"Resurfacing" chapter 7
“Where were you the other day, Mr. Kaulitz?”
Bill looked up at his History teacher, who was leaning over his desk. “I was sick,” Bill lied. “Nurse’s office.”
‘Well, at least that much is true,’ Bill thought.
“I have the homework, though!” Bill said, digging it out of his bag. He presented it to the teacher with a proud smile.
She sighed and accepted it. “Well, get yesterday’s notes from someone later,” she said, and walked off.
Nora looked at Bill slyly. “I guess skipping does have its’ benefits,” she laughed. Bill nodded happily. The bell rang, and everyone stood up.
“I’ll see you at lunch,” Nora said as they exited the room.
“Ah...” Bill started, stopping her.
She looked at him curiously before coming to a realization. “Oh, that’s right. Today is Erica day, right?” she said.
He nodded guiltily.
“That’s alright, Bill, you’re following your ‘schedule’,” she said with a smile. “I’ll make sure to tell everyone. Bye!” she said, turning the corner.
Bill sighed and made his way to Spanish. He walked in, but Megan wasn’t there yet. As he walked over to his usual seat, he noticed something familiar.
“Adam?” he asked, seeing the greasy haired boy sitting by himself. He looked up and waved shyly to Bill.
“I didn’t know you were in this class,” Bill said.
Adam blushed. “Yeah... most people don’t,” he answered.
Bill looked at him sadly. He thought for a moment. “Do you want to sit with me?” he asked.
Adam nodded eagerly and hopped off his seat. He followed Bill over to a table by the window, where Megan had just sat down.
“Hey, Megan,” Bill greeted her. She smiled and waved, and looked at Adam curiously.
“He’s sitting with us today,” Bill explained. He turned to Adam and saw his face turn a bright shade of red. “Um... you want to sit down?” Bill said.
“Oh... oh, okay,” Adam mumbled, taking a seat next to Megan. He was smiling, but kept his head down.
Bill raised an eyebrow and took a seat.
The class went by normally, Megan helping Bill with his work, and the two talking like friends. Bill expected Adam to join in and talk a little more, but he hardly said a word. His face was constantly red.
“I’ll see you later, Megan,” Bill said, waving to the tiny girl. She nodded and smiled, and hopped off to her next class, Adam’s eyes following her.
Bill dug through his bag, searching for his schedule. He cursed when he couldn’t find it.
‘Do I have to search through my whole goddamn fucking...’
His thought was interrupted as he spotted a mess of blonde dreadlocks in the distance.
‘Tom!’ Bill thought, peering over the crowd to get a better look.
He looked as Bill remembered from yesterday, when he had really looked at him for the first time, noticing everything. His blonde dreads were tied in a ponytail, spilling over his back from the cap that was perched on his head. His clothes were baggy as always, and his piercing was gleaming on his bottom lip.
Bill saw Tom turning the corner and quickly shoved everything back in his bag to follow him. He bumped into a few people who glared at him, but he brushed them off, searching for a red cap in the crowd.
For some reason, he wanted to talk to Tom again. Yesterday’s talk had done nothing less than intrigue him.
“Tom!” he called. The blonde boy didn’t hear him, and Bill sighed in frustration. A few other students looked at him oddly.
He saw Tom step away from the crowd and enter a room at the end of the hall, where a teacher greeted him.
‘Fuck, he’s in class now,’ Bill thought, giving up, ‘When will I be able to talk to him again?’
“Mr. Kaulitz, are you going to stand there all day?” the teacher at the door spoke.
Bill looked at him, confused. Then it hit him. “Oh! I have Computer class, don’t I?” he said.
The teacher gave him a strange look, but nodded. Bill scratched his head, embarrassed, and entered the room.
At least that problem was taken care of.
He glanced around the room. Most of the seats were taken, including the one by the window where he usually sat. He spotted Tom settling in a chair in the back of the room, and Bill wove around the rows of computers, trying to reach him.
“Hey, Tom,” Bill greeted as he slid into the seat next to him.
