lot of them are important for the book.”
“Oh yeah, like super long-winded, is that what you mean?”

He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and wrote something on it. “Like that?”
“Oh, you mean the word? Yeah, sort of, but it’s long-winded, with ‘ed’ on the end, not ‘ing.’
“Ah, I understand, thank you. I try to learn more words, so I thinked last night that I can write the ones I do not know.”
“That’s a good idea. I try to do that with French too, sometimes, but I end up writing half of the page over again so there’s not much point. I know I’ll never remember them.”

He scrunched his nose and mouth up as if he was about to say something, when the teacher silenced him as shut the door firmly with his elbow, carrying a briefcase in either hand. He sat in the chair, twirling round the face the computer, and began to speak.

“So, as you may know if you attend any of the revision classes after school,” Yeah, no way, “There’s going to be courses on for the Heads of Departments for the next couple of weeks. As the Head of English and History, I’ll be away for a while, so you will have a supply teacher whilst I’m away. If any of you act up for them, I’m going to allow them to give out detentions, including after schools, so wise up, all of you. I’m expecting at least a chapter of the book and a page – two sides, not one – written by the end of each lesson, so then when I get back, we can return to exam revision. Got it?”

A mumbling chorus of ‘Yes, sir’s filled the room, and work continued as normal. Leon wasn’t chosen to read again – thank God – but I could still hear him scribbling down word after word as he followed along.

“What do you think of the story?” I asked.
“It is okay,” he said. “It is better than the books from Belgium.”
“Well I really don’t want to read those ones, then,” he chuckled. “Is it difficult for you to understand?”

He looked up at me, thinking, for a moment, then shook his head. “No, no... it is fine. I am alright.”
“You sure?”
“Yes, I am sure.”
“Alright, good for you. No wonder you’re in the top class for everything.”

He fiddled with his fingers for the rest of the lesson, not really looking up from the book. I asked if he wanted me to go through a few of the words he had written down a couple of times, but he insisted he’d use a dictionary once he got home.
“Alright,” I smiled, stabbing pains going through me and hoping I hadn’t made stuff too awkward. I was just trying to help. Have I pissed you off?

It’s only the second day, Cal. How could you fuck this up already?