Work Text:
In the capital's large educational center, most students learn how the world works - about why humans rule the earth, and why all the other races became nothing besides hard labor after the fifth war for domination.
But... Geography and History is not the strong point of some students - including Zug that prefers to skip class and steal the quiz answer sheet in the teacher's lounge.
Especially during all's high school years, where there are more important lessons to learn than "The importance of maintaining order between class segregation" or "The collection of stories about protests against the new world politics" - Things like Social Interaction.
Since leaving elementary school and entering high school, hormones play a huge role in defining how a teenager deals with society. They start to think more about themselves, about their own tastes and preferences, and develop critical thinking about the opinions of others and how the world sees them fit into it.
Inside the school, this learning is not done with textbooks. It is done with direct experiences and practices with you as an individual and how you interact with: students in your classroom (people from your social circle), from other classrooms (people outside your social circle), with older students (people above you in the job market) and with teachers (people who are there to leverage, stop, help or harm you). While the rest of society can also be summarized in the other employees of the educational center.
And, within this learning zone, there are two crucial factors that will accompany you on this journey - whether you want it or not .
They are “Friendships” and “Crushes”.
Friendships are the people you choose . To be on your side for support and aid, to have fun together and to make you pleasant company - While Crushes are the opposite of that. You don't choose a crush (Human biology is fuc*ing archaic), you have no control over how it will affect you, it makes you suffer and causes you anguish, impairs your studies, and often destroys your heart.
The person you fall in love with also portrays, in a way, what your types of crushes will be like over the course of your life - perhaps it has nothing to do with the person you marry, but the experience during the high school period it's crucial for you to define what your "type" of person is. If you have it, if you don't, if they're of the same sex, if not, if it's what you expected, if they're achievable, or if they're younger/older.
If you're the passionate type who gives your heart away quickly and easily, or if you're the shy type who likes to keep your distance and will probably never take the first step.
And of course, like any reflection of society, you are judged by your findings.
You are judged, first, by yourself. Then by friends. And finally, if it gets to that point, by the crush themselves.
Sometimes you are someone's Crush as well.
And you are judged by it too - because society is nothing if not prejudiced.
“Sorry, I'm not interested …” He said, under a large flowering Jacaranda tree, behind the bleachers at the outdoor sports court, smoking, during break hours. The girl in front of him was taller than he was, older even, very polite, and visibly in love. She was studious, participated in spelling competitions. Popular among those who liked to spend part of their vacant classes at the library.
She frowned in deep sadness when heard the apology, it was clear that Zug didn't reciprocate her feelings, and had no interest in trying.
"So, you already have a crush on someone?" She asked in a low voice.
Zug averted eye contact and sighed.
"It's complicated." He confessed.
The girl appeared not to be happy with the answer - she clearly wanted to understand the situation. It was common for people to show interest in at least someone from within the school. Even if it's not serious. But Zug was never interested in anyone.
Not only her but many of his friends and people from the same social circle as he, did want to know. They even questioned him. But he never confessed.
On several occasions - almost always when he shows disinterest in someone confessing to him - his friends would come back to question him. As if that was crucial information to pass the chemistry test.
“Is it a teacher?” Asked one of his friends again, sucking on a lollipop. “Because that would at least make sense.”
"But if it’s a teacher, it's obvious you'll never get a chance, so it doesn't make sense to dump everyone who asks you out." Argued another one, leaning his back against the hallway wall.
"I bet they are, like, super ugly and Zuggy is embarrassed." The only girl in the group teased using some nickname he didn’t like.
He only rolled his eyes, crossing his arms on the windowsill and leaning to admire the view of their courtyard. The leather jacket stood tight over his uniform. The wind blew against his face, making his messy dark gelled hair sway. The piercings peeking out from behind it.
Below, he could see that same beautiful tree with blue flowers dropping leaves and covering the ground with it. There, the non-human caretaker - dressed in white overalls and a straw hat dyed the same color - was raking the leaves.
“Shut up.” He grumbled to them, the girl especially. “Just drop it already, you guys are annoying as fuck.”
The wind that blew through his hair before, blew harder this time, and he saw that clean straw hat sway a little, showing the janitor's face, as well as messing up some of the flowers and leaves the guy was gathering. Holding the accessory over his head to adjust it, the non-human looked to the side, up (as if the wind had told him to look there), and noticed Zug at the window, glaring sullenly at him.
In response, the worker only smiled cordially and tried to wave.
Zug felt his cheeks flush rapidly, and he averted his gaze, leaving the window unsuspectingly.