The Unsolvable Equation

Chapter Eleven

Almier POV

On Thursday afternoon, Almier sat with Ray, a guy that he had met in Literature class and who had been showing him the ropes for the past few months, in the cafeteria as members of the student body rushed around putting up posters for some big event. "What's happening?" Almier asked Ray.

Ray rolled his eyes. "The school dance. Happens every year," he said, his mouth full semi-digested food.

"What's that," Almier asked.

Ray's eyes widened. "What? You don't know what a school dance is? Have you been living under a rock or something? The school dance," he said with a wave of his hand, as if painting some legendary picture. "Is the single most 'exciting' time of the school year, well at least if you're popular and manage to get a date. It's the time the whole school comes together for this fantastical night, and most socially acceptable people have dates." He sunk back in his chair and took a big bite out of his burger.

Almier considered this. "Are you bringing anyone?" he asked casually.

Ray snorted and a piece of burger flew out of his mouth. "Me? Please. Last year I signed up for cleanup duty so I'd have something to do during the dance."

"Why don't you just stay at home?"

Ray shook his head. "You don't understand. The food at the dance is the single most amazing thing to grace the earth. Even if you don't wanna attend, you attend for the food. That's just how it's done."

"Well then why don't you try asking someone out this year?" Almier asked.

"No one wants to go out with a loser like me. I'd have better chance asking the rats!" Ray scowled. Ray was a pretty tall guy with floppy brown hair and an extreme awkwardness around people. If he didn't slouch so much and practically try to blend in into the surroundings, he might be considered attractive. Ray hated being around people and would mostly ignore all attempted social interactions. In fact, the only reason he opened up to Almier was because they discovered they both liked the same videogames (which Ray was a beast at, by the way). Ray was the kind of person whose entire life purpose seemed to revolve around ostracizing themselves from humanity.

"How about you? You asking anyone?" Ray asked.

Instantly, Almier's mind flashed back to Alexia and he wondered if he could somewhere in him find the balls to ask her. "Oh damn, you are," Ray said glumly, as if reading his mind.

"I don't know yet. I'd probably chicken out of asking her," Almier said quickly. He wondered if Alexia even went to the dances at all, considering her burning hate towards the people in their school. And he wondered, and tried to fervently deny, if any other guy had asked her. Ray leaned in closer over the table. "Who is she?"

Almier opened his mouth to deny but at that moment, speak of the devil, Alexia walked in with K.H and Almier could not advert his gaze. Ray turned to look as well and a sly smile, the first of any kind Almier had seen since he met him, crept up his face. He reached over and gave Almier a pat on the back. "Good luck," he said.