Chapter Text
One day at a time. That's how life goes.
Something small and hard hit his head. René slowly closed his eyes, and opened them again in the direction of his classmates, the culprits. His body remained still and composed as he looked at them. Three seats away from him, diagonally across the aisle, a small group of restless boys were laughing. The one in the center, Satoshi Yamanaka, was making some sort of unfolding motion with his hands. René turned his attention back to the fallen object that had hit him early, and with one solid, indifferent sweep of his hand, he knocked the note off his desk. A short, heavy slam, that of a hand meeting with sturdy wood, followed, then the enraged rusting of paper.
"Put it down, Mr. Yamanaka," the teacher ordered and the boy unwillingly complied, throwing the notebook on his desk instead. Her stern face turned a blind eye to the students tempermemt and looked at the boy beside her instead. "This is Lacus Welt. He'll be your classmate for the rest of the year."
"I look forward to meeting all of you," he said in an disgenuous friendly tone and deceptive smile.
"Take a seat," the teacher, irritated by his interruption, told him. He suppressed a small chuckle and made his way to the only empty seat in the classroom.
"Who shoved what up her?" he laughed, his words hidden from all but one pair of surrounding ears. "Is she like this everyday?"
René took a deep breath and picked up his pen, going straight to work copying what was being written on the whiteboard rather than answer the question. He felt the new student's glare as he inspected him up and down, but it meant nothing. He could care less about what others thought of him.
Lacus let out an overdramatic woeful sigh and squished his cheek against his fist "I get it. No one wants to be the first to talk to the new kid." He tapped his other hand on the desk. "Your loss. I'm amazing."
René's apathetic eyes shifted toward the other student for a brief moment, but went straight back to the front of the classroom seconds later. Class resumed as usual, long, dull and boring, only the person beside him kept quietly huffing and puffing. Their elbows bumped a few times whenever his restive attitude caused him to reposition himself again and again, but the black haired boy kept his composure for the most part. Only once did he tell the other to stop in a cold and hostile voice. Lacus responded with one of his own quick remarks, similar to the one he used earlier, and purposely bumped him once more before laying his head on his desk. The bell rang a few minutes later.
"Hey, Simm!" Satoshi shouted angrily and walked over to his desk. "Who the hell do you think you are? When someone gives you a note, you freakin read it!" He snatched the folded up piece of paper off the ground and slammed it against Renés chest. It fell straight onto his lap. "You better learn your place before I really get mad," he snarled.
René rolled his eyes and picked up the note, opening it and turning it over.
Thanks for those pictures you gave me. I got a lot of cash selling them online. We should do it again sometime
"Well that's unexpected," Lacus said reading over his shoulder.
"What's that suppose to mean, newbie?" Satoshi barked.
"You better watch what you say," one of the boys beside him, Yuji, said "We still haven't decided if we like you yet."
He smiled charmingly, " Simm, was it? Is that what you called him? I just didn't think he'd be the type to get bullied. That's all."
Satoshi laughed and crossed his arms, " Yeah, you'd think so, but Simm's all show. He tries to look all tough, but he can't even throw one."
"So, what then? You three are the ones that get to teach him a lesson?" he asked.
"Yeah, you could say that. You want in or something?"
"No thanks, I'm good. I was just checking."
"You should be more like this guy, Simm. He's smart," he smirked, then stepped on Rene's foot before leaving him alone.
René crumpled up the paper and tossed it in the trashcan on his way out. Lacus took it upon himself to follow along.
"Pent up anger?" he asked, " Why don't you do something about it?"
"I don't need to. Is there a reason you're following me?" He asked as he pushed opened the entrance door and stepped into the open quad. It was bright and sunny outside, and the grass was vibrant green against the twining grey sidewalk.
"Nothing better to do I guess. You got friends?"
He side eyed the purple haired boy. "No, and I'm not looking for any either," he said and quickened his pace.
Lacus didn't hesitate to jog up behind him and match his speed. He had a distinct cleverness in his voice when he spoke. "You're an interesting one, Simm. I saw how Yamanaka was about to throw that notebook at you. You didn't flinch at all when he slammed it down." He paused, " You're not really being bullied, are you?"
René lifted his eyebrow, astonished that Lacus, the boy who couldn't focus for a single second earlier, may actually have the braincells for complex thinking. "You're free to answer that question on your own," he said.
"You only needed to say no," he tittered, and walked slightly ahead, seemingly making his departure. "Do whatever you want, Simm. I won't interfere."
"I didn't think you would, Welt." He emphasized the boy's last name when he spoke to which Lacus stopped. René didn't really think twice about it and just walked past him. He wasn't being followed anymore.
In the center of a small, recluse district on the third floor of an aging apartment building, René took off his shoes. Home wasn't much, just a dimly lit studio that barely fit what little furniture he had, but it was all he needed. This place and the way he lived now was far better than what he knew before. He stepped down from the stuffy entrance area and into the living space of his apartment, then sat down in front of his simple floor desk. His laptop was already on from night before, so he gently tapped the mouse pad to wake it up. It didn't take long before he was logged into his email account and scanning for a certain name. He found it and opened the link.
Forget what Master says and just take those guys on already. I'm not searching porno trade sites for you again.
You're paying interest, so come pick them up Saturday.
- S.H
He opened a new tab and typed in the web address for his bank. The amount in his checking account was too measly to even read. Just glancing at the four numbers separated by a single period indicated that he wouldn't even have enough to pay the principal. Maybe they could use an extra hand at work tonight. He set out for the evening.