School Story - 010

The next day.

Wednesday.

Another day of school. Though the schoolwork doesn't interest me, but with Tayla's advice, I know what I have to do.

She's right. I wouldn't be the same person who saved her, if I didn't try to help Arthur now.

Even if he doesn't want my help.

Even if he turns me away.

I still need to try to help him.

My first period in the morning, is Science. I decide not to sit with Josh and his friends again, but he still comes over to talk to me, halfway through the period while the teacher's distracted.

I pretend not to see him walking over to me. He puts his hand down on my desk to get my attention, but I still don't acknowledge that he's here.

"Have you thought about what I had to say?"

"What about?"

"About Arthur."

I look up at him from my desk, "I can make my own opinions about people, thanks."

"I never said that you couldn't. All I'm saying is…" he leaned in, bearing over me, "… that Arthur has a habit of making enemies out of people. He annoys everyone to no end, he makes himself a nuisance, he bores all of us. I'm just saying that it would be better for you to not become friends with him."

"And, like I said, I'll make my own mind up about what kind of person he is. I'll find out for myself if he's annoying, if he's a nuisance, if he's boring. And if I decide then that I don't like him, then so be it. But I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt. That's the least any human being deserves."

Josh gives me one last look, then mutters under his breath a word I just barely heard, before heading back to his friends.

The word he muttered, was 'weirdo'.

It makes me smile, a little.

I probably would've called myself a weirdo about a month ago too. It just seemed unimaginable to me to do so many of the things I've done since coming to Christchurch. Not just saving Tayla. Even just smaller things than that.

Helping Massimo to paint his fence, and mow his lawn.

Holding the bus for strangers I'll never see again.

And now, doing what I can to help yet another stranger.

Because that's what all of these people have been.

Tayla was a stranger to me when I saved her.

Massimo was someone who I'd talked to just a few times.

The same goes for Arthur.

After Science, I had Woodwork, but after that there was a twenty-minute interval before the final morning class.

At the start of the interval, I headed straight to where I knew Arthur would be. The bench near the canteen that he always seems to be sitting at. When he saw me approaching, he visibly sighed. Though it's kind of depressing to see something like that, I can hardly blame him. From his perspective, I guess I've been bugging him relentlessly for the past few days.

He must be sick of me.

"Hey, Arthur."

"I'm gonna have to find a new spot to sit…"

"That's a bit harsh…"

I almost feel like not doing this anymore. If he's going to make it this difficult…

But then again, Tayla's right. I wouldn't be the person I've become since arriving in Christchurch, if I didn't try to help him anyways.

I sit down next to him without saying anything more. Arthur tries to ignore me at first, but it doesn't take long for him to snap.

"Why are you here? What is it going to take for you to stop following me around?"

"I'm here because your alone."

"So, you pity me?"

"No, I'll only pity you if you don't do anything about it."

"I don't want to do anything about it. I'm happy being alone."

"Really? I don't think you would've started talking to me if that were true."

Arthur didn't have anything to say to that. He just stopped talking, as if to try and prove my point wrong.

Yeah, I really think he is similar to how I used to be. Which probably means people are right about him being annoying and irritating. Because I certainly was in the past.

"Why do you think it is that people don't like you much?"

"I don't know, I really don't. I guess I'm not very good at communicating with other people, but I don't think I've ever done anything to make people hate me."

"Hmm… but don't you think just that is enough to make people hate you?"

"Sorry?"

"Well, I mean people are always afraid of what they don't understand. Being afraid of something they don't understand, especially if it's something that they consider to be weaker or inferior to themselves, will cause them to feel enmity towards that something. It's an unavoidable occurrence."

"You think so?"

"Most certainly. Humans have to be among the most disgusting creatures, don't you think?"

"Maybe your right."

"Yeah, I'm right. And because it's unavoidable that people won't understand, then there's no reason not to just be yourself. Even if most people hate you, who cares?"

"What if everyone hates you?"

"I doubt everyone hates you. Even if they aren't at school, surely you have a friend or maybe a sibling that your close with?"

Arthur thought for a moment.

"I guess my brother, but… it's kind of embarrassing to only have one person to rely on, especially if their family.

"So what? There's only one person in the world who really knows me, and I'm fine with that. Just that one person is all I need."