Strangers

Tooth

They died, that's where the story started.

While both were tucked away in convenient little rooms for bad behavior--James for his outburst, Paige for hers--they thought about home.

*****

James wore his football jersey on the first day of school, like he always had, and as usual he was dropped off to early in the morning. There was someone sitting in his spot.

He felt a speck of guilt at that, he wasn't really entitled to anything, but other people thought he was, which was just as bad. But the slight and sticky residue of the shy person he was before clung to him, so in the mornings while his sister played nice, James did the homework he avoided, all the while avoiding everybody else. It felt intrusive to change at this point, like who you talk to in the mornings was somehow traditional. But someone was in his spot, the usually empty table that James and now someone else sat on opposite ends of.

"Hey."

"Hey." James said, his voice raspy and sore from the morning. "You new?"

"No, we just haven't talked. I had geometry with you last year."

"Oh yeah. Carlson right?"

"Yeah. That class was so easy."

James swallowed because, no, no it wasn't, "Yeah, for sure. It's Sam right?"

"Sebastian, but Sams fine. Your James." James nodded, unsure of how to respond to it.

"Do you want a cookie?"

"What?"

"I made them, for the rocket club bake sale. There's lots if you want one."

"I don't have money or anything.."

"No of course not, just take one."

Tentatively James did. He thought about asking for one for Bridget too, but it felt like cheating the moment. He bit into it, it was like powder. He held onto the rest.

"Wow its really good."

"It tastes like sand but thanks for pretending."

"Oh don't be so hard on yourself."

James considered excusing himself, he could see it was the kind of meaningless conversation that would end up dragging on, and he still had homework to finish. He rationalized, and stayed put.

"If you say so."

It took James a minute to notice how they'd drifted, now right across from each other, leaning in close.

The bell rang, and Sebastian placed a hand on his shoulder before saying goodbye. James wasn't used to being touched outside of practice, it gave him goosebumps. It felt like his hand was still burned into his skin as he walked to homeroom, and he ate the rest of his cookie instead of giving it away like he'd planned. Bridget, his friend who sat next to him, wouldn't mind, she didn't know he intended to give it to her at all.

He ached to tell her about Sebastian's touch, and his chipped tooth. He kept it to himself, and drank more cough syrup when he excused himself to the bathroom. He came to the same spot the next day.

***

He thought about Sebastian's touch now, it felt like waking up. After spending days in a fever dream, bloody and mangled, his arms and hands had forgotten how touch worked. His sister held his hand briefly, he wasn't even sure if his eyes were open, and roll of nausea made him start convulsing. It's what it felt like when Paige touched him, though he tried to make an exception, he'd made one for Bridget too.