A/N: Fourth chapter! Reviews are appreciated!
Okay, sorry this wasn't up sooner. I was out of school for a few days so I had a ton of stuff to make up, along with completing two projects and having a biology test today.
Oh well, it's up now!
Warnings!: Emo!Canada, language, violence, self harm, boyxboy. Read at your own risk!
*Disclaimer: I do no own Hetalia or any of its characters.
I do not own Imagine Dragons.
I walk to school this morning only to find Gilbert bursting out the front door of his house, panting. His hair is somewhat disheveled and his jacket is only halfway on. So he offers to walk with me to school and nearly shows up late? Smooth. I don't complain, though; at least he showed up.
He smiles wholeheartedly, a little short of breath.
"Mornin', Mattie," he says, greeting me.
"Hey," I reply. "You in a rush?"
"Haha, sorry! I was worried I was gonna be late, and when I saw you almost over here, I was like, oh shit!"
I smile. We start walking.
"So, what classes are you taking, Mattie?"
"Biology, then gym, then after lunch I have art and German," I say.
"You must be in a different biology class then me, then," he says back, a little disappointed.
Things get quiet for a while. I don't really have anything to say, and he appears to be thinking. I feel it's best not to interrupt him, anyway. Even if I could think of something to say, he looks so serene right now; I'd just keep it to myself.
We come towards the school. I hear many of the remarks I hear daily as Gilbert and I enter the building. I then hear some I haven't heard before.
"Quit brainwashing the guy with your queerness!"
"Yeah, Gil, get away from him! It'll rub off on you!"
"Gilbert, why are you hanging out with a fag like him?"
I look down. Gilbert looks serious now. He puts a hand on my shoulder and squeezes it firmly.
"Pick your head back up, Mattie. Remember, you look down to no one," he says, just loudly enough for me to hear.
I'm hesitant to do as he says.
"Come on. You'll be fine."
Shaking fearfully, I slowly lift my head up. My eyes are moist.
Thankfully, I don't run into Francis.
Gilbert and I stand at the door of my classroom. I take off my glasses and wipe my eyes with my sleeve.
Gilbert looks at me thoughtfully.
"You okay?" he asks, voice full of concern.
I nod.
"Yeah," I answer in a trembling voice. "What about you? Won't you be late?" After all, the only other biology class was all the way on the other side of the building.
"Don't worry, the awesome me has it covered!" he says grinning.
"All right. Thanks, Gilbert," I say.
"No prob."
I on my sleeves and tuck my hands under them. "Well, I should probably go to class now."
"'Kay. See you, Mattie!" he says.
I notice that, as I walk into the classroom, he stands at the door, watching me, making sure I'm safe.
I don't see Gilbert again until the next morning at school.
"Hey, Gilbert," I say. "Where were you yesterday?"
"Oh, yeah. I was at the dentist's. I was so bored!"
I laugh softly and enter my biology class, only to find Gilbert walking right behind me.
I look at him over my shoulder. "Shouldn't you be going to your class?"
He laughs. "I am. I switched to your class!"
My eyes widen in shock.
"And guess what? I switched another class so I could be in your lunch period too!"
"Why?" I ask
"Well, I want to be there to protect you, should anything ever happen again."
I am positive something will indeed happen.
"Thank you, Gilbert."
He smiles.
Our teacher walks in. He is a thin, short man who looks to be around 45 years old. He sits down at his desk and adjusts his glasses.
"Ah," he says, "You're the young man who just transferred to this class today. You're name is Gilbert Beilschmidt, am I right?"
"Yeah."
"Well, Gilbert, you can just sit down wherever there's an empty space at a lab table."
There are quite a few empty spots. He comes over and sits by me, joining me in the back of the room. A few girls at the front sigh. Some scowl at me and turn back to look at the teacher as class begins.
I immediately turn my iPod on and slip my earphones into my ears. I go through my music, eventually deciding to listen to my entire Imagine Dragons playlist. Gilbert sits by me, looking bored for a minute, then gently tugs one of my earphones out of my left ear and places it in his own ear.
"Catchy," he says.
"Yeah, they're really good," I answer.
Twenty minutes into the lesson, I find Gilbert asleep, head resting on his hand.
He looks really peaceful. His white hair looks really soft, I realize. I could just...just touch it...
He opens his eyes. I jerk my hand away, hoping he didn't notice.
He doesn't, fortunately. I think he's still half asleep.
But for all I know, he could just be pretending for my benefit.
I sit with Gilbert at lunch in the library. I never sit in the cafeteria; that place is a war zone, and I just so happen to be the main target. Most of the other people who sit in the library are the types to just mind their own business.
We talk about anything and everything under the sun. Lunch goes by quickly, as does the rest of the day. I learn that we happen to like a lot of the same music. I learn that his favorite colors are black and white. I learn that he tried to learn to play the electric guitar while he was in Germany, but didn't have the patience to do so.
I am a little sad when lunch ends, I will admit.
I notice that no one says anything about me today. I think I'm just lucky, but Gilbert says his awesomeness is just to much for them to handle.
When we arrive at his house, after walking home from school, he asks me something.
"Hey, Mattie? Would your parents mind if you stayed over here for the night?"
"Okay, two things. One, I only have one parent. Two, he doesn't give a crap about what I do."
Gilbert frowns.
"To be quite honest, he'd probably be a thousand times happier if I was gone," I whisper.
"Mattie...that's horrible."
I nod solemnly.
"I can't imagine my parents acting like that. I'm so sorry."
My eyes drift towards my feet.
"So, I guess that means you can stay the night then?" he asks.
I smile. "I guess I can."
A/N: Stay tuned for the next chapter! Reviews are appreciated!