Poisoned Hearts (A Jaric Fanfic)

7) It Has a Name

Before Japeth had time to react, Rhian and his posse of idiots came tramping down the stairs. Dean Brundhilde trailed behind the boys, draped in one of her eye-meltingly bright dresses. This one was orange and purple, and the light reflecting off it caused Japeth's eyes to burn.

"Good morning, boys." She said cheerily.

"Good morning, Dean Brundhilde." The boys- with the exception of Japeth and Aric- chanted drily.

She set out several plates of revolting looking oatmeal and motioned for them to sit down. Everyone did, crowding around Rhian and leaving the usual empty seats next to Japeth. Aric occupied one of those formerly empty seats, but did not look directly at Japeth, nor did he speak to him. Their meal was eaten in silence, aside from the idle chatter coming from Rhian's group. Even though only about fifteen minutes had passed before class began, it felt like an eternity.

While the boys were walking to class, Rhian sauntered up next to Japeth, clearly aware of the lack of conversation between him and Aric at breakfast.

"What's wrong?" he asked with concern that Japeth hadn't heard in his voice in a very long time.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not eating anything, you haven't said a word all morning, and you look like you haven't slept all night. I'm worried about you. I don't want this to be like last time!"

Last time. Despite the subtlety, Japeth knew all too clearly what Rhian meant. It brought back a rush of memories he had tried to forget. But that was in the past. It would never happen again.

"I'm fine! I promise." He reassured Rhian, forcing a smile as he sat down at his desk.

Dean Brundhilde walked to the front of the room and cleared her throat. "Well, boys. Today we are going to be talking about how good deeds..." Japeth tuned her out and took to sharpening his pencil with his nails, occasionally glancing at the beautiful graffiti Aric was drawing on his desk. But every time Aric looked up, Japeth would avert his eyes.

Class was as boring as usual, but today, rather than being accompanied by snarky remarks, Dean Brundhilde's lecture was endured in silence.

When the bell rang for lunch, Japeth hung back behind everyone else, moving slowly due to a mixture of dread and exhaustion. He sat down under a tree without bothering to get lunch. He closed his eyes, taking in the light breeze and the rustling of branches. Then, the all too familiar thump of Aric sitting down next to him. Shit shit shit. Now he'd have to talk to him.

"Aren't you gonna get something to eat?" Aric asked.

"No. I'm not hungry." Japeth answered plainly.

"Well at least have some coffee. You look exhausted." He said, handing Japeth a mug full of brownish liquid.

Japeth took a sip, smiling at the bitter taste. "Thanks."

"How come you haven't talked to me all morning?" Aric asked.

Damn it. He noticed. "I thought you were ignoring me."

"Oh." He replied, his face flushed with embarrassment. "Sorry. I thought you didn't want to talk to me."

Japeth felt a hot pink flush creep up his own face, but he tried to hide it with his hair. "Okay."

For a few minutes, the two of them sat in silence as Aric ate his lunch. Japeth sipped his coffee awkwardly, unsure what to say now. After a while, Aric finished his lunch and stood up.

"Well, I should probably get going. Class will start any minute." He announced.

"Wait!" Japeth called as he began to walk away. He wasn't quite sure why, but for some reason, he felt the urge to do so.

"What?"

"Well... uh... I was wondering... well, tomorrow's the weekend and I thought maybe you could... uh... like, come over to my room and we could... um... watch a movie or something." He said awkwardly.

Aric smiled. "Sure, I'd like that."

Japeth blushed bright red, but luckily Aric was already walking away and couldn't see. His head was spinning. He felt it again. That feeling he felt when he first met Aric, and when he grabbed his hand on the roof. A feeling he dismissed as hatred. A feeling he didn't have a name for. But now he did. Love.

He was in love. And the strangest part was, he liked it.