Strawberries & Smoke

September time meant it was time to go back to school. It was the most disheartening thought Henry could think of as he adjusted his rucksack on his back and trailed after his friend Simon. The thought of starting college was daunting at the best of times, however now that it was starting it freaked him out. The building was tall, with hundreds of windows staring down at the main walkway that led in through the main road. The first day was introductory so they could meet their new tutor’s and tutor-groups and get somewhat familiar with the layout of their new surroundings.

At the fork in the driveway, Simon raised his hand in a wave. “I’m in the North Building, Henry. I’ll see you at lunch in the cafeteria, okay?”

“Sure thing, Simon! I’ll meet you there.”

He waved as the short, blonde boy went in through the doors of the nearest building. Henry frowned a little and started walking up the driveway that rose in a steep hill towards the South Building. A scraggle of other students bustled up and down around him. Pushing through a glass door, Henry stepped through into a corridor. Checking his student guide, he slowly walked along the corridor until he got to room 301.

Pushing the door open he was greeted with grey laminate topped tables. There were already students seated at the table, their heads raising to stare up at him as he closed the door.

A teacher came into view with a wide, smiling face. “Hi, I’m Miss. Channa I’m your tutor.”

“Hi I’m Henry,” he smiled.

Gesturing at the table, the teacher tossed her brunette curls over her shoulder. “Take a seat and as soon as everyone is here, we’ll start with handing out time-tables and various rules and regulations we have in place in the school.”

Henry did as he was told and settled into a chair beside a petite blonde girl. Across from him was a guy with a particularly long face and strangely cropped hair. He looked like a horse. Henry bit back a grimace; that was going to be interesting.

As soon as everyone else had come in and settled themselves around the classroom, Miss. Channa took her position in front of the SmartBoard and addressed her tutor-group. Time-tables were handed out, a map of the school and then they all had to go around the room and introduce themselves. It all felt rather juvenile, but then there was a reason that sort of thing worked. Henry learned that the blonde girl beside him was called Kelly, and that the horse-faced guy across from him was called Jakob.

That had been three months ago.

Now he had settled into the routine of school and, with the added bonus of having his sister in the year above him, Henry soon found himself in a small group of friends that had a wide variety of personalities involved. Not that he minded. He didn’t feel like he was anything particularly special. He was tall, but then so was Jakob and Mark. He was a little athletic, but then so was Yvette and Reg. He even had at least one person from his tutor-group in any of his lessons, so it made catching-up throughout the week even easier.

He felt as though he didn’t stand out, but that was okay. He wasn’t terribly bothered about standing out to anyone. As long as he made good grades and did well in his exams, he could get into a good University. That was the focus.

Adjusting his woollen jumper, Henry ducked into the side-door of the North Building to make his way towards his chemistry class. He wasn’t looking where he was going, not really, so it was no surprise that he collided with a short blur of black. With a grunt, Henry staggered sideways with a muttered curse, as he felt his shoulder connect with one of the narrow lockers.

“Jesus Christ, can’t you see me from that lofty height of yours?” sneered a deep voice. It sounded more agitated than pissed, but it made Henry flush with embarrassment either way.

“I’m sorry I didn’t –” he stopped as he took in the sight of the guy in front of him. His stomach dropped into his shoes. “I didn’t see you there.”

The short guy glared up at him, his light grey eyes piercing right through him. “You taking the piss?” he sneered.

Henry tensed against the wall. On the one hand, he didn’t want a confrontation, not with the Goth kids of all people, but at the same time the guy wasn’t coming at him. He just looked really annoyed. Swallowing thickly Henry straightened up to his full height. Wow, this guy really was short. He just about came up to Henry’s nose.

Henry shook his head mutely. He was dimly aware of the other goth kids eyeing him up; they stood about six feet away, their bodies adorned in black, chains and heavy make-up. They didn’t make a move to fight, either.

The short guy gave Henry a once over with a heavy frown, before tutting and turning back to his friends. “Tch, ignorant brat.”

Henry decided not to bother arguing. He skirted around the group, his muscles tense, and once he was out of arms reach, he hurried along the corridor towards the door he needed. He was seven minutes early, not that he minded. It gave him a better choice of seat for the lesson. More students filtered in and sat down, digging their books out of their bags. His teacher, Mr. Waring, stood by the Smartboard with his head facing the door, arms folded across his broad chest. He was impatient sort of man, but it was practically habit for everyone to be late for the first lesson on Monday morning. Henry was just going over his notes from the last lesson when the closed door swung open again, knocking heavily into the wall behind.

The short, goth guy stood in the doorway.

Henry tensed up. What was he doing here?

Before the teacher could even ask about the interruption, the guy dug out a sheaf of paper from inside his messenger bag, walked over, and slapped it on the desk. He didn’t even break stride as he turned on his heel and left the classroom, banging the door shut behind him.

Whatever their history, that guy really tired Mr. Waring on a mental level.

Drawing everyone’s attention back to himself, the broad blonde man addressed the class. “Today we will be looking into the many ways we are able to extra metals from various compounds.”

