Chapter Text
Day One
There was someone new sitting in the seat by the window. The seat exactly one row in front of and three desks over from Lukas Waldenbeck’s own. The way the new kid was gazing out the window seemed to suggest he was either tired or unamused, possibly even both. His chin was propped up by his fist, his eyes dull and glossed over. Aside from the fact that there he was, a newcomer in Lukas’s economics class, the kid’s bomber jacket was what caught Lukas’s eye next as he slipped into his seat. The jacket was authentic in a way nothing in Tivoli really was. Simply looking at it filled Lukas with intrigue and odd inspiration. The patches on the jacket were a declaration that I am bigger than this town, the kind of aura Lukas desperately wished he gave off too.
“Class, I’d like you all to welcome Philip Shea to Tivoli.”
He had a name. Of course, he had a name.
Philip.
Lukas tested out the name on his lips discretely and found he liked it. He watched as Philip snapped out of his haze, pressed his lips together, then gave the class a small nod before sinking back into his chair.
The economic lesson for that day seemed to fade into the background as Lukas studied this new boy. It was like watching a gazelle carefully wander into foreign territory, skittish and unsure as it surveyed the unfamiliar place for lions. Philip glanced around the classroom, observing this new ecosystem of people. Once, twice, he made eye contact with Lukas. It lasted for only a second before Lukas quickly averted back to the teacher in front of the white board.
At Philip's feet and next to his messenger bag was something else. This something was smaller, boxier, and sturdier. The black box was Velcroed shut and had a single black strap hooked to it so Philip could hang it off his shoulders. It looked like the type of thing that was used for carrying equipment of some kind, though Philip’s was only big enough to hold maybe a box of PopTarts. Lukas took note of it. Something inside him yearned to know what was in the box.
The bell rang and Philip had slipped out of class quietly amidst the rustle of papers. Lukas chewed on his bottom lip briefly before gathering his things and leaving the room too. Rose found him immediately once he stepped into the hallway but whatever she was babbling about didn’t catch Lukas’s attention; what had was already gone.
Day Two
Lukas squirmed in his seat. Philip hadn’t walked into their economics class yet and Lukas wasn’t quite sure why he cared so much about it. Just as their teacher was about to begin class, Philip appeared in the doorway. He paused for just a moment, obvious to the fact that he was barely on time, then made his way to his seat by the window. Lukas fought hard to keep his eyes off him and was only somewhat succeeding.
The little box like thing Philip had with him the day before was now tucked into his messenger bag but the strap poked out and reached for the floor. Lukas wondered why Philip had hidden it then tugged his focus back to the front of the class.
Neither of the boys spoke at all during the class period, but both of them had their own whirlwind of thoughts swirling inside them. Philip’s mom was mainly dominating his. Being away from her, not knowing if she was taking care of herself, was giving him anxiety. Was she really working towards getting clean? Did she eat breakfast this morning? Would anyone really report it if I went to see her?
As he looked out the window his thoughts shifted.
Would I have enough time to get a Coke after school and still catch the bus? How far would it be to walk back if I missed it?
One row behind and three seats to the left, Lukas’s eyes betrayed him as they snuck another look at Philip.
Where is he from?
And more importantly, why come here?
That night, Lukas stretched out in his bed and stared at the sloped ceiling above him. It was past time he should’ve fallen asleep but every time he tried something wouldn’t let him. Lukas huffed, put his arms under his head, and replayed the day’s events in his mind. Usually this ritual was enough to bore him back to sleep, but this time it didn’t.
He was stuck on Philip Shea. It bugged him, confused him, and excited him in ways he’d never been before. Philip Shea was enticing, Philip Shea was an enigma, and for some reason Lukas couldn’t pick him out of his thoughts. Just knowing he would see Philip again the next day in class made his stomach drop.
Lukas groaned loudly, rolling over to smother his face in his pillow. This couldn’t be happening to him. Lukas Waldenbeck was not ‘that guy’. He quickly pulled himself together. Nothing was happening. Lukas Waldenbeck was not even close to being ‘that guy’. There was, however, an underlying need to get to know Philip Shea just a little bit more and instead of fighting it, Lukas reminded himself that there was nothing inherently wrong with wanting to know a classmate.
Day Five
It was a camera. Philip Shea’s mystery box contained a camera. Lukas watched near the entrance of the school as Philip had pulled out the camera and pointed it up into the branches of a tree. Rose bounded out of the school and tore away Lukas’s focus. He happily accepted the distraction. He could feel the eyes of the entire Red Hook student body on him, judging him, assuming things about him, while he had studied Philip and his camera. With Rose, at least there’d be nothing for everyone to assume. If anything, being with Rose solidified the fact that there was nothing for anyone to assume. The eerie, almost daunting, feeling of the eyes faded as Lukas faked a smile and listened to how Rose was sure she failed her chemistry exam.
The buses came around to the front of the school and opened their doors for students but Philip was still under the tree with his camera.
Doesn’t he take the bus home?
Lukas forced himself to turn his attention back to Rose. It didn’t matter to him if Philip missed the bus or not. It wasn’t like Lukas could give him a ride if he did miss it.
Well, I could…
“What are you looking at?” Rose snapped her fingers in front of his face then turned to look behind her where Lukas’s gaze seemed to be. “You’re all over the place today. Have you heard anything I’ve said?”
Lukas swallowed hard and tried to fight off the blush that was rising to his cheeks. He shook his head free of thoughts then leaned in to place a chaste kiss on Rose’s lips.
“Sorry,” he murmured. “I’ve got a race this weekend, I’ve been distracted.”
Both parts of what he told her were true. He did have a race that weekend and he had been distracted but the two weren’t exactly correlated.
“Give me a ride home?” She asked with a smile. Lukas nodded as she took his hand and started to pull him towards where his bike was parked in the lot.
The buses let out a sigh of exhaust before snapping their doors shut and rolling towards the main street. Lukas stole a glance over his shoulder to see if Philip was still under the tree. He was.
It’s not like I have room on my bike anyway…
Lukas handed Rose a helmet and watched as Philip packed away his camera, slung it over his shoulder, and headed to the convenience store across the street. Lukas thought it was an odd spot for one to go after school.
“Come on,” Rose said lightly, straddling the bike.
For yet another time that day, Philip Shea had wormed his way into Lukas’s head despite his efforts to keep him out, and for yet another time that day, Lukas took in a deep breath and cleared his mind. He needed to focus on the race the next day. He needed to focus on his girlfriend. He needed to focus on anything other than Philip Shea.
Day Seven
Lukas had done well enough in the race that weekend to keep his sponsors, but he hadn’t done as well as he’d planned and as a result he didn’t gain any new sponsors either. That, and the fact that Philip hadn’t left his head all weekend, frustrated him. He was determined to find a way to recenter his life while also carefully learning more about his new classmate. The idea of how to do so came to him in the middle of dinner with his dad that night.
Philip could record my races. I could post them on YouTube or something and get more sponsors...
I could see Philip.
Instantly, he cleared his throat and blurted out something about the upcoming turkey shoot next month. His dad looked up from the corn and chicken on his plate. Lukas’s face reddened. His heart was racing faster than he ever had.
He knows.
“You need to get started on those signs,” his dad said gruffly. “If you don’t start soon, you’ll get behind like last year.”
Lukas reminded himself to breathe and managed a small nod. He quickly shoveled the last of the food on his plate into his mouth before excusing himself.
“You better be coming back down to do these dishes!” His dad called while Lukas was halfway up the stairs.
“Sure, Dad.”