corrupted lungs | d.w #Wattys2016

e i g h t e e n

The next day, me and Dallon arrived to school rather early than usually. We'd decided that it would be nice to avoid the crowds of people in the halls, and we'd get some time to talk just the two of us before Sarah and the rest of my friends would show up.

I didn't like calling them my friends. They should be Dallon's friends too, but they didn't seem to get along. Dallon had no problems hanging around them, but they seemed to truly dislike him.

I think it was because everyone in their little gang was so similar. They dressed the same, enjoyed the same things and had the same kind of (lame) humor. And because if anyone was different, they looked at that person as their rival. I was surprised they'd accepted me so quickly.

Dallon didn't quite understand how someone could see him as their enemy or rival, but I looked at it this way; anyone that was different or stood out a lot, was often called 'weird' or even 'a freak'. And I think it's because people are afraid of someone or something that's different from the ordinary. It makes the society unstable and God forbid that happen.

We sank down into a soft grey couch outside of the cafeteria and I swung my legs up to rest on the table in front of us. So did Dallon.

"Have your friends ever talked about me?" Dallon wondered and looked at me with his big blue eyes.

I nodded a little. "Yeah. Or, well, they used to, before you and me were..." I stopped, not really knowing what to call us. Maybe Dallon didn't look at our relationship as a friendship. Though I didn't know what else I'd call it.

"Friends?" Dallon chimed in and I nodded, smiling a little at hearing him say it.

"Yes, exactly." I said and leaned my head back with a soft sigh. "They rarely ever talk about you anymore. They're probably afraid of saying the wrong things. They're very much aware of that I easily get ticked off when they talk bad about you."

That made Dallon smile and look away a little. He still wasn't very used to compliments or being defended, but that was alright. I enjoyed the way his dark curls fell over his face when he looked down to hide the faded pink blush that covered his cheeks.

We talked for a while longer, before teachers and students started pouring into the halls. Me and Dallon got up from our seats and started making our way over to my locker.

"I want you to spend some time with your friends today. Your other friends." He smiled a little as he walked beside me.

"Am I that annoying?" I said, trying to put a 'I'm-joking-don't-worry' tone to the sentence, but Dallon didn't quite hear that.

"No! No, absolutely not..." He stuttered and I giggled as I wrapped my hand around his wrist.

"I'm kidding." I said calmly and he sighed in relief with a nod. "Why?"

"We've just been spending so much time lately. I feel like I'm stealing you away from them." He said and looked down at me.

I grinned a little. "I don't mind being stolen away by you." I said which made him blush, but he continued.

"I just don't want you guys to lose contact." He told me.

It made me happy that he was so thoughtful, even if I talked to my other friends quite often, on text. But instead of protesting, I just nodded.

"Alright. I'll do that for you." I smiled a little. "But if anything happens, don't hesitate to come look for me. You know I'm always here for you."

Dallon just smiled and said, "Don't you worry about me. Have fun."
And with that, he disappeared down the hallway and into the crowd of students that was forming. For the first time, my heart didn't ache watching him leave. Because I knew he wasn't lying to me. His smile was genuine and his eyes were filled with nothing but honesty.

And I knew he was going to be okay.