First and second period had been the same as every other year. The slacking teachers would drag out their rules and regulations for as long as they possibly could, then ask questions-not even about school. They'd ask stuff about summer vacation. And, the strict teachers would zip through the rules, and launch into their plan for the year; and, if they could, the first lesson as well. Sometimes, the strict teachers didn't even bother going through the rules.
"You should have heard these in every other class;now, let's get to work."
And all that jazz.
It was third period that stayed in Ivan's memory.
Unlike most other schools, his did not haul their new kids up to the front of the class to introduce him or her there. It was only when a name was called during attendance that everyone didn't recognize that they would even realize that they had a new student. Most of the new students were able to blend seamlessly into the rest of the student population this way.
This didn't happen in Ivan's third period class. Then again, it was an art class. Visual Art class, it was called, likely just to make it sound fancier.
Mrs. Wilson was…different in that way, likely because she was "the art teacher", she introduced their new student.
"So, today we have a new student. His name is Mathew Williams. Say hi, Mathew."
Ivan had looked two desks over to his right where everyone else was looking, and where the teacher was pointing, and almost bit his tongue off.
It was the boy from his dreams.
It couldn't be.
"Mathew" seemed to be embarrassed at being singled out;but, he still gave the teacher a little wave before he went back to staring at the desk in front of him.
'Poor kid.'
'No, focus! That's blond boy's doppleganger is over there, pay attention, Ivan.' Ivan scolded himself in his mind.
And Mathew was sure that it was the blond boy from his dreams now, even if he hadn't had a lot of time to see his face before he looked down again and it was covered by his bangs, he had still seen his purple eyes and that one random strand of hair that curled in front of his face.
Like, really, how many people have those things in common? Ivan was willing to bet it was just the blond boy and this Mathew Williams that did, and he was starting to think they were the same person.
Ivan clued into the fact that the teacher was still talking, and that he should probably be listening.
"Alright, so today is going to be very exciting. We'll be doing...tattoos. Ooh~;but, no, we won't be doing actual tattoos. Not yet at least;but, seriously, everyone and their grandma has tattoos now. And I'm serious about the grandma thing, I just brought my grandma to a tattoo parlour to get a tattoo a few weeks ago. Everyone has them now. So, today we will be seeing what our own tattoos would be, and where on our bodies we would put them. That's what I want you all to draw today, the tattoo and where it will go on your body. Alright? Also, there's white paper up at the front if anyone has forgotten their sketchbook."
Ivan tuned out the rest of what she was saying, about where she'd gotten her own tattoos and why he had gotten them, and started working on his tattoo, a sunflower.
Throughout the class, it might have just been his imagination working against him; but, he was sure that Mathew had kept sneaking glances at him, just like how he was sneaking glances at Mathew from under his bangs while pretending to be diligently working on his drawing.
'Are you the blond boy, Mathew?'