"Tony, would you like to come round mine and help with my Physics homework?" I asked. The lesson had been continued in complete silence and was finally over. Still embarrassed, he nodded and packed away his books. I waited for him as the rest of the class left and we walked through the corridors together. We went via the nurses office so I could talk to her.
"Oh hello Bruce!" She said, a jolly smile on her face. I smiled back, it was hard not to; I was finally feeling happier.
"Hello um I'm just letting you know what I'm going to try out an experiment which may help me with my anger," I said. I could hear my voice wobbling with nerves. I didn't want to say too much because Tony was with me. The nurse nodded, seeing Tony on the other side of the door.
"Ok then. Tell me how it goes next week then?" I said ok and wished her a good weekend.
The journey home was quick as I only lived a few minutes away from school. My Mum was still at work and my Dad was abroad on business so I knew we would be alone.
"Can I get you a drink Tony?" He nodded and I told him what we had. "There's water in the tap as well," I finished off my list. Tony laughed at my poor hosting skills.
"Just some water please," he said, still sniggering. We went through to the dining room. Half on the table was covered in various piles of detritus ranging from magazines to lunch boxes. I cleared some space and we got to work with the Physics homework. Every few questions I'd get stuck and ask Tony for his help. I could tell he liked being asked to help because he always talked enthusiastically about the questions. He really did love Physics.
"You should go into mechanics," I said after he explained a question about pistons to me. He laughed and shook his head.
"No, that's what my Dad does and it's really boring!" I laughed with him.
"True, but maybe you could make like spaceships or cool stuff like that?" He pulled a face at me as if I was cramping his style.
"Maybe not then?" He shook his head again and giggled.
"Look, Tony. I'd like to ask a favour." He faced me and put his pen down.
"Sure, what is it?" I bit my lip and I gathered the courage to present my experiment.
"Well I'm a bit confused," He laughed and said
"Well just tell me the question you're stuck on and I'll help!" I smiled, grateful but continued speaking.
"No, I'm confused emotionally, mentally." The smile began to fade from Tony's face as he tried to understand what I was saying.
"Ok, so I'm not good at talking am I?" Tony said no.
"Something happened recently that has changed what I previously thought about certain people," I tried not to look directly at Tony as he figured out what I was saying. "Something else then happens swiftly after which has made me question what I actually feel and, basically, who I am." Tony smirked.
"Got a bit deep there Bruce, it's only four in the afternoon!" I let out a laugh.
"I kissed Nat." Tony displayed no emotion but I could almost see his brain working at full speed to work out how this had come about. Before he could think for long, I interrupted him with my experiment.
"You know what I said about Steve in Physics the other day don't you? And now Nat has rather confused me. I need your help to set things straight. Or maybe not so straight..."
Tony raised an eyebrow and a grin was painted in his face. I mumbled and stuttered over various words, trying to get out my last sentence. I just didn't have the guts to ask him to do a thing like that; I was too embarrassed.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I nodded and my cheeks started to burn.
Tony closed his eyes, presumably to mentally prepare. It wasn't like I was asking for a life speech was it? His eyes snapped open and gazed longingly into mine. I'd never looked at him in that way before, and his eyes were just breath-taking. I was about to speak when he gently placed his hands around my face, his fingers weaving carefully around my tiny ears. He leant in close to me and I began to panic, wanting to abort the mission. I couldn't do that to myself; I had already been foul to my friends enough. I too closed my eyes and leant towards him. I don't know what I was expecting, but a second after shutting my eyelids, I could feel Tony's lips on mine. I thought back to Nat and what I felt then was nothing compared to Tony; it just felt right with him. I put my arms out and found his face, holding him in my hands. I can't remember how much time passed but it didn't matter. Who did homework on time anyway? Not wanting the moment to end, my heart dropped as Tony sat back from me. Neither of us spoke a word for a while, just registering what had happened. I went to speak, break the silence. Tony held up his hand however to stop me; he was thinking.
"I'm not sure you can get clear results from that experiment Bruce," he said. I was puzzled as to what he was on about. I felt my hands begin to shake with adrenaline and I sat on them, hiding them from Tony. "I think you should test the method a few more times?"
He was acting confident but I could see he was just as nervous as me. I pretended to think for a while and grinned at him. We spent the next hour or so testing out my "method" before he had to leave for dinner.
"I'll text you?" He said, walking down the garden path. I nodded and waved goodbye.
