DISCLAIMER: Yea, yeah. You know what I'm gonna say.

Chapter 4: Getting To Know You (ish) OR At Least they speak!

After Maths was History, one of Matthew's favourite subjects (other than art or music). He found it extremely intriguing that over time mankind had shown so many sides of their selves. Through wars they were cruel, through disasters they were compassionate and yet through many hard times and sufferings, they always managed to escape.

Recess was usually a quiet affair for Matthew. It was only 15 mins long, long enough for students to have a short rest from ploughing through the school day and grab a bite but not enough for socialising. After recess was Music, they were going to be creating their own digital compositions this year. Then came lunch.

Rather than the conventional Lunch room with tables, their school had grassy areas and picnic benches set around the school specifically for students to have their lunches at. For the past 4 years, Matthew had always occupied the same bench under the maple tree. It was tucked in a small corner of the school and few people went there. It was a quiet and private place where Matthew could always enjoy his solitude, having his lunch and going about his own business with no one to interrupt him.

Of course some of his other acquaintances had offered Matthew a place at their lunch spots, but Matthew had always refused.

He knew they meant him good, but even if he had people around him, he would still feel left out. He didn't usual talk and socialise and moreover, half of the people he knew regularly forgot him, lest would even include them in their lunch circles.

Matthew got out his pencils and his sketchbook, put on some music and started mindlessly doodling again. When he finally snapped out of it, he realised he had drawn a picture of someone very familiar.

It was a fire. It just writhed and burned, clouding up the whole page. Debris was scattered in its depths. But there was someone in the fire, his arms held on level with his shoulders, his eyes closed peacefully. Most of his body was cocooned by the fire, only parts of his clothes and his face were visible. He was surely burning, yet he had a divine feel to him. As if he wasn't afraid of anything, as if he didn't care. Matthew noticed the faint marks of an Iron Cross on the boy and he knew immediately who it was.

Gilbert. But why would he draw Gilbert like that? He never meant him any harm, didn't harbour evil thoughts about him. But something about that picture of him chilled him to the core. Maybe it was the way Gilbert looked so at ease, even though flames were licking at him. Matthew shivered.

Matthew stuffed his sketchbook and pencils inside his bag hurriedly before he got even more crept out.

"Hey." A voice said from behind.

Matthew jumped and quickly turned around, realising it was only Gilbert. Gilbert arched an eyebrow, as if contemplating whether Matthew was just really easily scared or what.

"Do you mind if I sit here? 'Cause all of my other friends kinda like ditched me so now I'm err, stuck alone. And being alone is quite unawesome. So I was kinda just randomly walking around and then I saw you all alone and stuff and so I decided to come over here." Gilbert said in one whole breath.

After a minute of silence, with Matthew still too stunned to respond, Gilbert scratched the back of his head awkwardly and sighed.

"Look, if you're kinda creeped out by my red eyes and stuff I understand yea. But that's just really so unawesome. So…I guess I'll just go then. Uh, yea. Bye." Gilbert picked up his satchel and started to walk away when Matthew interrupted.

"Wait. It's fine. You can sit here. I'm not that used to people noticing me anyway so I guess it's nice to have someone sit with me eh?" Matthew whispered.

Gilbert looked at him as if he was crazy but immediately turned back and plopped down on the bench opposite Matthew.

Matthew then slowly resumed quietly munching on his sandwich, as if nothing had happened right before. Why is he here? Matthew faintly blushed. Whenever he thought of those eyes, they just- they, they…they were just magical? Nah that just sounded weird. Whatever. They drew him in, he imagined if he stared at them for too long, he would drown in them.

Meanwhile, Gilbert was staring at Matthew, as if studying him. He sure looks cute. Gilbert then immediately slapped himself for thinking such a thing. That brought Matthew up and looking quizzically at him.

"What?" Gilbert demanded. "Eh? Did you just slap yourself?" Matthew asked in a small voice, as if he was afraid Gilbert would snap at him.

Dammit. And he thought it was just mental. Did he actually hit himself? "Erm, nope. Obviously not. That would be totally unawesome. Kesesese~" Gilbert offered a shaky laugh.

Just right then, the bell rang signalling the end of lunch.

Matthew stuffed the remainder of his lunch in his bag before awkwardly asking Gilbert (who was just standing there doing nothing) what class he had now.

"Huh? Me? Let's see…English! Actually, double English. Yea! That's what I have now." Gilbert pondered for a moment, scratching the side of his head before he replied.

Matthew couldn't help but give a small smile at Gilbert's little gesture. "Oh, I have double English too. So, wanna walk there with me?" Matthew couldn't help but mentally face palm himself after saying that stupid ultra corny sounding line.

"Yea! Sure! Having my own little Mattie guiding me would be awesome!" Gilbert's face lit up and he ruffled the shorter blonde's hair.

"Lead the way!"

Matthew couldn't help laughing at Gilbert's apparent childishness again.

They got through English without any trouble, since Gilbert just seemed intent in listening to the teacher drone and on about etymology. Even though technically etymology was linked to History aka the History of words, their meanings and their derivatives, Matthew was half asleep through the first 10 mins of the class and so was half the class along with him. Their teacher Mr Long kept on hitting the table with a wooden ruler so as to prevent the class from dozing off.

It wasn't exactly their fault Gilbert though. No matter how interesting the subject was, he was also starting to find himself slightly sleepy. Mr Long's monotonous voice was like a broken recorder. It just kept on going on and on.

Thankfully that only went on for the first half of the lesson which was one period which was 55 mins long, enough torture for their teenage minds already Matthew thought. During the second half of the lesson, they had to pair up and went up to the computer rooms to do some research on the etymology of a list of words they were given. Naturally he and Gilbert paired up together. Though when Mr Long asked who Gilbert paired up with, he forgot who Matthew was and had to be reminded by a semi-pissed off Gilbert. Matthew was intent on getting the task at hand over and done with quickly but Gilbert seemed to prefer typing random words in Google and seeing if they would pass the SafeSearch filters set up. Apparently his interest in English didn't go that far.

After wrestling with Gilbert over the control of the keyboard and mouse, Matthew then proceeded to search up whatever information they needed, leaving Gilbert pouting at his side.

When the bell rang, Matthew was almost relieved. Sitting next to Gilbert trying to do work while he was shooting you evil looks was nerve rattling.

Gilbert as it turned out had cycled to school that day, which meant he was cycling back as well. "Bye Birdie!" Gilbert had yelled out in front of the school entrance, which resulted in everyone in hearing distance to whip their heads around and wonder who the hell that "Birdie" was.

AN: Yay! For Gilbert embaressing Mattie in front of the whole school except they have no idea who the hell Mattie is anyway. They all suddenly had a temporary memory relapse that's probably why.

Anyway HAPPY NEW YEAR! or NEW YEAR'S EVE where ever you are. Where I'm now (Sydney), it's 1/2 hr after midnight on New Year's Day! Yay! Truthfully, (since I don't remember a single bit of the fireworks last year) the fireworks on the Harbour Bridge and whatnot weren't THAT spectacular (it was probably even worse since I was watching it on a screen). It was like 12 mins long-ish. BUT IT PROBABLY COST A TON. sigh. Anyway I was gonna post this straight after midnight but I had to watch the fireworks (on the TV :3) and then I got side-tracked cuz my fam were watching Hong Kong dramas (if you've ever watched a GOOD serial drama then you know what I mean, god, they're ADDICTING.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR/NEW YEAR'S EVE!