Broken wings
The moment I saw tears sliver down her cheeks, it was gut wrenching. I didn't know what to do.
I have seen heartbreak many times and this is now one of them. I wanted to comfort her, give her a hug, but something was keeping me distant.
Was I even someone she wanted comfort from?
She was not alone. Betty, the blonde girl that Bear has been crushing on, and Theresa, a girl I have seen many times at the Island, were both with her.
Theresa was the definition of a social butterfly. As part of the student council, she knew just about everyone on campus whether it was personally or just seen around. She had her dark hair tied back in a ponytail and wore glasses that framed and complimented her round face perfectly.
I stood there frozen, backpack still slung over one shoulder, watching from a distance I didn't know how to cross.
Betty had her hand on CC's back, rubbing slow circles between her shoulder blades. Teresa was crouched down in front of her, saying something soft I couldn't hear.
I hadn't seen CC like this since… well, ever.
Was this something Kenny did? Or...
I continued on and entered the library with the image of CC still burnt into my mind. Looking around at the different tables and beyond the shelves, I found the guys. They were in the middle of a campaign discussion for DnD.
"Holy shit! I didn't expect to see you this early." Boss looked really surprised to see me.
James, the one who had all the attention at that moment, had become the dungeon master for a campaign that had been in the works all last semester while I was at swim practice.
He was a nerdy athlete and part of the schools basketball team and track. He wore his blonde hair in an open book style and had red framed glasses. What was really special about him is he had a very good way of using words. A silver tongued Wizard.
"So what'd I miss?" I popped a seat with the rest of the table.
James put his scribble filled notebook down. "Lot's. So far my campaign has killed 2 of Victor's characters, Bears character now has a flat deformed head from a trap he was lucky to survive, Boss is still hanging in there and Nate is trapped again for the billionth time."
I looked over at Nate who had a careless and blank expression.
"Damn Nate. Get it together."
Nate chuckled and shrugged. "Hey, if I see shiny or gold im, taking it."
My eyes narrowed in suspicion. "He's playing a goblin again, isn't he?"
The table answered simultaneously annoyed "Yup."
Nate smirked proudly.
"No. What I meant is what did I miss out there. I saw CC crying her eyes out."
James hummed and peered over towards the direction of library entrance to see if they were still there. "I heard that Kenny broke up with her during the break?"
"What the fuck? Seriously?" I sat back against my chair feeling very confused and lost for words.
I truly believed CC and Kenny were a very solid couple. The kind that you can see lasting.
What happened?
Once the bell rang and everyone went their separate ways to the first class, I made it down to the tennis courts.
There were 4 others I recognized from the swim team that were transferred in. Part of being in Tennis was obviously to have a tennis racquet.
Where was I going to get the money for that?
Lucky for me, I made a friend. His name was Manny. Manny was stout and very round, but was also very good at tennis. He had seen me drawing a few times in the courtyard whenever he walked by the Island of Misfits and offered me a deal.
A racquet for 5 dollars and a requested drawing of Misty from Pokemon. Only he wanted her to be very...Busty...and in a lewd pose.
Simple enough. My first push of custom lewd artwork.
What have I become? A smut peddler?
The coach had me start with the basics and I was hitting the ball to the wall. In other words, my opponent was a brick wall...And it Won!
Math class was a usual headache, but chemistry after Math, became the bane of my existence. I was expecting mixing different solutions and observing reactions, but it just turned out to be another type of math.
Why?
Between what I've learned this morning before school and what I've endured the last 3 hours, Lunch sounded good. I went through the line and grabbed my standard issue School pizza, fries, chocolate milk and a zebra cake from the a la carte line.
I don't even know why I get the pizza, the Crust was like cardboard, sauce was pretty bland and cheese was very waxy. Probably because that was the best choice compared to the rest of the lunch options.
Instead of going to the table in the cafeteria where everyone was sitting, I went outside to the island for some cool fresh air and to clear my head.
After my quick meal, I started to shuffle and sift through my Magic cards to restrategize and switch some cards around based on the last time I played with group.
Every so often, I would peer up to look around the courtyard. At one point, I noticed Kenny walking around with a group of guys from the JROTC program. I began to get curious.
Last school year, me, Kenny and apparently CC were all in the JROTC program. The JROTC program was created by the Army and was used as a military cadet training class. This earned you credit as a PE course and looked good if persued a career in the military.
The guys I saw with Kenny were higher ranking officers in that course and were their own clique. It looks like Kenny moved on and joined them.
Something still did not seem right. Why would Kenny just break-up with CC after a year? She deserves better than that.
During our lunch game of Magic the Gathering, I wasn't as engaged like I would usually be. The guys noticed I just wasn't into it by the way I was playing and not being as vocal.
In reality, I was playing another kind of game. One that involved navigating feelings, assumptions, and how to interrogate a breakup without being an asshole.
I wanted to ask about the break-up, I just didn't know how to ask.
CC is already hurting from this. Asking her would be like rubbing salt into a fresh wound. Kenny was the one I was really wanting to ask, but how can I approach him.
These strategic thinkings carried on throughout the French class after Lunch. It wasn't until this French class when my name suddenly change to Frédéric. As I walked out of class, I spotted Lilly walking right to it.
"Salut! Je m'appele Frédéric. Et tui?" I smiled and waved.
"Ah. Are we taking French this year?" Lilly smirked.
"Well it was either this or Spanish?" I gestured at my entire body. "I'm Mexican. I already know Spanish."
Lilly chuckled. "It would have been an easy A."
"Yeah but..." I paused suddenly realizing she was 100% correct. "You know what? Fuck you!"
She started to laugh and shake her head. "Oh Goofball."
I couldn't help but to laugh with her at my foolishness. Instead of taking an easy route, I unnecessarily challenged myself.
I leaned against the wall. "How's classes been so far?"
Lilly had a twinkle in her eyes. "I'm loving Tech in the mornings. Best laid back art class I ever had. And you?
I shrugged. "It Could be better. All my morning class suck. This class was fun and I got sociology next..." I immediately became distracted. "...Door."
Kenny stepped into the classroom I was heading to next. "Well shit."
"What?" Lilly looked over.
I blinked rapidly and shook my head. "Nothing. Things have just become interesting is all.
Lilly hummed questioning me.
"Anyways, you're going to love this teacher. She's a trip."
I started to walk away.
"Ok. Talk to you later, Frédéric." Lilly said in a taunting manner.
I raised up my arm with my middle finger pointing in the air and doing little circles. She clearly saw it by the way she chuckled before going into class.
Was this some sort of answered prayer or a twist of fate to have me in the same class as Kenny when I was looking for answers?
Whatever it was, fate had handed me the chance and I wasn't about to waste it. Not this time.