the best four years;

[longwinded]

The same thing goes on in school day in and day out. Go to Homeroom. Go to first, second, third, fourth, and fifth period. Go to after school activities. Go home. The cycle can get a little mind numbing. Not that John Egbert should really be complaining. He's in a good school getting a good education. Breaking the cycle is what everyone hopes for day in and day out, and today would be that long awaited day. The cycle would be introduced to something, or rather someone new. First day of the second semester of Freshman year.

The constant chatter of Homeroom is happening and the administrator shushes everyone and waves in a new student. "This is Dave Strider." She says. "Make sure he feels as welcome as all of you feel welcome in this school." John is used to getting new students every so often. They had a few in the middle of the first semester. But when the new student happens to be who you think (you know) is your childhood best friend, things are a little different. John becomes very attentive to Dave, looking him up and down as he stands in front of the classroom. He doesn't say anything, which checks out with what he remembers, and it looks like him. He wants to say something. But would Dave even remember him?

It's been so long. They were forced to split when Bro made the decision to put Dave in public school, and Dad made the decision to keep John in private school. What would make Bro want Dave in private school in the middle of Dave's freshman year? John knows he looks different anyways. His front teeth are more pronounced, he's taller and he's broader.

He reasons with himself. John convinces himself that when Dave gets seated by the teacher, he was going to at least wave at him. See if that rang any bells for Dave, at all.

Comments

[longwinded]

This causes John to just turn back around, what if he did change so much that Dave doesn't recognize him. Man that would really be something. John guesses it would be better to give Dave some space for now. Since they are in this Homeroom together he knows that they will have the same lunch period. When lunch rolled around in a few hours he could always attempt to like...sit with him or something.

The bell is sounded for first period. The students dismiss until the midway point of third period- when lunch rolls about.

[knightime]

Dave doesn't even stick around to stay in the cafeteria. He goes straight out where he can find some open space to sit by himself. He has a juicebox and some leftover pizza with him, so he doesn't have to rely on school food. Leftover pizza is the shit anyways.

If John looks for Dave, he'll find him seated under a tree on his own. It's a nice difference to hearing kids whisper about him throughout the day. He told Bro they should have waited until his injuries healed or something. They all probably think he's some delinquent. Not that it wouldn't be a too far off assessment.

[longwinded]

John is starting to get the message here. Maybe Dave does want to be left alone. But this is a new school for him, and new students usually have someone at least there to make sure they're doing alright through out the day. John probably should have at least made sure the other got to first period. Geez, he hadn't even talked to Dave yet and he messed up.

He eats his lunch, and decides he should probably go looking for the other. It took him a good ten minutes but when he does find him he stands at a respectable distance. "Lunch ends in like five. Just incase you didn't know." Uhhh, what else could he say. "You've been finding everything alright, yeah?"

[knightime]

Dave looks at John, expression unmoving as he drinks his juicebox. Oh, it's this guy again. There's still a familiarity to him, but he isn't sure why. He can't quite place it and he blames his shit tier memory for it. Oh well. If it was more important, he'd remember right? Maybe he knew this kid from somewhere. Who knows?

But he nods in response to John's comment and question. Yeah. He's not dumb, you dingus.

[longwinded]

He sits at the respectable distance now. "But you can totally get away with sitting outside. Sometimes the teachers are pretty chill if you were just out here observing nature or something." Educationally being late to class or whatever. He isn't really sure what else to say, he knows who this is, he's like ninety-eight percent certain!

"I'm John." He isn't sure if anyone else had even made an attempt to be friendly with Dave. So you know what, he will. Because even if Dave doesn't remember him that doesn't mean they can't be friends now.

[knightime]

Dave furrows his brow. John is a familiar name too. But John is a common name, right? So maybe that's why. This is going to bug him all day, Christ. He doesn't say anything (he can't). What does John want him to do? Hi, I'm Dave. You already know that but here, have it again anyways.

He's right though. People have been avoiding him mostly. New kid who didn't fit in at all and can't talk to boot. He's apparently intimidating as hell.

[longwinded]

"I was kind of dumb earlier, I should have at least asked if you were cool on directions." He presses his face into his palm before looking at Dave. He's still kind of surprised Dave doesn't remember him, but then again didn't Dave have really bad memory anyways? Like remembering people is hard when you've seen so many people in your life anyways.

"So, were you in public school before this?"

[knightime]

Dave shrugs in response. You aren't his mom and he can take care of himself. Jesus Christ, you don't have to coddle him. He is a perfectly self sufficient teenager who can get through school on his own. And Dave has an undoubtedly bad memory. He'll remember later and feel really dumb about it or something.

