The two boys had closed the door behind them, and for a moment none of them spoke, neither turned to greed one another. When Diomedes shifted his face at him and cackled silently though, Odysseus's own nervous eyes and uneasy grin followed.
''Holy shit, I thought she'd almost kill me- Did you see the way she looked at me? This woman is venomous, I swear! ''
''What? I didn't notice anything wrong- ''
''That's what she wants you to think, really. But when the time comes and you've REALLY messed up, she unburies all your mistakes and buries you WITH THEM.''
''...''
''Oh, I'm Diomedes Tydeusias by the way! Most people just call me Diomedes of course, but you can call me Dio! You are Odysseus, right?''
Odysseus stared at the boy's gestured hand and observed him carefully. There was something about him that he could not quite put in place. He realized that in this short amount of time they'd ''met'' each other, Diomedes had used the amount of hand gestures that Odysseus would use in a month. His expressiveness was extremely welcoming, came with ease. It was something Diomedes looked like he was used to. It was expressive yet calm, like distant unheard fireworks that still caught your attention in the horizon. A guy that never stopped moving, a guy that never stopped dreaming, a guy that went with the flow of life. Odysseus found it oddly appealing. Then the realization kicked in. This guy is my roommate. He anxiously embraced Diomede's hand, his senses buried in caution.
''Yeah, I guess I am?''
A smile quirked between the deep dimples of Diomede's cheeks as they parted hands. His teeth shined bright. A guy with endless outcomes and possibilities.
''You guess?Talk about first-day nervousness. Cheer up a little my dude! I don't bite.''
''Where did you get the idea that- ''
Diomedes chuckled. It was a breathless laugh, those that catch you yourself off guard, after your own giggles echoe in a dead silent room after being told a very VERY terrible joke. Odysseus raised an eyebrow to this unfamiliar yet unthreatening way of response.
''Well, you look awfully distressed, and your eyebrows are stuck together like they're glued. What did Hera tell you in there? That we'll eat you?''
Odysseus attempted to ease his tensed shoulders. Diomedes had a smile that belonged in albums and photos of magazines, and it was somehow off-putting. His humorous nature though, made it quite clear he was an excellent communicator. It felt natural to him to be this casual and informal, and it showed.
Odysseus replied with an eager smile this time, thriving in copying Diomedes's ease with words and movement. Observe and duplicate.
''Not really, she was actually quite welcoming. I'm sorry for looking so uptight, I really am not used to feeling like this. Being new and ...such, hasn't given me the time to process everything that has happened today and- ''
That damned charming laugh again. ''You apologize a lot for your first day dude! Save the apologies for when you mess up and have to explain yourself to the school staff. Oh! Speaking of settling down, are you in the mood for a little walk around the school?
Odysseus thought and thought again. His mind raced endlessly. Again that unsettledness. He'd figure later that it was all because of Diomede's piercing honey-brown eyes. They sought for your secrets, wanted to get to know you. An old-souled observer trapped in a short seventeen-year old's boy's body.
''You are obligated to show me around; it's not like you have a choice.''
''Nah, I do. I could have never showed up and left you wandering around honestly, but when I saw you running in the halls with Ajax I just... somehow knew you were decent. You can say, you caught my curiosity...!''
YOU ARE READING
Iliad! Teen Edition
Non-FictionOdysseus transfers to the "Highschool of Achaea" and it's not what he'd imagined. He'll have to figure out what is so special about it. Maybe it's the mysterious aura of it's students, maybe the debth of hatred with the Troy Academy, maybe something...
