prince ♛ cole mackenzie

04 | friends

A bitter breeze gently shook the bare branches overhead. Silas dug his hands further into the woollen pockets of his winter coat. The green meadow had been frosted with dew and even the birds were silent this morning.

As soon as he reached the line of trees in front of the school, he heard Billy's group of friends making their way into the yard.

no thanks.

He took a detour through a patch of birch saplings and hurried into the building. Although it was empty, the room was comfortingly warm after the icy walk. Almost empty.

Silas felt someone watching him. Turning, his gaze met a certain blond boy's blue.

"Oh, sorry," Silas said.

Cole had an open sketchbook on his desk and a charcoal pencil. A forest was illustrated behind a river, where a stag stood proud. Cole noticed his stare and lay his arm across the paper;.

"That's . . . really amazing. Could I see it?"

"It's not really, I was just bored. I guess you can."

Cole moved along the desk slightly to let him in. A small ink stain stood out from one of the pine trees he had drawn.

"I'm sorry Billy did that yesterday," Silas apologised, "He's an idiot."

"It's fine."

Cole fiddled his hands awkwardly beneath the table. The silence was overwhelming.

"Do you always sit in here? Aren't you friends with that Anne girl?" asked Silas.

"I guess," he repeated. "It's more quiet in here, anyway."

From outside, they heard laughter and an irritated girl giving Billy a piece of her mind.

"She seems nice. She'll change the world one day," Silas joked, yet he half believed it.

"Yeah."

Silas glanced back to Cole's page and how alone he had been before.

"I'll be your friend." The words escaped his mouth before he could think.

Cole's eyes lifted from his hands to look at Silas. His face turned a darker shade of peach but a small smile tugged at the sides of his lips.

"I'd like that."