4:06 - A Tale of Leukemia

Who Am I | Chapter 4

004 | The Art of Serendipity

BOO returned to school on the fourteenth. Not at all prepared for what was in store for him.

People stared.

A lot

And it's not like they were being discreet about it. They stared openly. As if they were thoroughly checking him, for any signs of a sickness. And it didn't help that he was naturally an insecure soul. Eyes made him feel as though they were judging him. Even if they probably weren't. He wouldn't know. He was too scared to look back.

Luckily, he had Teddy glued to his side – who had been present when he'd begged his parents to send him back to school for the sake of normalcy – staring down any and every person who even dared to risk a glance in his direction.

They only stopped by his locker for a jiffy. Which only consisted of Boo, loading his books inside. He was completely winded, by the time he finished. Leaning his head on the locker for support.

Teddy was concerned. ''Do you want me to call your mom – or... or the schools nurse or something?''

''No. I'm fine.'' Boo assured him with a smile that didn't quite seem to reach his eyes. ''Just have to get used to carrying around so many books again.'' He made a move, to leave, but was halted by the arm Teddy put on the locker behind his head. Stopping him from moving all together.

The boy breathed out through his mouth. ''Y – yeah?''

Teddy shot him an 'are you serious look' '' Look, I know you're tired – '' He gestured to a group of girls with their jaws to the floor, who scrambled away almost instantly. ''They know your tired. Look, no one's going to think of you any differently, if you take the rest of the day off to rest.''

''Heck, I do it all the time, 'cept they're not so forgiving when it comes to me skipping – well anyways – ''

Boo cut him off. Pushing his arm off his chest. ''I'm fine.''

''Boo – '' Boo he called him. Not even Boob. Boo.

'' - you can't still be seriously heading to class, knowing your tired and that – ''

''I'm fine, I said.'' He glared. And though he didn't quite snap it out, he still said it with enough intensity, to let the other know it wasn't quite up for discussion.

''Boo, please.'' The ginger begged. ''Don't be stupid. What if you pass out or something and you have to go home, and your doctors decide it's not safe for you to go back to school, then what? And we don't even share any classes, other than PE. What if something happens to you, and I can't help you? Huh?''

He made a good argument, Boo noted. But his pride, and the fact that Teddy was doing this in front of people, goaded his stubbornness.

He started his trek down the hall. ''I'll be fine. I promise.''

''Boo.''

He ignored his calls, joining the flock of rowdy students. Class went along rather smoothly. All of his classes, as a matter of fact, went by without a single problem, other than the heavy books he had to carry from class to class.

It was PE class, when his problems started. Taking on the form of his childhood bully, Dave Peterson.

''Pony-boy?'' David scoffed out in disgust. In the process of switching out his T-shirt for a wife-beater. ''I thought you'd be dead in a ditch somewhere.''

''Hey, leave him alone.'' One of the boy's weakly protested from one of the benches. ''Kid's got cancer.''

''So? Kid's also completely, and utterly gay, and here you are. Taking off all your clothes in front of him.''