Dave nods in response to John's question. No shit.

[longwinded]

He gestures to...well all of Dave that was visibly bruised. He doesn't make a sad face, or a sympathizing face. It's actually pretty neutral. How to word this without sounding like a douchebag.

"So, did they do..that to you?" Clearly he's speaking about the bruises now. "If they did. Then that is completely unacceptable. Their reasons even more so." It doesn't matter the reason. Punching people at all is kind of dumb unless they really fucking deserve it. Sure there were bullies here too, but what with all of those kids coming from rich families with a shit ton of prestige, they really can't afford to give their parents a bad name. Plus, John would beat them with his Lacrosse stick. He's not got much to lose besides his scholarship.

[knightime]

Dave doesn't seem interested in talking about his bruises and just moves to get to his feet. It looks like he's just gonna leave without answering John's questions. You're too nosy and it's kind of fucking annoying, sorry. He's not gonna talk about these things to John. He barely talks about them to Bro.

[longwinded]

Well, fine then. He'll just get up and follow Dave inside. They have to go to the same place anyways so they might as well go together, right? He didn't mean to be nosy...he was just worried. That was all. But he won't push the issue and they can just go to class.

[knightime]

He kind of wishes they weren't in the same class. He expects John to try and talk to him again, and he only was going here because school got too rough and he had to be transferred. He had no interest in socializing. It's not like he really needed school other than for his damn diploma.

He doesn't look at John the entire way and just heads for his desk.

[longwinded]

John has this feeling he tried to delve way to far into that entire situation. So he'll fall back again. He wonders if he should just not even try. But what kind of old friend would he be then? To give up on a friendship that was likely worth fighting for.

He'll head for his desk, and sit. He has a lot of thinking to do.

[knightime]

Dave doesn't seem to give anyone his attention, keeping to himself and just flipping through the text book. He isn't really listening to the teacher either, but it's stuff he can already do.

He just wants school to end for the day, Christ.

[longwinded]

John wants the end of the say as well. Maybe he can try and fix things with Dave? Maybe he could invite him to do something fun? But what is fun about piano lessons and lacrosse practice? Nothing probably.

Hrrrrgh.

[knightime]

The day kind of goes without too much happening. What you'd expect from school.

John can try inviting him. It's not like he does much and he doesn't have super snotty parents to pick him up. He just walks home, like a normal kid. A normal kid with an elusive as shit brother.

[longwinded]

School is school and it passes by pretty slowly. But eventually they're on their way out of the door.

So John is definitely going to ask him. Right here and right now. He steps into stride with him. "How do you feel about Lacrosse? Or pianos. Pianos more specifically?"

[knightime]

Dave stops and turns to look at him. Even with sunglasses in place you can tell that Dave is giving John an incredulous face. Who the fuck even plays lacrosse? Like seriously? What the fuck dude.

Pianos are cool, but he's too incredulous that the other is talking to him again and asking about fucking lacrosse.

[longwinded]

What is John going to have to do? Bend over backwards or something? Dave is really hard to even get attention from, much less get to go along with things.

"To be fair I did say more specifically pianos."

[knightime]

Dave is just being an antisocial prick. He'll warm up to John eventually.

Dave replies with a noncommittal shrug. John can take that however he wants to, but Dave hasn't just gone up and walked off, so that means something right?

[longwinded]

John is too outgoing for his own good. Unfortunately.

"Got a minute, then? What's your favorite song?"

[knightime]

Dave shrugs again in response. It's too hard to narrow down to a single favorite song. Not when every song was practically his favorite song. You really appreciate things like music when you're mute but you can still produce some pretty sick tunes.

[longwinded]

He is going to break Dave eventually. He is going to do it. Eventually they get to a room with an electronic keyboard and some other electronic instruments. They were free to use so- why not?

John stretches his hands and plays some familiar songs from their era. At least the chords to them while humming along. He isn't much of a singer. Oops.

[knightime]

Dave is quiet except for the light tapping of his foot in beat.

John was annoying, but he can really ignore that for the time being and get lost in the music. He can't judge. He isn't much of a singer either.

[longwinded]

"You play?"

He kind of gestures around the room of different instruments. "Thought it would be neat to play together or something like that."

[knightime]

Dave shakes his head. He's lying, but he's not gonna play with John. But that might just be Dave being stubborn and unwilling to be friendly yet.

[longwinded]

"I could teach you," oh awkward. "Not that I'm asking if you want to do that anyways. Sorry that was awkward." Same John as always.

[knightime]

Dave shakes his head again. He doesn't actually need to be taught. He's just making this hard for John.