Chapter Text
Staring at the ceiling of his bedroom, his arms folded behind his head, Carlos watched the sea creatures dance in the orange morning sunlight. The blue whale was swimming past a few small fish while looking happy and pleased with itself. They had been drawn there by his mother after a visit to an aquarium when he was 14 years old. Shortly after that, he begged his father to paint the walls of his room blue.
It was a hot summer morning, and only a small breeze came through the open window, cooling Carlos' forehead. White curtains were tickling his nacked feet, and the only sound was his own breathing going in a steady rhythm. Averting his gaze from the ceiling, he took a look around his room. It was filled to fifty percent with his bed. But he would gladly give that up if it would mean more space to sleep comfortably. On the opposite wall stood a desk filled with books, pencils, drawings, and souvenirs he had gotten over the years. The surface of the desk had small bumps all over it from playing with water on it as a child. If he was honest, his room was an absolute mess. In the corner stood a trash bin filled to the brim with unfinished drawings and candy wrappings. A book shelf was overflowing with encyclopedias and old National Geographic magazines. Posters of animals and plants filled his walls like mended carpet, and his lovely anthurium was taking a sunbath on his windowsill. Light catchers were dangling from the ceiling, breaking the sunlight and providing small rainbows all over the room.
Carlos' alarm clock started ringing. It was time to get out of bed.
If nothing mattered, he would stay and hide behind the covers and never come out again. Simply living was sometimes so overwhelming and scary. It often felt like slipping on ice and your heart stopping for a few seconds.
Moving schools seemed to have become a common occurrence in his life. He had changed schools twice before. Both times, they had to move. The first time, Carlos stopped complaining the moment his parents told him they would live closer to the aquarium. He would be able to visit every day after school if he wanted to. The second time, he'd already been in high school, and he hadn't much cared when his parents told him. There were no real friends he would miss or anything else keeping him there. This time, they told him that his father had found a better place to work but that it was too far away from their current home. Even though the work part had been true, Carlos knew that money had kept them on a tight leash since the day he had been born. Probably even way before that.
When his mom found out about the pregnancy, both of his parents were only twenty years old. They had been a couple for about 3 years then, and they had fully stood in the blossom of their lives. His mom had been studying art at the university, while his dad had followed his dream of becoming a professional violinist. At that time and age, you didn't have much money. Let alone enough to raise a child. But they had chosen him anyway. After a small wedding ceremony, both started working immediately to make enough money until the baby was born. Having contributed to enough of their struggles already, Carlos had decided to make life even more difficult for them by being an omega. Now they would have to pay for expensive suppressants and doctor appointments as well. Carlos knew he had no fault in that, but sometimes he felt like water, keeping his parents from breathing.
If he dove too deep into these thoughts, he would never make it to the surface again. So Carlos swung the duvet aside and made his way to the bathroom. Waking up at 6 a.m. was half an hour earlier than usual. If his father wouldn't be able to give him a ride on his way to work, Carlos would have to take the bus from now on. But he was more than fine with that. Going by bus helped him relax. Brushing his teeth and washing his face.
Carlos went back to his room to sort his curly, dark brown hair and put on the new school uniform. It consisted of black trousers, a white shirt embroidered with the school crest, and patent shoes topped off with a blue and green striped tie. After practicing with his father a few times, it was easy for him to tie it on his own now. He liked the idea of school uniforms. Like this, he could spend less time choosing what to wear in the morning. There was a blue shaket as well, but after studying the information sheet he'd received, he knew that he was allowed to wear a thinner jacket.
Scanning himself in the mirror, Carlos studied his looks critically. He could not decide which of his parents he resembled more. The curles, lanky legs, and sharp nose were a gift from his mom. His father's features could be recognized again in the round chin, plump lips, and small waist. The eyes were a mix of both. Almost cloudy gray. Carlos liked his body, and he was pretty happy with the end result. Making sure everything looked fine one last time, Carlos only needed to pack his bag. The iPad he had worked hard for at a bakery over the holidays would finally come in handy. He stowed it away in his bag along with a notebook and his wallet.
