This Boy

2. What a Surprise!

  "What a surprise!" Paul said, dramatically as he made his way in my direction.

  "What do you mean?" I asked, trying to act tough and to avoid eye-contact. I stared at my face in the mirror.

  "Well," he placed a hand on my shoulder, making me want to pee my pants. "You know, you always arrive at school half-way past the first class!" he laughed. 

  I just looked at him with a cocked eye brow, then pulled my jacket's collar up and looked away.

  From the corner of my eyes, I could see Paul making up to a concerned facial expression. "You a'right, Johnny boy?"

  "Yeah," I nodded.

  "You don't seem like it, ye know?" he stared at me with round eyes. After a little moment of silence, "You realise, you can trust me, don't you?" 

  I didn't speak.

  "What's up, John? You're actin' we-"

  "Nothing's wrong, Paulie..." I replied calmly, but hesitantly, placing my shaky hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine. Mimi just... woke me up." I said looking down at my shoes. 

  Paul stared at me worryingly. I moved my hand away and realized that I was losing control of my movements. I really needed some sleep.

  "You look drunk, John. No offence to you, that is."

  I smiled and shook my head tiredly, "I'm not drunk, Paulie. Just..." before I could finish my sentence, my voice vanished in thin air. For a few seconds, I didn't know ANY language at all. I wiped my smile off my face and just stormed out of the doors, making my way to the first lesson.

  I could hear Paul running to catch up with me. But I just walked. 

  "Wait up, John!"

  I was too weak to do anything at all. So I stopped and waited without turning around. 

  Paul caught up to me and stopped to look at my face, "John,"

  "Don't ask if I'm alright again, Paul, I'm gonna rage." I said with red eyes.

  "Okay, okay..." he did a 'calm down' hand gesture. 

  "Paul,"

  "What?"

  "I'm gonna bunk school," I made a crazy a decision. "You coming?"

  "What the fu-? John? Why?"

  "I don't feel like talking today, Paul! You with me- or what?"

  "No! I'll get murdered if I did that!"

  "And who would be that murderer?"

  "My teachers! My dad! All the people who know me!"

  "Nah!" I shook my head. "I'll say that I didn't come cos I was suffering from serious cold to the school. And my source is, it's bloddy Winter! And Mimi won't know!" I laughed.

  "And what about me, John?"

  "We'll tell the school that you came for my help." I smiled. "And like Mimi," I grinned widely, "You're murderer won't know either!"

  "Oh, I'm sure, John!" Paul panicked. "I never bunked in my life!"

  "Well, then I guess, this is gonnna be your first time, Paulie!" I laughed. "C'mon!"

  "Wait!" Paul did his 'Paul is worried face', biting his nails. "What if we get caught?"

  "We'll never get caught." I whispered. "Not if you're bunking with a professional, that is! We have to leave the territory before the bell goes off, Paul!" I grin left my face, creating a angry face.

  "Oh!" his face went red, lips went dry. He cleched his stomache. "Alright!"

  I gestured him to follow me and to act natural. My maths teacher, who takes our first lesson, stopped by and said, "Going to your lesson lads?"

  Paul quickly shot a nervously troubled look at me, that questioned, What the hell do we say now, Lennon?

  I did a sorry face and said quite quietly, "I apologise, Sir but we'll need to miss the maths lesson. Poor Paul here, has been throwing up a little too much." I wrapped my one arm around Paul's back. "Really weak, 'e is. We might come back if he get's any better, alright, Sir?"

  Mr. Martin had a suspicious expression but to my surprise, he said, "Alright then boys... Does that include you too, Lennon?"

  "Yes, Sir. I'm his closest friend! I can't deny but help. Please register us in, Sir." I looked at Paul, sadly, "Paul will, hopefully, get better very soon."

  Mr. Martin nodded, "Okay, good-luck! Take care of Paul and yourself, Lennon and I'll register the two of you as present." His fished two work-sheets out of his bag and handed them over to me. "Revize these for your exam next week. One is for you and the other for Paul."

  I wanted to swear but instead I just nodded obediently. Paul acted like he was gonna throw up.

  "Oh my!" I said. "We better go off now, Sir. Thank you for the kindness!"

  He nodded and waved good bye, "Take care!"

  I nodded and took Paul away, carrying his weight with his arm on my shoulder. 

  As soon as we were out of the building, I dropped Paul to the ground saying, "You're heavy, Paul!"

  He wasn't actually. I enjoyed holding him like that. I suddenly, begun to feel sorry for the younger boy sitting on the ground with the most helpless expression. I wiped my smile off and gave him a hand so he could get up. As I pulled Paul up, he said, "Thanks..." then looked at me suspiciously as we started walking. 

  "Where are we going?" 

  "Where I hid my guitar." I smiled.

  "Why did you hide your guitar?"

  "Well, I bought it secretly, you see? Mimi doesn't know."

  "Where did ye get the money?"

  "My lunch money."

  "What the? John!" he said with a caring tone of voice. "You could've asked me for a guitar! How much did yours cost?"

  "Only £5!"

  "Oh?" he smiled. "So where d'you hide it?"

  "Strawberry Fields." I grinned. "In our place!"

  Paul laughed and we started running around, randomly. We played about messing each others' hair. We wrestled playfully on our way to Strawberry Fields. I loved every single breath of the journey. Paul loved it too, surely. He was doing his 'Can't hold it anymore' laugh. His face going red every now and then. His lips... They were wet with is saliva... I stared at his mouth as his laughed. His teeth were as bright as pearls. His cheeks were rosy and I couldn't help but wish I could embrace him to end up in a kiss. 

  Yeah, yeah, yeah! Think what you want of me but I care just too less now. I'm in love.

  I knew, I loved Paul.

Thanks for reading everyone! Love and Peace!