As the man continued to talk, turning to write notes up on the board, Henry chewed on his lip and tried to focus on the work. However, his eyes veered off to the side to look at the doorway, his insides knotting at the thought of another interruption from the goth guy.

Nothing happened.

Eventually, the double lesson came to a close and the bell rang out for lunch. Perfect timing too, as Henry’s gut grumbled right afterwards. Shifting his books into his bag, he sighed and wriggled out from the raised, backless stools. Swinging the bag over his head, he exited the classroom. He decided to make his way around the back of the South Building to get to the cafeteria quicker. He was starving!

Rounding the furthest corner, he stopped dead in his tracks. The short goth, guy was there and this time he was alone. He was leaning back against the brick wall with one foot cocked up underneath him, a cigarette dangling from his fingers as he blew out the smoke into the air.

Henry swallowed thickly, debating on whether he should go back the way he came and take the long way to the cafeteria. He had just turned to retrace his steps when the goth guy turned his head slightly, his grey eyes landing on Henry. They stilled, each one watching the other for their next move. The guy raised the cigarette to his lips, took a long drag and then blew smoke out in Henry’s general direction.

Henry steeled himself and decided just to walk on by. He was too hungry to give a shit about what the guy had to say, if anything at all, and who cared if he smelled a little of smoke? Other than his sister, Gwen, of course. Just as he came level with the guy, he felt something snatch his arm and drag him backwards. He stumbled, muttering a curse as he tried to find his balance again.

He straightened and glared at the guy. “Do you mind?” he snapped.

The guy blinked his black-rimmed eyes and let his hand drop from where he’d grabbed Henry’s arm. The sudden lack of contact made Henry feel a shade colder on that one spot of his body. A tremor ran down his spine, but he told himself it was just the cold weather.

“Where’re you rushing off to?” the guy asked, his deep baritone rumbling through the cold air.

“To get food,” Henry stated. “What else would I be doing?”

Taking a drag from the cigarette, the guy shrugged a shoulder. “You could be up to some devious behaviour.”

“Why would you think that?”

Gesturing to their surroundings the guy gave him a bland look. “This is the back of a school building. This is where all the shady shit goes on. Everyone knows that.”

“So, what are you doing that’s so shady?” Henry challenged.

The guy smirked up at him. He blew smoke out of the corner of his mouth. “I’m smoking. Duh.”

Henry rolled his eyes. “Really? That’s your big middle finger to teachers everywhere?”

The guy shrugged. “This is what I do to warm of for all those bodies I have to bury.”

Henry blanched.

It took a moment before a smile pulled at the guy’s mouth. “Chill, brat, I’m not a murderer. Yet, but it’d be only for the teachers.”

As stupid as it was, Henry couldn’t deny he felt relieved. Then he bristled, “I’m not a brat. I’m taller than you!”

“But you’re younger, right?”

“So?”

“Then you’re a brat. Simple.”

“God you’re such a dick,” Henry rolled his eyes. “I’m going. See you around.”

He had no intention of making good on that promise. He hadn’t noticed the guy for a good quarter of the year, and he wanted to keep it along those lines. He’d barely gotten ten feet away when the guy spoke again, making him stop in his tracks.

“Which do you rate better; ’the Avengers’ or ’Man of Steel’?”

Glancing over his shoulder, Henry frowned. “What?”

“You’re wearing a Superman shirt, so I feel like it’s a valid question.”

Henry glanced down at himself. His jumper had been unzipped about halfway, only a thin sliver of the superman logo shone through the gap in the wool. Henry may have been impressed if he wasn’t being wound-up by an arrogant git.

Shrugging he said, “They both have their merits. I prefer more classic superheroes instead of all this ’mutation’ nonsense.”

The goth snorted before taking another puff of his cigarette. “Okay, sure, but Marvel has some pretty awesome mutations; look at the Hulk. How is he not fucking awesone?”

“I didn’t say he wasn’t,” Henry stressed. “I’m just saying that Batman puts thought and effort into his missions and targets people who deserve it. All the Hulk does is smash shit, good or bad, it doesn’t matter.”

Drinking in the sight before him, a momentary hint of surprise flashing over his face, the goth guy tossed his cigarette to the floor and ground it out under his thick-soled boot. “Okay, but Black Widow puts all that effort in. How is she different from Batman?”

“She’s insanely different!” Henry gushed out. “Batman went through more trauma than she did. She was trained to be robotic and forced into her mannerisms. After a while it becomes a part of you, so she uses it to her advantage. Big whoop. Batman watches his parents die in front of him! With them he’d have had a normal, rich-kid life. He could have still had that, but he clearly loved his parents. He then uses all this trauma, all this PTSD and his phobia’s and makes himself Batman –his literaly definition of fear. He’s making himself a fearful omen to all the bad people in Gotham. He embraces all that bad done unto him and turns it back on the world!”

He paused, drawing in deep breaths. Fuck, he hadn’t meant to get so worked up. He felt an embarrassed flush crawl up the back of his neck.

A deep chuckle drew his attention back to the goth guy standing before him, an eyebrow cocked in amusement. “I don’t see any difference between him and Iron Man.”