Taking his phone from the nightstand next to his bed, Carlos saw that he had two new messages. Both from his best friend Feli. She was the only one he would really miss. They had known each other for more than 13 years now. They had met in kindergarten when they were both just 4 years old. Feli had been very shy, but that didn't stop Carlos from showing interest in the girl with the red bob. Her mom had allowed her to color one of her strands pink, and Carlos had begged his mom the whole walk home for his hair to be colored the exact same way. So the next day, Carlos came to kindergarten with one of his strands dyed pink as well. Feli had been silently drawing like she always had. So Carlos waddled over to her table and plopped himself right down next to her. He had started asking endless questions and then finally showed off his new hair. He could still see the smile on Felis' face. She had shone like the sun she had been drawing. From that moment on, they had been inseparable. Wherever Carlos went, Feli would follow, and the other way around. The older they got, the more shameless they became, and not only once did their parents meet at the principal office in elementary school. After changing schools, they stayed in touch and met up almost every single day after classes had finished. They went to school together again after Carlos' family moved the second time. If he were to name the strongest person on this planet, he would choose Feli... and his mother, of course.
Feli
How is the clever one of both of us doing?
Feli
Call me when you're back! You'll need to tell me everything!!
Carlos
I think I'll manage. I'll call you when I get back! Taking his bag Carlos made his way to the kitchen. The kitchen counter was filled with the remains of breakfast, and the dishwasher was rumbling in the corner. His mother was busy at the kitchen table, probably taking care of something for work. Checking homework or tests maybe. She was a math and art teacher at an elementary school. When he was younger, Carlos always begged to go to school with his mother, but she decided it would be better if he could experience elementary school without having his mother around all day long.
A cup of tea was steaming in her left hand. His father was probably at work already. He said, "Good morning, Mom." "Good morning, Carli. Did you sleep well?" His mother asked with a smile. "I woke up pretty early, but I think I'm fine. Just a little nervous," he admitted. "I'm sure my beautiful son will do well, and if you feel unsure, you know I'm always here to talk." she said. Carlos could not contradict her on that. She had always been there for him, no matter the problem. He knew if there was something to talk about, he would go to her. The same applied to his father. Their relationship was based on healthy communication. He felt safe around them and could be sure that they would never laugh or downgrade his feelings. The only exception was when money became a more vibrant topic at the dinner table. The subject would be changed quickly, and Carlos would be assured that there was nothing to worry about. He wished they would tell him anyway. Maybe they could somehow solve the situation together.
The bus ride took about twenty minutes. To his right, Carlos could see the school campus, the grandness of the place, and its visitors. Students were getting out of expensive cars while others were talking and laughing with each other, probably exchanging stories about their holidays. A group of boys played football on the sports field while a flock of girls surrounded them, making pretty faces and trying to attract the attention of the players. The bus came to a stop a few meters away from the school entrance. Carlos' first reflex was to take a deep breath. This was really happening. He closed his eyes and, for a short moment, imagined he was underwater.
He could hear and see nothing; there was only the feeling of a cooling current cooling his forehead. Opening his eyes again, Carlos started walking along the pavement with determined steps. The distance between Carlos and the school got smaller and smaller, and it was just as stunning as it had been when he had come here for his interview. An iron gate surrounded the school grounds, and a cobblestone pathway led straight to the entrance, where a small group of students were smoking cigarettes. On the left and right sides of the pathway were big green areas where trees and flowers accompanied small desire paths made by years of students feet walking the grounds. Carlos loved all of it. The most impressive thing, though, was the school building itself. Or rather, the school buildings. The school's main building was designed in a neoclassical architectural style and looked like a Greek acropolis. A few more modern-looking, smaller buildings surrounded the main structure. The big window fronts gave a perfect few of the green spaces. This school even had a pool, if he remembered correctly.
