Andrew, The New Kid

It was maybe six o’clock when it happened. I was sitting in my room, Guild Wars 2 on one monitor, Facebook on the other. Oliver and I were messaging each other about today’s classes. As I travelled through out Krynn and spoke with Caithe, a new message popped up on my Facebook. Expecting one from Oli, I was a little shocked to see the name read Andy Six.

Andy Six

Hey Felix! It’s Andy from class. I wanted to say sorry for making stuff with you and Ashley so awkward today ):

I stared at it. This kid was pretty insecure if he was going to apologize for something he had no part in.

Felix O’Conner

Nah man, it’s cool :-) Ashley’s a fuckign pain in the ass and always has been.

Andy Six

Haha okay :) I thought you’d be mad at me.

Felix O’Conner

For what? Talking to a butt munch? It’s no biggie.

Andy started typing but would quickly erase it and type again. Out of some weird form of curiosity, I clicked on his name and went to his profile. This kid looked like a freaking model. He had picture after picture posted on his wall, selfies and group shots where I could indulge in his high cheek bones and perfect pout. His statuses were fairly humourous and the band pages he had liked were for bands that didn’t entirely suck (assuming you don’t mind something as generic as KISS). I did find it a little odd that he had no relationship status posted. There’s no way he didn’t have a girlfriend, let alone one that would want to brag about him. Maybe he was just a private person. I jumped when my computer dinged.

Andy Six

Do you want to hang out tonight? :)

I stared at the message before finally nodding. That was stupid. It’s not like he could see me.

Felix O’Conner

Sure :-)

Andy Six

Meet me at the park?

I agreed and logged off, slinking around my room to find clothes. I put on ripped black panty hose with a black shorts and a high collared, lace cuff, victorian blouse I had. After digging out my favourite platform boots, I grabbed my purse and headed for the door. “I’m going out!” I called. Somewhere, my mom called back and I shuffled down the street listening to Dead or Alive. Thankfully we didn’t live far from the park so the walk wasn’t so bad. I found a spot by the duck pond and sat down under a willow tree. Geese corralled the ducks, bullying and haggling them onto the shore. The fish under them swam by without a care for anything except bird feed. Little kids poked their fingers through the gate where the attention starved ducks bit them. It was nice.

“So...are you supposed to be Edward Scissorhands?” asked a voice. I looked up to see Andy wearing the same thing he’d worn earlier today. I fluffed my hair and adjusted the vintage sleeves of my shirt.

“Is that supposed to be a joke?” I retorted.

“No!” Andy gasped sitting down. “I actually really like this.” He pawed at the white silk of my shirt. “I’ve just never seen somebody actually dress like this.”

I shot him a sideways glance which he responded to with downcast, guilty eyes. It was so easy to make him shut down that it was no fun. “It’s just a style”, I shrugged. “I’m a fan of the traditional goth scene.” He nodded a little and we were silent for a little bit. At one point, I started whistling but it quickly died when birds started coming over. “Sooo”, I began. “There’s a reason you invited me out, right?”

“What? Oh yeah. I just thought it’d be cool to like, get to know each other and stuff”, Andy said quickly. “Maybe we can get pizza or something.”

“So what is it?” I asked. “Getting to know me or getting pizza?”

“Either one.”

“You’re weird.” I stood up and offered my hand to Andy so I could help him up. Even in my platforms, my eyes were just barely level with his chin. He looked down at me sheepishly and smiled.

“I uh, like your boots”, he smiled.

“You’re very weird”, I corrected.

“Did you make those yourself?”

I looked down at my shoes, patent leather platforms that laced up to my knees. Studs adorned them along with black and white ribbons for laces with lace cuffs. “Yeah, I just stuck some random shit on them”, I shrugged. “C’mon, Andy. There’s better things to do than talk about shoes. You sound like Oli right now.”

“Is Oliver nice?” Andy wondered, following me as I began walking out of the park.

“Sweet as a Siouxsie and the Banshees record”, I nodded. “Why?”

Andy shifted. “He just...I don’t think he likes me.”

“The English don’t like anyone”, I replied. “Don’t worry about it. If you spend all your time thinking about other people’s opinions on you, you’re just going to be miserable your whole life.”

“I wish I knew you like a year ago”, Andy chuckled.

I glanced up at him. “And just why’s that?”

“I could’ve used that bit of advice then.”

“Yeah? Well, now you have it for later.”

Andy stopped walking and pulled me aside. “Felix, how do you feel about religion?” he asked.

I shrugged. “I’m Pagan, remember?” I giggled. “But if you’re talking about the religions of the book, then no, I disagree with them. They were used to control the masses in a chaotic era that we’ve grown out of.”

His lips flickered into a smile. “Can I tell you something like, really personal?”

“If you open your mouth and let the words come out then, yes you can”, I nodded.

He sighed and pulled me over to a tree. Andy leaned on it and looked around the both of us before speaking. “I went to this stupid, overly religious school. I don’t believe in God. I think we’re sort of our own gods. We make ourselves, don’t we? And you can’t really go to a place run by nuns and have people take you seriously.”

“Okay?”

“So I was kind of a freak. It didn’t help that I wanted to alter my uniforms and colour my hair. I got called a faggot for growing out my hair!”

“If a guy having long hair makes him gay, then call Elton John straight”, I stated. Andy snorted which made me laugh. He glowed a little in the sun, eyes turning an intense sky blue.

“I don’t want you to think I like you or Ashley because you guys look like me but...it’s cool being around people who are similar”, he said softly.

I scoffed. “Remind me to reinvent myself then”, I grinned. “Can’t be following the norms, ya know?”

“I like you the way you are”, Andy beamed. “You’re weird and I’ve never gotten to be around another weirdo. You’re...I just…”

“Just what?” I questioned. Andy looked tongue tied as Hell.

“I don’t fucking know.” Andy swept his arm down around my waist and yanked me in. Before I knew it, he was pressing his lips on mine. There was a little shock, like static, as we connected, lips meeting and Andy drawing me in like a black hole sucking in a planet. As soon as it happened, it ended. Andy turned bright pink, staring at me with worried eyes and black lipstick smudged on his lips.

“I’m so sorry!” he pleaded. “I-I don’t know what I was thinking! I-you-sorry-so so sorry-”

With one swift movement, I put my hand over his mouth. “Let’s just go get food, huh?” I suggested. Andy nodded and we walked to a local pizza place in quiet.

Notes