Comfort Weekend Waters

Harry - New

Drapetomania - An overwhelming urge to run away.

In movies everybody always seems to care about the new kid. Yet, in reality. It seems quite the opposite. If anything, you fly even more under the radar. People see you pass in the halls, and don't acknowledge you. You're a new face to them, maybe, but not interesting enough to approach. Especially when they have class to attend, or a bathroom to smoke in.

Me however, well I'm headed to the office. It's January, the school year is about half over already and I must go to pick up my schedule.

My family tends to move around a lot to compensate for Robin, my mums husbands job. Gemma is almost done, my sister, who is a senior. I on the other hand, being a junior, have over a year.

After only a couple minutes in the building, I can see its kept well clean, it doesn't smell like sweaty teenagers like some past schools. Instead has an almost chemically lemon scent. Eventually I'm able to find where the office is located, I push in the door, and enter the large room filled with chairs along the perimeter.

"Mr. Tomlinson this is final! Detention, this week starting today, until Friday. You're going to have to skip football, you did this to yourself."

I sit in one of the chairs, in what I assume is a sort of waiting area, and listen to the woman speak.

"You don't understand. We have a game this weekend." Mr. Tomlinson speaks back to her. His voice is different, not in a bad way. Almost.. higher? But not feminine.

"And you're free to attend that game." Her voice is now speaking lower, harder to hear through the door.

"I'm the captain, I can't just miss practice all week! It's only Monday!" I sit back, trying to put a face to his voice, but it's difficult. Maybe light brown hair? Very light, almost blonde. Tall, almost six foot. And football team captain, so fit.

"Well you should have thought about that before you punched Robbie. Now get to class."

My eyes shoot up from my hands, interlaced in my lap, when I hear the door slam open. My eyes are met with the student I know as Mr. Tomlinson. He isn't as I imagined. Instead he has deep brown hair, and light blue eyes. He is fit, but not in the bulky way I had imagined. And he's short, very short.

After my eyes move along his entire body, they meet back with his. His face had reddened, and his lips parted slightly.

A woman's obnoxious coughing broke our stare, "Mr. Styles?" she questioned, appearing next to him in the doorway.

"Yes, sorry." I said, beginning to stand. I took a single step towards her, she had turned back into her office. Before I got far, I was met with a shoulder to mine. I let out a small, "Oops!"

His hand found my arm, steadying us both, and replied with "Hi."

Our eyes met again, closer this time, and in the doorway of the principals room.

"Mr. Tomlinson please leave my office." she interrupts again. At this, he releases my arm and makes his way out. "Mr. Styles, please, come sit." she says, but I'm distracted watching him walk out of the office.

"It's not mister." I say gently, turning to her and sitting in the comfy chair in front of her desk. It's the color of black coffee, but watered down, and soft.

"Excuse me?"

"I don't use he, him. I use they, them pronouns." Her face tightens at my words.

"Sure then. So, here is your ID. We'll get your picture taken by the end of the week and give you an updated one. And this is your schedule."