Henry knew he was just being baited –but he rose to it anyway.

“Tony Stark is an arrogant prick basically begging the world to give him one!” he snapped. “Bruce Wayne is actually serving justice because he feels compelled, not because he MAY get an advertising gig at the end of it!”

Grey eyes narrowed up at him and Henry suddenly remembered where he was. Swallowing thickly, he lowered his arms to his sides, really taking notice of how close he was to this guy. He could see the slightly smudged edges of his eye-liner. The fog of smoke hung in the air, catching him off-guard every few moments and making him jilt a little.

A hand shot out between them and grabbed the front of his jumper. He had just enough time to note that the guy had black painted nails before dry lips were pressing against his own. Henry blinked, barely reacting until he felt a cold hand snake under the hem of his jumper. He yelped and backed away, heart pounding in his ears.

The goth guy quirked an eyebrow, looking almost bored.

“Not into it?” he asked, looking like he didn’t care either way.

Henry didn’t know what to say. His heart was drumming loudly in his ears. It wasn’t that he hadn’t liked it –he had! It excited him too much! –but it was everything clashing together in his mind. He had never seen this guy before, and he would have remembered if he’d seen him before, and now they were kissing behind the South Building?

His insides felt cold and hot at the same time as he refocused on the shorter guy standing before him. His lips ached, like they missed the pressure. Something tightened around him; the short guy hadn’t let go of his jumper. A chill ran straight through him.

“W-why did you do that?” he finally rasped.

Two black eyebrows quirked up. “Because I felt like it,” came the gravelly reply. “Didn’t you?”

Henry’s throat felt tight. Had he? Well, if the tightness in his trousers wasn’t indication enough, maybe he needed to do it in sky-writing as well? “I … I guess.”

“You guess?” the guy repeated before sighing heavily. “I can’t be doing a good job then, can I?”

Henry didn’t know how to respond. He pressed his lips together and fidgeted. The guy seemed to take Henry’s silence as a green-light; he tugged Henry closer and leaned up to kiss him again. It was a little slower this time, though still hard and thrilling. At the same time, it wasn’t over in an instant. It just kept going until Henry felt himself melt a little into the warmth of those lips. He braced his arms against the brick wall behind the goth guy, revelling in the hot pressure on his mouth. When the lips left his he gasped out, almost begging for more.

This time the guy smirked up at him. “I’ll take that as a ’yes’?”

Henry nodded breathlessly.

“Good.” Without another word the guy ducked out from under Henry’s shadow and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He cocked an eyebrow at Henry. “Thought you were going to get food.”

He nodded dumbly. “I was …”

“You’d best get moving. The cafeteria closes soon.”

“Okay.” He stared at the short guy for a few more minutes before his stomach grumbled loudly. Black eyebrows twitched upwards in wry amusement. Henry cleared his throat and straightened up a little. “I guess I’ll … get going, then?”

The guy nodded. Henry inclined his head, adjusted his rucksack on his shoulders and turned on his heel to continue on his way towards the cafeteria.

“Hey kid!”

He frowned and turned around. “What?”

“We should do this again some time.”

Henry felt his eyes go wide. “Er yeah. Sure. Whatever you say.”

He raised his hand in an awkward wave over his shoulder before hurrying the rest of the way to the cafeteria. He had about twenty minutes left. Hopefully, he could grab something quick before they stopped serving food. He only had one more class period that afternoon and then he could go home.

Simon and Gwen questioned him intensley when he finally sat down at their table with a burger and some chips. He’d had to inhale the food and nod or shake his head to their questions. His stomach twisted when his sister mentioned that he smelled like smoke and he made an off-hand comment about passing the group of goth kids.

“Oh, I really can’t stand them hanging around everywhere!” Yvette stated, turning her nose up. “They just like to be dicks for the sake of being dicks.”

Gwen hummed with a nod, “I have one of them in my class, Annie? The one with blonde hair? She’s so moody!”

“Pretty sure that’s all they are!” Conrad laughed.

Henry kept quiet, focusing on chewing and swallowing properly without choking. He drank his drink and made short work of his food just in time for the bell to go off. Everyone moved in unison; standing up, gathering their bags, and crumbling their trash up in a pile to toss in the bins.

“Come on Henry you don’t want to be late for class!” Simon urged, tugging on the sleeve of his friend’s jumper.

Henry shoved his trash into the bin and wiped at his mouth. He was grateful for the delay he’d experienced in getting to the cafeteria so that he was able keep quiet and eat food. Now that he’d had the short guy’s mouth all over him, it felt crass to bad-mouth his friend group just because they liked black clothes. He felt far too confused to focus on his last class. He was glad when it could let out.

Gwen and Simon wouldn’t leave college until 4:30pm, so that left Henry to his own devices. He decided to go on his way home and make a dent in some of his homework. It had been piling up on his desk for the last few days. However, whenever his brain stopped working for even a second, he remembered that kiss. It left his chest feeling tight. He wanted to blame the breathlessness on the cold air, but he didn’t even believe his own lie.

“What the fuck happened today?” he mused, just as his bus rounded the corner.

He hopped on, tapped his pass and was on his way home.