Tom looked up, surprised, but calmed down once he saw who it was. “Oh... hey,” he said.
“I can sit here, right?” Bill asked, unable to read his expression.
“Oh... Um, sure, if you want to,” Tom mumbled. Bill noticed a few seats away a girl pointing at him and whispering to her friend.
“So, are you going to help me pay attention today?” Bill laughed, trying to liven the mood.
Tom looked at him suspiciously. “Is that what you’re here for?” Tom asked.
Bill looked at him, surprised. “What? No, of course not. I’m just joking,” he explained.
Tom nodded. “Oh... ok. Sorry,” he answered.
They stopped talking, and Bill heard laughter in the background. He hoped it wasn’t aimed at them.
“Alright, class, today’s assignment will be...”
‘Fuck this,’ Bill thought, almost laughing with the irony of what he had just said to Tom as he pulled out his headphones.
The loud rock music drowned out the teacher’s words, and Bill closed his eyes. He thought it odd that he wanted to talk to Tom earlier, but the moment he got the chance, he started listening to music.
Bill was almost finished with his second song when he felt a tap on his wrist.
“Hmm?” he said, turning the volume down.
“You might want to at least pretend like you’re doing your work,” Tom whispered. “He’s giving you glares,” he added, nodding in the direction of the teacher, who was seated in his chair, eyes locked in a frown on Bill.
Bill gulped. “I think you’re right,” he answered Tom, turning the music off. “Thanks.”
Tom merely nodded, and turned back to his own work.
Bill continued to stare at him, watching as he bit his lip ring in concentration, typing lightly on the keyboard.
“Um...” Bill whispered.
Tom stopped typing and raised an eyebrow. “Yes?” he spoke.
“... What’s the assignment?” Bill asked.
Tom rolled his eyes, and Bill blushed, embarrassed. “Make a powerpoint presentation explaining the history of the invention of computers,” Tom said hastily, his voice low.
“Oh... okay,” Bill answered.
They stopped talking once again, and Bill decided to actually concentrate at the task at hand. He never had Computer class at his old school. He found the idea a little ridiculous. But he did what he was supposed to, and researched a few points on computer invention.
“Class,” the teacher said, all of his students turning their heads toward him. “I don’t expect you all to be done by today. You will hand this in by next week, but it must be detailed. Don’t slack off,” he announced. Bill rolled his eyes at the teacher’s attempt to sound intimidating. “You may work in pairs, if you like,” he added. “It’ll make the job easier.”
The class suddenly started buzzing, arranging partnerships and dividing work.
Bill turned to Tom. “Hey, do you want to be my partner?” he asked.
When Tom’s head turned, Bill was surprised to see his dark brown eyes peering curiously at him. He seemed to be evaluating him, searching for something. “Alright... I’ll be your partner,” he finally answered.
Bill broke into a grin. “Really? Thanks a lot. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t sat next to you today, to tell you the truth. I don’t know anyone else in this class, and I for sure would have failed doing it alone,” he said.
Tom’s lips twitched into a small smile. “No problem...” he answered, the first thing he had said to Bill that wasn’t dismissive or suspicious.
Bill continued to smile at him when the bell rang. As they collected their books and pencils, Bill wanted to keep the conversation going with Tom. “Hey, what other classes do you have?” he asked him. “Maybe we have some others together.”
Tom looked into Bill’s kohl-rimmed eyes, but only found sincerity. He tried not to grin guiltily. “Well... actually... I’ve seen you in my History class a few times,” he answered, looking away. “You always talk to that emo girl.”
Bill looked surprised, but laughed. “You mean Nora? She isn’t that emo, really. She just happened to streak her hair red last week,” he chuckled.
Tom looked at him with a bemused expression. “Alright, whatever you say,” he said.
Bill giggled. “Well, I’m surprised I never noticed you,” he said. “I’ll see you next time, though,” he promised.
They were walking through the door, and into the crowded hallway again. “I’ll see you around!” Bill said as he headed off in his own direction. Tom gave him a small wave, trying not to smile to himself.