Gilbert stumbled into class. Late. Disheveled. And probably still a like hungover from the night before. The sun was bright coming through the windows and he tried desperately to shield his eyes.
At least the room was quite.
However, the merciful silence only existed because everyone turned to stare at Gilbert - wide eyed and a little nervous. Well, not everyone. Two critical people did not bother to turn to a glance at the tardy german student.
The teacher, and a student standing beside her desk.
Those two stood at the front of the class talking quietly to each other and flipping with slow caution through a stack of paper.
Gilbert slid into his seat and automatically dropped his heavy throbbing head into his hands. He pressed the heels of his palms deep into his aching eyes. But the pressured did nothing to relieve his headache.
"Gilbert," A voice from the seat in front of him whispered. Gilbert just groaned. He knew that voice. It was Ludwig his brilliant and blond younger brother. He spoke again, "What's wrong with you? Why were you late? Are you sick?" Ludwig's voice was deep and hoarse as he whispered, it was full of worry as well as anger.
Gilbert wanted to roll his eyes at his sibling, but stopped himself. Such a movement could only aggravate the pain poking around his forehead.
He also knew his brother wasn't going to like his answer.
"I went out to a party last night," Gilbert grumbled without lifting his head from its designated spot cradled between his hands
"You what?" Ludwig shouted, "What were you thinking? You know you are already in serious trouble right?"
"And you know you are also going to be in some serious trouble too if you keep shouting Ludwig," the teacher called from her position at the front of the room. Gilbert lifted his head just as Ludwig gave him a sharp and angry glare. He turned around in his seat so the albino could only see the back of his blond head.
The teacher continued, "And now that Mr. Beilschmidt has decided to grace us all with his presence we can begin."
"You certainly didn't have to keep the class waiting on account of my absence," Gilbert mocked the instructor's tone.
She said nothing in return. Instead she gave Gilbert a look that promised several detentions headed his way.
He frowned and recoiled into his seat.
At that moment, looking straight ahead, Gilbert noticed that the student at the front of the room was new. He was tall, and broad. With a thick build that suggested he was much stronger than someone would guess based on his round baby face. He was dressed in the simple pant and collared shirt required by the school. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows, and collar was crooked, but instead of finishing the look with a blue tie, the new student had a light pink scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. It wasn't a particularly thick scarf, but Gilbert still wondered if he was over heating on account of the spring weather. The student had longish beige hair, that was swept haphazardly to one side and stopped just below his ear lobes. His round face was ordained with a large memorable nose, but it did not detract from the teen's overall attractiveness.
Then Gilbert noticed his eyes. Well, his eyes were actually the first thing he noticed, not just because of their eastern European shape, or their alarming shade of violent, but because the new student was looking directly at Gilbert.
Gilbert shivered. The teacher called the classes attention and they both looked away.
"As you can all see, we have a new student joining the class today. His name is Ivan Braginski, from Russia."
Gilbert felt a tap on his left shoulder, "What do you think Gil?" I was Alfred, "Fresh meat?"
"Let's wait and see."
Alfred gave a little exaggerated whine, "I mean he's not bad looking. But just look at the way he's dressed!" He chuckled, "I'll come up with the perfect challenge. I mean it."
"English is Ivan's third language, so if he's struggling at all with the reading's lend him a hand. Okay? Okay. Ivan, go take that seat by the door, and we will finally get started," The teacher finished with a sigh.
Ivan nodded and did as he was told. He moved with a clumsy slow attitude.
Gilbert sat back and interlocked his fingers behind his head. Stretching out his back. "Okay," He said, "I think we can have some serious fun. You come up with something and I'm in."
"Really?" Gilbert could hear Alfred's smile.
"Oh yeah," He stretched out a palm and Alfred gave him a quick and quiet high-five.
"Sweet."
When the dismissal bell sounded, Gilbert was the first out of the classroom, followed closely by Alfred. Gilbert wanted to avoid his teacher and Ludwig. More importantly, he wanted to avoid the scoldings those two had prepared for him.
"Gosh! What a stupid class," Alfred complained, "School is going to kill me, I honestly can't keep it up anymore." He leaned against the hallway wall while he waited for Gilbert.
Alfred wasn't particularly tall, but he wasn't short either. However, what Alfred lacked in height he made up for in build. He certainly wasn't fat. Alfred was all-American, and he owned the look Blonde choppy hair and bright blue eyes framed by wire-rimmed glasses. Loud and headstrong. He got what he wanted.
Gilbert's pride would never allow him to admit it, but he envied the American. Gilbert's slim build was often mistaken for fragility - which certainly wasn't prevented by his albinism. And Gilbert's loud and outgoing personality was often mistaken for arrogance and vanity, especially when we was compared to his overly responsible and respectable younger brother.
"So what do you think?" Gilbert said.
"About our literature assignment? I think it's ridiculous. Only four days for all that work!"
"No idiot," Gilbert laughed, "About the new kid."
Gilbert and Alfred have always played pranks on the new students. So much so that it was considered a right of passage at the school to be picked on by the duo. But Gilbert liked to make it a little more involved than just a prank. He liked to make it a game.
"Ah right, the Russian," He smiled and adjusted his glasses, "so you know how we are always fighting over who's the best flirt right?"
"Right, but only because you keep lying to yourself Alfred. We all know I'm superior."
"Yeah well, we can use the new kid to settle it one and for all," He flashed a smile at Gilbert, who wasn't sure he liked where this was going.
"What?"
"So you and me hold a little flirting contest. Whoever gets the new kid to kiss them first wins."
Gilbert frowned.
"It's the ultimate challenge Gil. He hardly even speaks English, we'll have to be master flirts. We'll settle who's the better player and get to mess with the new kid at the same time," Alfred said, "Perfect right?"
Gilbert tried not to crack a smile. He was right, they were both too proud to lose to the other, and poor Ivan would be so confused it would be priceless. What's the worst that could happen? "Okay. I'm in. What are the rules?"
"The only rule is that the new kid has to initiate the kiss, oh and you kinda have to prove it. But other than that anything's game."
Gilbert smirked, "Alright, I'm in. Get ready to lose."
The two shook hands to start the game.
At that exact moment, Ivan stormed out of a classroom and down the hallway. Cellphone in hand, he flashed a the duo a vicious violet glare, put his phone to his ear, and started shouting at it in Russian.
Gilbert shivered.
"Not backing down already?" Alfred mocked. He pushed off the wall and punched Gilbert in the shoulder.
"Never," Gil mocked back.
Well I have a ridiculous amount of fun writing this. Let me know if you liked it. More to come for sure!
Also, I have minor Dyslexia so if there are any crazy/glaring spelling errors that i missed please let me know. I always miss something.
Thanks for reading! - Vic
