The next day, I walk into the school feeling less tense than usual. That is most likely because Mikell won't be here for two days. Plenty of other people look at me and shout dumb, meaningless names, but no one initiates the first move in a fight with me. That's something that I'm no longer used to.
After I finish at my locker, I head up the stairs to class. No one stops me. In fact, no one even touches me. I wish Mikell just never had to return to this school ever again. It's like he was the source of everyone's confidence or something. Without him, everyone is too scared to touch me. So far, all it seems that people can do without Mikell is call me names, which I can learn to tolerate. The only reason it was different for Kyle was because I wasn't here. Now that I am, hopefully no one will touch him.
I sit down in my seat and look at Kyle, who was already sitting down when I got here. He's looking down at his desk, not blinking or moving in the slightest. I stare at him for a few more seconds, wondering what exactly it is that he's doing.
"Kyle?" I lean towards him. He still doesn't move. He doesn't even seem to hear me. "Kyle? Hello?" I wave my hand in front of his face. His eyes don't move with it. I snap my fingers by his ear. He jumps slightly and blinks a few times.
"Oh uh hi." Kyle says, a bit dazed. He looks over at me. He has purple bags under his eyes.
"Are you okay?"
"I uh... I didn't sleep last night."
"Why not?" I ask. Kyle just shakes his head in response. "Did anything happen to you this morning? I didn't see Mikells friends at all. Were they harassing you?" Kyle shakes his head and looks back down at his desk.
I reach out and grab his hand from on top of his desk. With Kyles soft hand in mine, I use my thumb to caress his knuckles. I lightly kiss the back of his hand before placing it back on top of his desk and let go. I lift my head and start to face forward in my seat. But before I can turn around, I swear I saw a girl on the other side of the room, smiling at me and Kyle.
During second period, I space out and tap my pencil on my desk. I chew on my bottom lip as I think about Kyle. He just didn't seem like himself. For now, I'll believe that he's just tired. But if this behavior goes on, I won't let him get away with it. There's something really off about him today.
I put my head down on my desk and close my eyes. I shouldn't be so worried about how Kyles acting. Maybe he is just tired. He just seemed so out of it. He probably needs some sleep.
"Zachary, head up. No sleeping in class." My teacher, Mr. Baker shouted at me. I lift my head up.
"Sorry." I mumble, obviously not meaning it.
I half pay attention the rest of the period, ultimately focusing on my own thoughts. Most of which are about Kyle. The whole hour, I try to distract myself by doing work, but that doesn't actually cut it. My mind still constantly wanders over to Kyle.
The bell rings and I shoot up out of my seat. Before I can leave the room, I'm stopped by Mr. Baker. I sigh and go over to his desk, where he is sitting with his arms crossed.
"Yeah?" I ask once I'm in front of his desk.
"You're aware of school rules, right?"
"Yeah."
"So you know how important it is to pay attention in class, correct?"
"Yeah."
"And this is not the first time you've misbehaved in my class. You've ditched, you've fallen asleep, you've missed assignments, you've taken out your phone and distracted yourself, not paying attention. You were just suspended and I'd have no problem getting you suspended again, do you understand?"
"Yes. I'm sorry. I've just had a rough couple of days." I explain. He nods.
"Get to class." He waves me off. I turn around and roll my eyes.
Kyle probably already left his class, so we can't walk to third period together. I walk faster to get to the auditorium in order to see Kyle. I open the door and see him sitting on the edge of the stage, his legs dangling off the side. I drop my backpack on the stage and sit next to him.
"How are you feeling?" I ask him. He shrugs.
"Tired." I nod.
"Why didn't you sleep last night?" I feel his arm slide around my waist and he scoots in closer. He rests his head on my shoulder. He lets out a yawn.
"I was just thinking about a lot of things and my brain wouldn't let me sleep."
"What were you thinking about?"
"A lot of different things. You, Mikell, this school, my old school. Everything."
"Define everything." I say. Kyle yawns again.
