Chapter 1

Diego -

"It's actually Santiago, Diego Santiago," he corrected, eyeing the ground. He could feel Mr. Chang's eyes burning into the back of his head. Even after he was hoping to be looked over.

"Can you tell us a bit about yourself, San-ti-ah-go?" Mr. Chang repeated.

Diego gave a non-committal shrug. "Not really. I come from Havana in Cuba. I live with my half-sister. There's not really much to me."

"Well, what's it like in Cuba?"

Diego thought back to all the times his parents had yelled at him for painting rude pictures an the murals in town. Thought back to the hot air that made him dizzy. What was it like in Cuba for foreigners? Was it nice? It did have its endearing qualities.

"Hot. Hot and loud."

"Oh." Mr. Chang waited for specifics, but upon realizing the boy would give no further information, shooed him away to his seat.

Diego was sat at the back of the class, right near the corner. He glanced swiftly over at his seatmate who was leaning back in his chair, unenthusiastically chewing the rubber from his pencil. It was the other student who had introduced himself before. Troy? Ray? Roy? Something like that. He had red hair that curled at the nape of his neck and brown eyes, freckles dotted around his face. He didn't look very American.

"Alright then," said Mr. Chang, taking a deep breath, clearly tired and stressed since four new students had just been introduced to the class. "Let's go over the goals for this term, eh?"

And just like that Diego was zoned out. He couldn't help it, really, it's just that – even in Havana – he found classes excruciatingly boring. So very dull. How was he supposed to concentrate with so much noise around him? His seatmate still chewing his pencil. Two girls whispering in the back. Students around the room taking notes.

"Glee, James, can you two please pay attention?" Mr. Chang's voice rang out, calling on the two boys in the farthest corner from Diego. They had been arguing about something and now both of them were stock still, as if waiting for the teacher to turn around so they could pick up where they left off.

Diego wished they'd be quiet. The rest of the class was already giving him a headache. He'd gotten too used to the quiet in the apartment with just his sister and him. But it wasn't fair to blame others, they probably thought he was being loud too, anyway.

***

So many tables were set up in the cafeteria that Diego had to practically become one with the wall to stop himself from being squished or trampled to death. It was basically like dodging a human stampede.

Luckily, though, he did manage grab his lunch, and went to sit by the window with it, avoiding any possible groups he'd be ridiculed. The mean girls. The nerds. The jocks. None of them would want him, anyway. And he wouldn't want them.

"A-ah, excuse me," came a quiet voice.

Diego looked up from his cross-legged position on the tabletop. In front of him stood a boy – his age. Though he was small, shorter by maybe an inch or so, and lean. He had black hair that fell in his eyes whenever he tried to brush it away and was deathly pale, making his blue eyes look like cold fragments of ice.

A simple nod of the head seemed to encourage him to keep speaking. He didn't even know why this boy had come over here. Diego wasn't a person anybody would voluntarily sit next to.

"I'm Kim Hyunjun," he stammered. "Could I… um, sit here?"

Diego began to stand, jumping off the table and landing beside the boy. "I was just leaving."

"Oh, no, I meant… with you."

"Me?"

"Yes. My English is no perfect."

Diego reluctantly sat down on the bench like a normal human being, picking lazily at his food while Hyunjun sat as rigid as a board across from him.

"Where are you from?" Diego inquired, his voice numb and cold even in his own ears. He felt bad for Hyunjun having to hear it like that. It couldn't be friendly to a newbie.

"Busan. In South Korea," he replied. "And you are from Havana. I heard in class."

"So you're one of the new people too?" Diego had to admit, curiosity was getting the better of him.

"Yes. I came here only two months ago."

"Your English is pretty good."

"I've been studying since I was eight."

"Cool."

Diego stared out the window, wanting nothing more than to go outside. Usually he wasn't one for physical exercise, but when that breeze had come by and the smell of ocean air had flooded his nostrils, he was reminded of home. It was surprising that he missed it. The beaches, the loud music, the heat. He hoped that Lincoln could be like that for him as well. That the beach could be used as a special place to escape this nightmare of reality.

