Soulmates - Chapter 2
Will found his new dorm without difficulty because the last year dorm was in the same building. The room was basically the same as another, divided into two identical environments: two beds, two closets, two desks, finally, two of everything. When Will entered the room, he noticed that there were two large expensive-looking suitcases on top of the bed next to the window. Apparently, Hannibal Lecter had arrived to the school, however, there was no sign of the presence of that new student in that room. The boy thanked in silence the fact of not having to face the Orc so soon. He wanted to prepare himself first.
It was just bad luck. Coping with bullies at school was a terrible thing. You learned to circumvent most of them choosing the right places for lunch and corridors which you should not walk in. Sometimes it was better to give up and hiding in your own dorm. But at this point, Will was screwed. The Bully-King would be his roommate. How could he avoid the kid ? But he didn't wanted to think about it yet. Will snorted and threw his backpack on top of the bed near the door, since it was the only option. "I'll unpack the bags later." He pondered while leaving the dorm.
In th first day of school, ironically, there were no classes. Students were led to the auditorium where they were required to attend lectures on the teaching content, the presentation of new teachers and one most boring dissertation on school rules. Nothing new.
When Will realized, it was lunchtime and the students were allowed to go to the cafeteria or anywhere else within the school property if they so wished. Will wanted Alan to keep him company, but the boy had told him he would have to settle the final details about being the new probationer in the school infirmary. So Will went to lunch alone.
In the cafeteria, the most absurd stories about the new student were already being told. Some said he was a junkie punk, some said that he was a serial killer sought in Europe. Will had no patience nor the stomach to hear those bullshits.
The boy liked to stay in the schoolyard. He sat on one of the wooden benches under the shade of a large tree, where he could enjoy a quiet and out of trouble lunch. However, no matter how Will tried to stay away from trouble, the trouble were not far from him. He was hiding, actually. In the cafeteria there would be bullies, and Will didn't want to see them.
Will was eating a chicken sandwich sitting on one of the wooden benches. There was a cool breeze blowing and Will closed his eyes. He liked to do that sometimes, getting lost in thought. Sometimes he was so absorbed in thoughts that other people thought that Will was having a stroke or something. This was another one of the reasons he was branded a weirdo. Will knew that this was the calm before the storm. And it really was.
"Hey Graham! Wake up!" Will heard the voice he dreaded and couldn't believe Garrett Jacob Hobbs had already found him.
Will opened his eyes. Garrett (or Gary, as he liked to be called) was there, wearing his school uniform. He was the captain of the Rugby Team. He was tall, he had blond hair cut very close, his blue eyes and his smile were hateful. He was surrounded by his fellow bullys. Tobias Budge was a dark-skinned boy who had talent with the violin but joined the team, (because beating people with permission to do so is better). Abel Gideon had a mohican hairstyle and green eyes. It was not as tall as his friends, but had joined the team simply for being violent. He followed Gary throughout the campus as a puppy.
The three were always seen together and played on terror in Frederick Chilton's School for Boys. Ironically, they had chosen Will as his sacrificial lamb since the kid set foot in that damn school.
"What do you want?" Will replied with a snort.
"You're back! I thought you were not going back to this school." Gary said smirking.
"What can I say? I love the people here." Will teased. "With such nice people, how could I stay away?
This was a defense mechanism that Will had developed. When he was on the threshold of discomfort, he was extremely rude.
"Tell me, Graham, what are you doing here alone?" Said Gary approaching and sitting next to the boy who tensed. "We saw your boyfriend Alan in the infirmary. And since he left you alone on this glorious afternoon, we'll keep you company." He smirked and he put his arms around the boy and the boy cowered in terror "But what is it?" He asked pointing to the sandwich in the trembling hands of the boy.
"I think it's his lunch." Gideon said taking a step forward and sitting beside Will, keeping the boy in place.
"Oh, really?" Gary took the sandwich from Will's hands, watching it curiously. "But this sandwich is not good. Here ..." Gary spat on the sandwich and put it back in Will's hands. "Now you can eat it."
Will wanted to disappear. His hands were shaking. He was angry, he was afraid. He wanted a black hole would open there in which he could jump and vanish from the earth.
"Eat it." Gary said with intimidating voice, as if giving an order. And it was a order.
Will could no longer bear it. Every day was the same thing. He was on edge. Why did he have to be so weak and let that happen? Will had to react.
Will threw the sandwich on Gary's face and tried to run, but Tobias grabbed him. Will struggled and tried to loosen up, but then Gideon also held him, each one of then holding one of his arms. Just to help, Gideon pulled his hair so that Will kept his chin up to look at Gary who cleaned his face with his hands. Will saw him coming like a lion approaches the prey, and he panicked.
"But who would have thought. The puppy is learning to attack." He said approaching and Will started to hyperventilate. He had seen this movie before. "What should I do with this naughty puppy?"