Carlos started following the other students inside the main building, where the auditorium and most of the classrooms were located. The entrance hall was pretty impressive, too. Two big mamor staircases winded their way up onto the second floor. Students came floating down the stairs, laughing with each other. A big chandelier dangling over Carlos' head filled the wide entrance hall with bright light.
The auditorium was packed with students, most of them talking and laughing with each other. Because there seemed to be no one to show him where to sit, Carlos made his way down the aisle since all the seats had already been taken. A big stage adorned the front of the room.
When Carlos spotted an empty seat, he made his way over to the boy who was occupying the one next to it. Is this seat still free?" Carlos asked the blond-haired boy after gathering his courage. "Of course it is! Sit down." The boy assured him. "Nice to meet you. What's your name? I'm Henry Calver, and that's my little brother Levi." Henry pointed to the boy on his right. You could immediately see that they were related by blood. Levi was a copy of his elder brother. The same blond hair and blue eyes. "I'm Carlos Harton. Nice meeting you as well." he answered. "What class are you in?" Levi said, participating in the conversation. " AB23a. "Well, then we're going to be classmates. It's good to know someone already." "Yeah." Carlos agreed. You're one of the scholarship kids, right?" "Is it that obvious?" "No. It's just that he saw your picture on the bulletin board this morning." Levi explained.
Carlos' picture was displayed on a bulletin board? Why hadn't he known that?
While Carlos was questioning how his photo had made it onto that board, the student orchestra stepped onto the stage to get ready to play. When the crowd around him started to quiet down, Carlos gave the stage his full attention as well. The orchestra started playing. It was a pretty piece. Carlos always had a fondness for classical music. His mom often listened to it when she had time left to draw at home.
When they had finished, the principle, Sir Oldfield, made his way over to the lectern to give a welcoming speech. When Sir Oldfield started to introduce all the teachers, Carlos was especially excited when he called Mrs. Marlee's name. She was the person responsible for the biology program Carlos was going to attend. He had read one of her articles about the breeding place of blue whales and how important it was to preserve that habitat. He couldn't wait to finally sit in a lab with her as his teacher.
After Sir Oldfield had finished his speech, he asked one of the students in the front row to come on stage. From where he sat, Carlos could see that the boy was pretty tall. At least 1.80m. The sun made his chestnut brown hair adorning his head look golden. The boy made his way up the stairs on the right side of the stage, giving Carlos a look at his side profile. Sharp cheekbones and a strong chin gave the impression of authority. A mole under his right eye brought youthfulness to his appearance. Taking his place at the lectern, the boy stood straight like an arrow. It was a mesmerizing spectacle. He stood firm. His tall form and broad shoulders made him look strong. His expression was serious and thoughtful. His light brown eyes glanced around the room as if wanting to make sure everybody was watching him. And Carlos just couldn't stop doing exactly that. He'd never before seen a human being this beautiful.
He wanted to touch the mole under the boy's eye.
"Who's that?" Carlos asked nobody in particular. "I knew you'd ask. He has that kind of effect on people. People say he's untouchable because of his family, but that's not true. We're in the same grade, so I would know." Henry told him. Carlos could not help but ask, "What's his name?"
"Kal Langston."
"Kal". Carlos tried the name on his tongue.
Two brown eyes were scanning the auditorium. It seemed like they were searching for something. While looking through the front rows, they suddenly fixed on something;or rather, someone. For one short moment, Carlos didn't realize that the boy on stage was watching him, and when he did notice, his first reflex was to look away. But for some reason, he couldn't. He had been taken captive. And if he was honest with himself, he didn't want to look anywhere else.
To have attracted the attention of that boy completely on his own felt electrifying. Just like he had done a few minutes ago in front of the school, Carlos dove deep into the blue waters of the ocean. This time, he could hear and see something. Two people were breathing in tandem, and a boy was swimming in front of him. His clothes were moving like the fins of a beautiful fish. His hair looks like tangled seeweed.
Carlos' heart was beating hard. He hoped desperately; the other boy's heart was too.