H a l o s and F e a t h e r s

Lesson 08

"Cute girl, checkin' you out. Go talk to her."

"Shut up." His voice was low, lips barely moving to conceal the fact that he was speaking to someone that only he could see. Daniel still believed that he was partially insane to be honest.

Silence ensued. The students milled about on the lunch break while Daniel remained off on his own, nose shoved in a book. His hair spilled forward, just long enough to hide his eyes from view as he hunched over as such. His bag remained at his side. Leanne took residence beside him, leaning against the wall, arms folded over her chest as she scoped out the crowds of students around them. A teacher or two mingled with them, keeping an eye out and making sure trouble didn't rear up among the teenagers.

"You know, if you looked up and around you might notice another kid or two glancing your way like they wanna talk to you."

"I don't want to talk to them."

Leanne scoffed, growing aggravated quickly. It had been like this since she had found the kid. Her attempts to get the boy to open up to those around him were met with failure and being rather detached herself she didn't know how else to get him to feel alive or like he belonged.

"No wonder no one wants to talk to you - you're so very pleasant."

"For an angel you're a bitch."

"Ah, but you admit I'm an angel."

"A wingless flop of one, maybe."

"... ... Touché."

Leanne remained silent after this, watching as another boy with auburn hair glanced around himself. He seemed to be debating on something or other and stealing looks at the loner that was Daniel. Finally he broke away from his own small group of friends, bidding a quick word with them. They shot him curious looks but soon returned to conversation as the auburn haired boy made his way to Daniel where he stood, waiting.

Daniel merely turned a page in his book, ignoring the presence of his peer. Leanne nudged him with her foot, well aware that it must have looked strange to the young boy in front of Daniel when he pitched to the side slightly without warning or even seemingly a reason.

"Greetings are usually polite."

Daniel grunted. The auburn haired boy must have taken this as a go ahead sign, even when Daniel didn't look up for he cleared his throat looking sheepish. "Hey, I'm Jake. I've noticed you alone over here...." He shifted nervously. "Well, uh... Would you like some company?"

Daniel took a moment to answer and when he did it was only under the knowledge that it was to keep from being nudged or hit by Leanne again. "I don't care."

"Uh... Okay..." Jake took a seat next to him, peering over onto the pages of the book to catch a glimpse of the words. "What're you reading?"

"Demonata."

Daniel grunted as Leanne nudged him again, trying to get him to continue the conversation on his own without forcing Jake to do so. True, she had always felt detached and lost herself when alive. Even in large crowds she had felt so very alone and had no way of knowing why. But she had observed, she had watched others and picked up on social cues. Leanne had never been good with words or social norms but she could mimic them at the least.

"Ask him what he likes to read," she urged.

Huffing Daniel slammed the book in his hands closed, rising to his feet as he slung his bag over his shoulder to stalk off to an empty part of the recess grounds. Jake was left gaping after the boy wondering what he had done wrong if anything at all. Leanne quickly hurried after Daniel, tugging him back behind a tree. A girl shot a confused look his way as from the corner of her eyes it had seemed like something had shoved him though he seemed to be standing normally now and with that she looked away, back to her own friends.

"What is wrong with you?" Leanne hissed. Daniel stood, hands shoved in his jeans and gaze averted to the side. She recognized this pose, too. He was withdrawing into himself as she had. She was beginning to curse Maika for this assignment. The kid was too much like her for things to run smoothly.

He grumbled something that she couldn't catch.

"Why won't you let me help you?"

"I didn't ask for your help." With that Daniel stomped off again, trying to escape his wingless angel.

Leanne allowed him to stomp off, rooted to the spot as she stared after him. Let me help you, she called after him silently.