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Third period has to be the worst one of all, it’s not even lunch and everyone is already burnt out. Worst of all was that Rudo’s third period was English. For most people that’s the easiest class but for Rudo everything just passed in one ear and out the other.
Rudo thought of ripping his skin off at least twice a period and it was only amplified by English. Rudo wasn’t good at math, but at least he could just look it up at home, he didn’t want to write a thesis and AI isn’t an option for him.
English would be even worse when he got sat by Amo. Well he didn’t have anything against her, but when she finally made friends they complained that she only wanted the conversation to be about what she liked all the time. Rudo wanted anything but to listen to her talk and talk about her reverse harem manga and Love and Deepspace or whatever.
He kinda had a resting bitch face, so when Amo sat down by him she looked offended by his frown. But they ignored each other and tried the assignment.
Soon enough Rudo was pulling his hair out figuring out how upstairs was an adverb, adjective, and a noun.
Suddenly, “Amo can help,” he wasn't expecting her to talk in the third person.
“Shoo, I can do this turdface,” he didn’t mean to be so irritable, but he is.
She turned away, “Why are you being mean? Amo wanted to help!” she huffed.
Rudo hesitated, humming in thought, “Ssssorry,” He pushed out, “I don’t mean to be rude, can you help me with this?”
Amo stared for a long time at the problem, “Amo’s sorry,” she sighed, not that he expected much in English class from a girl who refers to herself by her own name.
He was frustrated but pushed it back, “It’s fine, I’ll just skip that one.”
Amo smiled, “Amo’s glad you’re not angry. Amo’s was scared when you were mad, you were very loud.”
“Oh sorry…” Rudo tried to be quiet, but he wasn’t the most stable boy ever.
—
As the period ended and lunch came around, Rudo settled down behind the school to eat. He noticed someone walking up to him, usually it was just some shitbag asking where his friends were, but it was Amo.
“Rudo! Amo came to sit by you,” she grinned and plopped down next to him.
“Why don’t you and Amo have a study date, Amo’ll have to retake English if Amo fails again,” Amo frowned, opening her lunch box to a single slice of cake.
Rudo eyed the cake hungrily, “You gonna eat that,” ignoring how weird it was to eat only cake for lunch.
Amo cut it in half, giving it to Rudo, “It’s okay, Amo’s not hungry. And Amo likes boys with a strong smell.”
Rudo ate the whole slice in nearly one bite, ignoring the comment on his.
Rudo didn’t have any friends in his grade, so for once he smiled, a true smile. When he grinned for school photos it looked uncanny, his gums stood out and his lips covered his bottom teeth, he hated smiling. But it didn’t feel weird to smile for Amo.
They chatted for a while, clicking well. Rudo couldn’t tell whether his chest was burning from laughing or from finally being moved into the right person's chest.
She started, “Amo likes Rudo’s company.”
“Mm,” Rudo put his face in his knees, his face was red and warm. He wanted to hide it from her.
Rudo felt like maybe the rest of the year wouldn’t be so bad with her company.