The Blog

Emil 3: Feelings

Emil trudged through the halls of the school, his ears ringing with the sound of cruel jokes and taunts that he couldn't seem to shake off. It seemed like every day brought a new wave of chaos and hate, and he was starting to feel like he couldn't take it anymore.

He sighed heavily and adjusted the straps of his backpack as he pushed his way through the doors of the cafeteria. It was always a battleground in there, but he had to find Elang.

Ignoring the insults and comments that he heard from every direction, Emil made his way over to the table where his friend usually ate breakfast. He scanned the area, looking for a neatly dressed Indonesian boy, but he couldn't see him anywhere.

Finally, he spotted his friends and his twin sister, but still no Elang. He took a deep breath and approached the table, steeling himself for the inevitable comments that would come his way.

"Good morning," he said, trying to sound casual. "Sorry to disturb your breakfast, but where is Elang? I would like to talk with him."

"Aw, see? He cares," one of his friends said with a smirk.

"Considering what happened over the weekend, check the back of the school," another chimed in.

"Use protection!" a girl cackled, and Emil felt his face flush with embarrassment.

He quickly made his way out of the cafeteria and to the back of the school, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't know what to expect when he got there, but he certainly wasn't prepared for what he saw.

Elang was standing in the center of a circle of two guys, his shirt ripped and his cheek bruised. The two guys were holding their stomachs and groaning in pain, while Elang glared down at them with a look of cold fury on his face.

"A 2-on-1 against a 'faggot' and you still got your asses packed!" he snarled, his voice low and dangerous.

Emil couldn't believe what he was seeing. This was the same Elang who used to stutter around him, the same boy who was always smiling and friendly to everyone. He felt a strange sense of admiration for him, mixed with a hint of fear.

He hid behind a tree and watched as Elang helped the two guys up and sent them scurrying away with a few choice words. When the coast was clear, Emil cautiously approached him.

"Who's there? I can smell your shitty perfume from here! If you're itching for a fight-" Elang began, but Emil quickly raised his hands in surrender.

"I surrender," he said, his voice shaking a little. "Please, don't rearrange my face!"

To his surprise, Elang's anger quickly dissipated, and he looked embarrassed instead of furious. Emil felt a strange urge to reach out and comfort him, but he held back.

"I guess you win the competition between us for who had the shittiest morning," Emil said with a weak smile. "At least I don't have to fight for my life for now."

Elang's face broke into a shy smile, and Emil felt his heart skip a beat.

"I wanted to talk to you about what happened, but that'll have to wait," Emil continued. "Let's get you to the nurse, okay? You naughty boy."

Elang's face turned bright red, and he nodded silently, following Emil's lead without protest. Emil couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride as they made their way down the hallway together, ignoring the snickers and whispers that followed them.

Maybe things weren't so bad after all.