Keep your head down and keep walking. That was Anthurium’s life motto. Partially because that’s all he ever did, partially because of what other people did. All his life, Anthurium was known as a highly quiet, agreeable person. Never once, not even when someone hit him, did Anthurium ever get into fights. However, apparently, he did now. He cowered against the wall of his high school as flash pike, the most envied guy in the school, corners him. He ducks out of the way, barely moving his head, as Flash tries to grab the frilled collar of his lavender T-shirt. Anthurium ducks his head as he tries to grab his hair. Finally, he catches Anthurium by surprise and grabs his neck, not enough to choke him, but enough to scare him. Anthurium freezes, and flash moves his face close, really close to Anthurium's, having to duck to see eye to eye. "Listen, kid." Flash growls, which is funny because Anthurium is older than him, "Stay away from the newest kid. That's my cousin, and I don't need you to ruin my family's reputation, no matter how mentally disturbed they are." Anthurium nods, then slaps Flash’s hand as hard as he can and pulls away, ducking under his arm and running down the hallway. Flash calls after him, “Don’t forget my warning, Anthurium Joseph! Don’t you dare!” Anthurium just keeps running, not a sign that he heard the threat Flash pike called. Unbeknownst to Flash, there would be two new kids tomorrow, and no one knew which one his cousin was.
* * * * *
6th day of the 2nd quarter, and there’s 2 new kids. One is tall, dark, and short tempered. Most people immediately assume this is Flash’s cousin. The other, though thin, is evidently stronger than he looks, hence the fact he pushed a car out of the way to park his own. He is even quieter than Anthurium, and people only know his name, Faol, because of attendance, where he raised his hand. And lucky Anthurium, he gets stuck in EVERY SINGLE CLASS with this guy, and the teachers assume this is a worthy reason for Anthurium to become Faol’s guide for the next 4 weeks. There are eight periods in a normal school day for these kids, and on the way to period 3, Anthurium gets sick of the awkward silence and asks Faol some questions.
“So, uhm, hi. I’m Anthurium.” he squeaks, his voice rising awkwardly.
“Mhmm. And as I’m assuming you know,” Faol’s voice was deeper and more gravely than most kids in the junior year, “My name is Faol.”
“Uh, yeah. Say, where ya from?” Again, his voice cracks.
“Quebec, Canada, though I don’t speak much french.”
“Ah. Vous parlez donc un peu français ?” Anthurium questions him.
“Oui. Une très petite quantité.” Faol responds with a slight grin and a shrug.
"Très bien ! Moi aussi, une très petite quantité." Anthurium smiles back excitedly, happy to find another french speaker.
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“D’où êtes-vous?” Faol widens his grin, making eye contact for the first time.
“Casper, Wyoming. Not very interesting, huh?”
“No, apparently not.” Faol laughs, his smile widening to a largely obtuse triangle. “I find that surprising.”
“Oh, do you?” Anthurium turns to him. “Why?”
“You're an interesting person. More than the other stone faces I’ve seen so far.” Both he and Anthium start laughing so hard they snort. They then continue down the hallway, still attempting not to laugh. A hall monitor calls out to them. “Hey, hurry and get to class, you have 1 minute!” They stop laughing, give each other wide eyed looks, which makes them giggle again, and start sprinting down the hallway to get to clarinet practice. “No running!!” the hall monitor screams, exasperated.
* * * * *
Faol, Anthurium finds out, has no idea how to play a clarinet, he just chose that instrument because he owns one. The band teacher, Ms. Chelsea, instructed him to take Faol into the back room and teach him how to play the clarinet, which he does.
“So, mon élevé, do you know how to set up a clarinette?” Faol smirks, causing anthurium to blush, and responds,
“Oui, mon amour. I believe I do.” anthurium blushes more. “Um, Faol, you didn’t know you said love, like amour, right? I think you meant monsieur. That means mister-”
“Oh, I know exactly what I said, prétendant.”
“And that means Beau.”
“I know, joli.”
“Hey!”
Anthurium covers his face and yells quietly, turning away from Faol with an embarrassed, bright red face. Then, an idea pops into his head.
“Now, now, Don Juan, that was uncalled for.” A smirk dances across his lips as Faol turns slightly red at the cheeks. And then, his smirk turns into a frown as Faol slightly smiles, then grins widely.
“Oh, I see how it is, Juliette.”
“Hey! Unfair!” He turns to his clarinet and starts assembling it. Next to him, Faol does the same. Then, he gets into the starting position for the first note.
“Alright, Mr. Don Juan, what notes do you know?”
“Um, a couple?”
“Ah, so you don’t know everything. Alright, I’m going to stand behind you and position your hands and body.” He comes and wraps his hands around his midsection, grabbing his hands and putting them on the right notes. He takes Foals shoulders and places them in a way where his back is rail straight and his elbows are placed into his sides. Anthurium pulls his fingers and places themes onto the holes of the notes he was playing and shows him on his own clarinet how to blow on the clarinet. Faol tries and gets a pitiful screeching sound. He pulls away from the clarinet, covering his ears. Anthurium grabs Faol’s clarinet before it can hit the ground and break. “Faol!” Anthurium turns to Faol with an exasperated look. “Alright, hun. Your FIRST bad note, and you drop the damn instrument! These lovely music makers do cost money, you know!”
Faol lowers his face towards the ground, but his short hair still shows off his red tipped ears. “Quoi?” Faol turns away even more and mumbles something. “répétez cela, Faol.” “You look hot when you’re angry.” “I-what?” “Your hot.” Faol then suddenly turns and faces Anthurium. Both boys turn bright red upon making eye contact. "L-lets just continue the lesson.."