Chapter Text
Cody didn’t tend to pay much attention to his old swim team friends. They had, several years ago, kind of made it clear that that wasn’t something they were interested in.
But senior year can sometimes have you thinking about things.
So can a friend’s newfound love of theater.
So, for the first time in a long time, Cody found himself noticing whatever Caleb Mann-Stewart was up to, once in a while. They’d never been super close – and, for most of high school, Caleb followed Sean’s lead for all the worst impulses (like beating Cody up in freshman year) – so, honestly, Cody had no idea how to feel about his rather obvious interest in Heather. He seemed to have been breaking with Sean’s general jerkassery as of late, so that was…something.
Sam was more of the staunch, proactive guardian of such matters, but Cody had his own protective streak – he just didn’t find it his place to interfere as hands-on as Sam might. The whole brief…thing…back in February where he and Heather had dated for a few weeks was mostly just a memory, but Cody still felt like that meant he shouldn’t insert himself into whatever her dating life was looking like these days.
For this lunch period, Jess was busy with the guidance counselor office, and Sam was absorbed in studying across the table from him, so Cody found himself absentmindedly people-watching; hence, noticing Caleb sitting at a very unusual, non-swim-team elitists’ table.
Specifically, the far end of the drama club coterie, talking – albeit, looking somewhat bored or exasperated – with a very animated younger guy who Cody didn’t really recognize. Maybe he’d seem him around in the hallways, but that was true of basically anyone. Mahone Bay High School wasn’t really huge.
Whoever he was, he clearly was enthusiastic about whatever he was saying, big brown eyes wide, cheerful face rapidly shifting expressions, hands expressive and flamboyant. From the wide range of emotional depictions going on, Cody wondered if he was recapping a movie, or possibly some kind of theater performance. Maybe that was stereotypical, but they were at the drama club table, after all.
Cody didn’t really catch himself staring for long – so was rather surprised when this kid suddenly perked up, face going somewhere between stoic and on-alert, glancing around like a nervous rabbit – and then sharply turned to stare directly at him, locking eyes with an unnerving intensity.
That was nothing compared to what happened next.
~ | WHO ARE YOU?!? |
‘Shocked’ didn’t even begin to cover it.
Through the cacophony of the lunch room, this random guy Caleb was chatting with just managed to speak a language Cody was almost certain was impossible for humans.
Unless…