Falling Hard || The Music Freaks || Lander

Chapter Two: When We First Met

Zander was shaking from head to toe. Taking deep breaths to calm himself, he hoped his classmates couldn't see it. Would they like his curled purple hair and pale face? Would they want to be friends with him?

"Please welcome your new kindergarten buddy!" the teacher said excitedly. "Would you mind introducing yourself?"

"Oh! Uhm..." Zander froze as everyone in the class turned their eyes on him. "Well... My name's Zander. I... started playing the piano this summer and uhm... I like the colour purple."

Silence rippled across the classroom like a wave of water.

What did I do? Was I not cool enough for them? I knew I shouldn't have mentioned the piano part - what if nobody wants to be friends with me?

A million thoughts flooded into Zander's head. For all he knew, he probably did something wrong. He clung onto his arm shyly.

"Welcome to the class, Zander!" the teacher was still as cheerful as ever. "You can sit at the back beside Luke and Camilla!"

He quietly made his way towards the table. Shadows threw over two empty, plastic chairs. It was as if it was his destiny to be lonely.

Zander sat down and sighed. School wasn't as fun as he had expected. Didn't his mother say it had been exciting? Wasn't this a place to make friends? Maybe the world really did hate him...

He brushed a candy wrapper on the table to the floor. The table surface was covered in a light coat of dust, as if nobody had occupied the seat for a while.

"Hey, Zander, right?"

Surprised, he looked up to see a pair of buttercup eyes staring at him.

"Huh?"

"I'm Luke," the boy smiled, dismissing Zander's confusion. "Can I sit here?"

"Oh! Of course!" Zander scooted his seat aside as Luke sat down next to him. He wondered why this boy was here. Did he feel sorry for him? Or... maybe he wanted to be friends with him!

No... you're just getting your hopes up, he chided himself.

"You okay?" Luke asked, looking at him with a concerned expression. "You look a bit down."

"I... I'm fine," said Zander. He didn't want to say anything else, fearing he'd seem weirder than he already was. Better not mess up in front of the only person that wanted to talk to him...

The two didn't talk again until recess came, where Zander stared at the faraway city landscape. He was sitting on the lowest branch of a leafless tree in the corner of the playground. It was perfect for climbing - with the smooth tree trunk and the small bumps and ridges like a ladder.

He leaned back, enjoying the sun on his face when he heard his name being called.

"Zander!"

It was Luke again.

"Whatcha doing up there?"

"Just... thinking," Zander responded.*

I wonder what he has to say now...

*"Isn't it lonely?" Luke questioned. "Don't you have any friends to talk to?"

"No... I don't think anyone wants to be friends with me..." Zander sighed.

Luke smiled. "What are you talking about? I wanna be your friend!"