"Do you hear the birds?" Hyunjun asked.

Diego nodded faintly. "Seagulls."

"I want to go down to the beach," admitted Hyunjun. "To look at the animals."

It was nice to agree on something with someone for a change. The beach would be nice to explore. Maybe it could be a safe haven in this town. A place to get away from this school, the teachers and students, even his sister.

"Would you…" said Diego, already regretting the words to come, "go with me? To the beach?" Of course he wouldn't! This boy had better things to do than go to the beach with some lowlife. Why would he even say yes? Ridiculous. They were teenagers, not little kids. He should just leave. This was clearly a mistake.

As Diego stood, prepared to bolt, Hyunjun gave him a shy nod. "That would be lovely."

"Then we can meet down by the shoreline, after school," he said decisively.

Hyunjun nodded once more in agreement and stood up, clearing his tray.

Relief followed by dread coursed through Diego's veins. He said yes, but what if it was out of pity? It didn't matter. He probably wouldn't even go. Then they wouldn't have to face each other, and Diego wouldn't have to get a lecture from his sister about finding and respecting friends. Maybe Diego shouldn't even go.

***

Waves lapped at the sand, licking it up and carrying excess rocks and shells out to sea. A gentle breeze was blowing the dunes, propelling stinging grains of sand onto Diego's exposed legs.

He'd made sure to come an hour after school, later than agreed so he didn't disappoint himself too much when he arrived at the beach alone.

He left footprints in the damp sand as he made his way across the beach, walking beside the water. It was nice. Cooling and refreshing. It had improved his mood considerably when he noticed nobody there. It was better by himself, anyway. He'd even brought his camera, hoping that there was something worthwhile to snap a picture of.

Through the camera he admired the beach, eyeing the cliffs, the splashing waves, even the person crouched by a cluster of rocks. He lowered the camera, curiously walking towards the figure. They were speaking in a rapid murmur. In a different language.

Guilt sunk like a fish hook in the pit of Diego's stomach as he recognized the person. Kim Hyunjun. The boy he'd assumed hadn't come to the beach.

As if hearing footsteps, Hyunjun spun around, a small smile making its way onto his face as he recognized who stood over him.

"Diego," he greeted. "Hello."

"What are you doing?" Diego replied, eyeing something in the other boy's hands.

Hyunjun stood up, surprisingly the same height as Diego despite looking smaller. He held his hands out, revealing a small hermit crab dragging its way across his palms. "Do you want to hold it?"

The innocent curiosity in Hyunjun's voice took Diego by surprise. "No. I'm not great with crabs," he replied, holding up his camera instead, zooming in on the hermit crab and tapping a button, taking a photo.

He showed it to Hyunjun who smiled pleasantly. "You like photos?"

Diego nodded, beginning to lead them in a walk across the sand, looking frantically at the photographs he'd taken. Hyunjun was mumbling by his side as the crab pinched him.

"I give up," he said finally. "This guy is being too difficult." Hyunjun placed the crab down and saluted as it scurried off, shell gleaming in the fading sunlight. He turned back to Diego, eyebrows raised as if realizing something.

Diego hoped it wasn't anything about him being late. He already felt guilty enough and didn't want to have to deal with making up excuses as to why he hadn't arrived earlier.

"Is that a dolphin?"

It took a minute for Hyunjun's words to register with Diego as he pointed past his ear, out towards the horizon. The boy turned around, following the outstretched finger to see splashing and shadows in the light of the setting sun.

"Cool!" Hyunjun cheered.

Diego held up his camera, eyeing the view on the screen. He still felt a twinge of regret for coming - more for coming late - but was glad he had. For the photography only, of course. He doubted Hyunjun even cared that much. There were tons of students in the school and all that Diego wanted was to make it through this school year. All he had to do was make it through and he could get his own place by himself.

Just one year, no connections, no bonds. Easy.

"Hey, Diego. Want, um, to climb on rock?" Hyunjun asked, grinning toothily. "There could be a nice view!"

It would be as easy and possible as swimming through fire. And a whole year of it, at that.