"I think a good punishment would be appropriate." Tobias suggested. Will could not breathe.
"What kind of punishment would be appropriate for him?" Gary mused.
Will could not believe this was happening again. He started to cry.
"Oh, we have not started yet and he's already crying like a baby." Gideon laughed.
"This must be a new record." Tobias added.
"Well, since he is waiting for a terrible thing, we will not disappoint him. Right, guys?" Gary said and grabbed Will's collar hard to bring him closer and said in his ear. "You will be my bitch."
Will struggled as a desperate cat. Then it happened, the moment that changed his life.
"Let the boy go." A voice with a strange accent sounded not far from where they were.
Everyone looked in that direction. Ten feet away from them was a boy. He had dark blond hair, he was tall and strong. He wore the school uniform, but not the jacket, just the shirt, pants, and the tie was loose around his neck. He wore the collar turned up and the sleeves of his shirt were also raised to the elbow, showing a very punkish leather bracelet. None of them knew the boy.
"What?" Gary said diverting his attention from Will to the strange boy.
"Are you deaf or something? Let the kid go." The blond boy said , almost smiling.
"Do You know this fagot?" Gary asked turning to look at Will.
"I don't need to know him to know you." he said and everyone was silent. He then took a few steps forward, approaching the small group. "I know your kind. You'd torment these kids to feel you on top. You are violent, arrogant, you walk in group because you can not handle the job alone. Hangs out with these idiots on your side to not look so stupid, but you are ridiculous." He said pointing to the two that held Will.
"Dude, did you lose the sense of danger?" Gary finally loosened the grip on Will and approached menacingly over the blond boy.
"I never had it." He replied with a smile.
"Tell me your name, so I'll send you flowers at the hospital, because that's where you're going when i'm done with you."
"Hannibal Lecter." He said with the warmest of smiles. "L-e-c-t-e-r." He said and spelled. "And I do like tulips, thank you very much."
All the boys were silent after that statement of that who they now knew to be Hannibal Lecter, the new student. Will looked at the boy's face for the first time. That was his new roommate, the dreaded European Bully.
"H-Hannibal Lecter?" Gideon stammered.
"Yes, yes, Hannibal Lecter, blah-blah-blah, I almost killed a person, blah-blah-blah. Let's skip the introductions and go to what really matters." Hannibal approached Gary and said. "If I see or get to know you three are bothering this kid or anyone under the roof of this school, I'll forget I'm a Noble. Again. We agree?"
There were tension in the air. Gary seemed likely to have a stroke. He looked at Hannibal with a look of pure hatred. He then walked away and went to Will, who was still under the grip of that two boys.
"This is not over yet." He motioned with his head for the two to released the boy who fell to the ground panting.
The three orcs walked away from there, leaving the yard and going to the main building.
"I hate bullies." He said and walked over to Will, kneeling beside him. "Are you okay?"
Will looked at Hannibal. His eyes were red. What a strange thing. Hannibal looked at the boy with genuine concern, waiting for an answer.
"I'm fine." Will lied.
Hannibal reached out and grabbed his forearm, but Will repelled him as if it were on fire. Will knew that the intention of the boy was only to help him to get up, but Will didn't want to be touched, not after that.
The blond boy looked at him with a knowing look and stood up and held out his hand again, hoping Will to take it. Will looked away and stood up alone. He walked slowly to the bench where he sat down heavily. He was breathing with great difficulty.
"Do you have asthma? You want me to take you to the infirmary?" Hannibal asked worriedly sitting beside him.
Will shook his head. He felt bad, humiliated. He wanted to disappear. He felt nauseous. Before he knew it, he leaned to the side and began to vomit all over.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to the infirmary?" Hannibal asked again. Will simply gestured with his hand, saying no.
Will leaned back in the seat again, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He looked back to Hannibal. He just didn't know what to think. The biggest bully of all times had helped him with the orcs. Why?
"Thank you." Will said softly.
"You're welcome." Hannibal said. "What is your name?"
"William. William Graham." Will replied feeling that bad taste in the mouth.
"Nice to meet you, William." Hannibal said with a smile. "I am ..."
"I know who you are. Your reputation had preceded you." Will said harsher than he intended to sound.
"That's good, otherwise, those guys would not have leave so easily."
Will turned back to Hannibal. That was not who he was expecting. When Will heard about Hannibal that morning, he had expected someone more like Gary, but Hannibal was completely different from the demon that Will was painting in his head.
"If I remember the list correctly, we are roommates." Hannibal said with a smile. "I think we got off on the right foot then."
Will was confused by everything that was happening.
"Well, I have some issues to deal with the Principal. Are you sure you'll be okay? "
Will nodded, unable to take his eyes of Hannibal.
"So I'll see you soon."
Hannibal stood up and walked across the yard, out of sight as he entered the main building, leaving Will alone and dazed.