"I wondered how everyone at my old school is. They're probably a lot happier and better off now that I'm gone. I thought about how this school is the same as my old one. But then again, why would it be any different? Of course there will be more people to bully me. Why would I think any differently? It's just so easy to bully me that they will do it anywhere I go. I thought an awful lot about Mikell, too. They way he can hurt me so much without getting tired. Or how he can call me names without getting bored. Or how he can insult me and get me to believe everything he says. It's weird how much power someone so horrible can have over me. Every little thing he does impacts me in some way. A negative way."
Kyle stops to yawn again. He's saying all of these things with no emotion at all. He hasn't shown any emotion all day. Usually he's very animated and alive. He's scaring me.
"But I also thought about you, Zac. You make me feel so much better. You protect me and help me through it all. You're the only good thing that has ever come out of my crappy life. And I can't thank you enough for that."
I feel something on my cheek and realize I'm crying. I wipe away my tears so Kyle can't see them. I hug him closer to let him know that I was listening intently the whole time. I kiss the top of his head as he yawns into my neck.
"You've certainly been thinking about plenty of things, huh?" I sniffle.
When I get no response, I look down at Kyle. He fell asleep on my shoulder. I smile and lay us both down, letting Kyle use me as a pillow. My hand rubs soothing circles on his stomach to comfort him as he sleeps.
When the bell rings, Kyle doesn't stir. The rise and fall of his chest is his only movement. I shake him lightly until his eyes open. He blinks his eyes a few times and we both sit up.
"Come on. You have to get to class." I say. Kyle groans.
"I don't want to." Kyle complains. He puts his head to my chest.
I grab our backpacks and hand him his. We hop off of the stage and walk to the door. People start to file into the auditorium, getting ready for class.
"I'll see you next period."
Kyle nods and kisses me quickly. I kiss him back, squeezing his hand. He turns and walks out of the auditorium and I walk to my seat, ignoring the hateful comments of some classmates.
:Unfortunately for me, today I have to perform a monologue from Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night". Today is not really a day that I would pick to go up on stage, as I'm not really in any mood to talk to anyone other than Kyle, but it seems that I have no choice. Silently cursing to myself, I go up on stage and perform to my best ability. When I finish, Mrs. Lavender claps her hands.
"Wonderful as always. Great passion!"
I nod my head at her in response and walk off stage. I take my seat, just waiting for class to be over.
And soon, after a few more bland people perform their monologues, the bell rings and I hop out of my seat. I push open the door and wait there for Kyle. When he meets me there, we walk to the lunch room together where the both of us are silent for a while. As I throw away my garbage, Kyle breaks the silence.
"Do you want to hang out today?" He asks.
"Shouldn't you go home and get some rest? You still seem really out of it and tired." I say, genuinely concerned about his well being. He shrugs.
"I'd rather spend time with you." Kyle looks at me with his big blue eyes that almost make me give in.
"Well, I'd rather have you feel better though." I say, grabbing his hand over the table. Kyle sticks out his lower lip. "Another day, babe."
"Okay." Kyle says, disappointed.
When the bell rings, Kyle gives me a kiss before we both head our separate ways.
The rest of the day goes on as normal, just with a lot less physical pain. After the last class of the day ends, I go to my locker and spot Kyle waiting for me.
"Hey." I say as I open my locker.
"Hi." Kyle replies. He waits for me as I get my books from my locker. After I close it, we walk, hand in hand. "Are you sure you don't want to hang out today?" I smile and chuckle at how cute he sounded.
"Go home and get some rest. We can do something tomorrow."
"Fine." Kyle fake pouts. I roll my eyes with a smirk on my lips.
"You're so cute."
I grab his waist and kiss him. He kisses me back, wrapping his arms around me. We both pull away from the kiss and take our arms away.
"Bye." I say to him.
"Bye." Kyle answers before kissing me again.
We turn from each other and start to walk to both of our separate houses, alone.