IT au (Self insert)

CHAPTER ONE, PART TWO.

THANK GOD FOR JORDY

One particularly hot afternoon, as he jogged around the track, Athien could feel the beads of sweat trickling down his face, stinging his eyes. The sun beat down mercilessly, turning the asphalt into a scorching surface that seemed to radiate heat upwards. He glanced at his classmates, who seemed unaffected, chatting and laughing as they ran. Summer, he hates.

The classroom was cold and quiet. It was a Friday, and a few kids were absent, their desks empty as the rest of the class slogged through a test. The air was thick with the anticipation of the weekend, though some students dreaded the time away more than they looked forward to it. The fluorescent lights buzzed softly, adding to the sterile atmosphere.

"Hey, dude, what's the answer to question 7?" Jordy whispered, glancing over at Sebastian, who was staring out the window at Athien, as usual. She rolled her eyes and tapped his shoulder to get his attention. The classroom's sombre mood seemed to hang heavier around Sebastian.

"Oh, uhm... Hi?" Sebastian turned to face Jordy, momentarily disoriented. They had never spoken before, and he was taken aback.

"Sorry to bother you, but do you know the answer to question 7?" Jordy asked again, her eyes flicking down to Sebastian's test sheet. It was completely blank, with no name, no date, nothing written at all.

"If you like him that badly, you should just ask him out." Jordy shrugged and returned to her paper, filling out an answer with precise, deliberate strokes.

"No, uh, I don't like him like that. Besides... I don't even know him." Sebastian's face flushed, and he tried to cover his embarrassment. His feelings for Athien were a poorly kept secret, and the flush deepened as he realised how obvious they must be.

"You've never spoken to him... But you ogle at him for an hour every day?" Jordy shot back, skipping question 7 and moving on to the next. Her tone was matter-of-fact, almost bored, but there was a hint of curiosity.

"I mean... He nodded at me once in the hall..." Sebastian muttered, his eyes dropping to his blank test. In reality, he spent far more than an hour cumulatively staring at Athien each day, captivated by every small gesture and expression.

Jordy sighed, sensing the depth of his unspoken longing. "Look, I know him. Do you want to talk to him? Because I can put in a good word," she offered, her voice softening slightly. Sebastian's heart leapt at the possibility, but he struggled to keep his excitement in check. "I mean, if you could, thanks..." he said, trying to smile at Jordy, though she remained focused on her paper. The moment felt surreal, a strange blend of hope and anxiety. As the classroom clock ticked away the minutes, Sebastian felt a glimmer of optimism that maybe, just maybe, things could change. The usual silence of the room seemed to hum with a newfound potential, the cold atmosphere warming slightly with the promise of connection.

The bell rang, and the hallways filled with the sound of chattering students making their way to lunch. Jordy decided to catch Athien before heading to her usual music routine. She spotted him by the lockers, his back turned as he gathered his things.

"Hey, dude!" Jordy called out, walking up to him with a confident stride.

"Oh hey, Jordan! What's up?" Athien turned, his smile genuine and warm, though tinged with curiosity.

"So, I have this classmate who will not stop staring at you during class," Jordy began, leaning against the locker beside him. "Today in class, we had a test, and he didn't even touch his paper. His name is Sebastian, brown hair, scruffy, pretty tall, and he wants to be your friend." She placed her hand on her forehead and dragged it down in mock exasperation, her eyes sparkling with mischief.