Sweat trickled down Jesse’s brow as he reclined on the287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiFXG5DHXs
bleachers behind him. As he watched his classmates make yet another lap around287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSWF2DWBoe
the track, his mind was consumed by one thought:
It was fucking hot.
Jesse had been forced to transfer287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfMP2antMP
schools. It was close to graduation, he hadn’t wanted to leave, but his mom had287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfMdVigAPx
insisted. She told him he needed a “fresh start”. That wasn’t what he needed,287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv77NYTAGXe
or wanted, but what did she care? Now here he was, sitting behind the287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUiAPhDMpg
bleachers, avoiding the P.E. teacher, and this god-awful heat.
He turned to inspect the open field287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7USt9fPGmC
to his left, and instead of green, all he saw was blue. Pale, icy blue. Jesse287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqKAai6MbU
reeled slightly, taken aback by the sudden intrusion into his personal space.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppUzwGdnZ8
He hadn’t even heard the person approach, but here he was, sitting next to him,287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgOZNwZLdG
staring. Jesse takes in the boy. Everything about him seems mundane. His baggy287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibyoJ9vycR
clothes, his short cut, blonde hair, even the shape of his face was just…287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC736EdidJI
ordinary. The only striking feature on him were his eyes. Devoid of emotion,287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTU2eQY0Wm
they made Jesse feel like he was looking into a deep, clear lake. One you would287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnySD1yIkq
drown in if you weren’t cautious enough.
Throughout Jesse’s pondering, the287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKkBauTZOc
boy had remained silent, and it was beginning to make Jesse uncomfortable. How287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfoHcJFBQy
could such an intense, empty gaze like that not? He didn’t want to be287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkHdQXQ0gW
the one to break the silence. What would he even say? He dropped his gaze once287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvG5jBncIbv
he realized there was no figuring out who this person was and waited for him to287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwuJhJK656
say something. After averting his eyes from the penetrating pools of blue,287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OGAPsOs60
Jesse shifted in his seat, folding into himself slightly, trying to make287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6EwJndFRY
himself invisible. Why was he just staring? The silence between the two287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WUh74RGDJ
lengthened. Jesse shuffled his body slightly and looked at the ground,287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaISGhMma0
uncomfortable with the kid’s overwhelming presence. He could feel his gaze.
Flicking his eyes back towards the287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVf6If2eYy
boy momentarily, he catches the sight of the boy’s retreating back. His eyes287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMFTJlpXQa
follow him as he gets smaller and smaller, noting that the boy was far taller287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNWMu4klwY
than he had appeared. Far, far taller than Jesse was surely. Before long, the287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSQtrimhFj
boy was nothing more than a black speck in the distance, vanishing from sight.
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQuN5YDdiQ
Jesse let287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0xfwSPLbI
out a breath, on he hadn’t realized he was holding, and tried to not let the287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvcWwxlrxx
events that had just transpired consume his thoughts.
As the final bell rang, a vast287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYha8eOoBAG
expanse of teens flooded the hallway. Jesse was jostled slightly as he fought287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCsZxdmfog
his way through the sea of bodies. The sooner he emptied his bag into his287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCNTtjZLgs
locker, the sooner he’d be back home, in front of his computer. Today had been287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ND3iw8VmM
yet another dull day; pretending to listen to the teachers drone on and on;287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiDuiiTjOV
ignoring the petty cliques that had formed well before he had transferred to287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzJLgx1FAc
this lame ass school; barely stomaching shitty cafeteria food. The only287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJNlN2Qk3G
memorable part of the day had been the mystery boy. Jesse couldn’t get his eyes287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK90LKC574k
out of his head.
Having only been in this school for287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDaRIeOnnhd
a month, Jesse sure as hell didn’t know all the kids that went here, but he287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OV20AL1S0
couldn’t help but think that he would remember someone so off putting. He287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfq3qRSMbj
shakes his head of the thought as he reaches his locker. Failing to put in his287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBWEDUjTKU
code correctly the first try, he curses under his breath and spins the dial287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKPup8iBYc
around again. Finally succeeding in opening his locker, he begins stuffing his287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhDGbCOkfl
textbooks onto the top shelf, feeling rather impatient.
Just as he is about to slam the287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz49bnta2cb
locker door, he overhears a hushed conversation two lockers down from his, and287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOoRWft76y
slows himself, pretending to search for something.
“…parently he just got back. I287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYqYDmdckW
don’t know what they were thinking letting that psycho back in.”
“Right?! Who knows what he’s287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkUYorclLN
capable of?”
“I thought for sure he’d be287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36CWgUDxXR
expelled this tim…”
The voices faded from ear shot as287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEne0Zslz5
the owners drifted down the hall towards the exit.
Sighing and slamming his locker287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEICyGKLKN1
shut, Jesse followed behind at a distance. He had no clue what or who they had287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lo4GWCuoD
been talking about, but his stomach was turning knots.
He made his way out the door and287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqaOAgmcft
trudged down the road. He walked to and from school every day. It wasn’t really287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvupWRf6xMQ
that he had to, his mom would have happily come to pick him up if he had asked,287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIna6iYWY9
but he liked the solitude and silence of the short walk.
The driveway was empty when Jesse287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvQTDs28XW
arrived home, telling him that his mother had not yet returned, not that he287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsEsGEZQSy
expected her home anyway. She’d been coming home later since they moved.
Sighing, he slid his key into the287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiF19mBd8n
lock, but before he was able to unlock the door, a bang from his left startled287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGqcMsvAC8
him, making him flinch inward, his face scrunching up. Turning to look at where287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcii0CkJhE
the sound had come from, his eyes grew wide. The tall boy was standing on the287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3HxiAbD8J
porch next door, staring at him.
Again, Jesse noted just how cold287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpXqvWgYdu
his stare was. Pale blue eyes, void of emotion, bore into his own olive-colored287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kf0YPbVRT
ones. Jesse stared back, uncertainty etched across his face.
Jesse cleared his throat,287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOT4mrInis
hesitating a moment before speaking.
“Hi, uhmm… I’m Jesse. I moved here287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCLy2RYWXa
last week. I take it you’re our neighbor?”
Jesse’s question lingered in the287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBx2HcX8VMN
air as the boy continued to stare at him. Becoming even more uncomfortable with287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPqeUtMl0T
the kid’s intense eyes fixed on him, Jesse moved to unlock the door.
“Adam.”
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjMMFh0z4o
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncA6a4TTF8
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohvxGN0H8C
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpWFJiBqfN
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZ57UT1YSF
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcO4ox38TiF
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkU9zihRxT7
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDQzPOXCyE
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8e4p5iW8N
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6sJPxJ3tc
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7VcrHU3U3
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjTYywfCZD
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZDqPcmrwU
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6abjp0qnA4
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8n0wjTHI1D
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWzLCFExN2
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCEeca9DAz
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKiARIi4Mw
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcGIahgp5E
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOheDEoXpQr
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2osn5trDrv
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zyfL0Keeo
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwABBMcb2OD
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBHMmJ4qbY
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPU2GqwO3zI
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqNPxLUEkr
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8WOc0hZjk
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbzOzIx17L
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrLOQBfSsx
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFMKtqs0R8
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJjNyjRqHO
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8n91d8FrW
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1w5b233wr
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCgUKhPLJ1
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zsl3auBbB
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdQOLW0C7L
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWxW69y3RH
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMxUinpSkW
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vakO28IMW
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ozm4YRboQ
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28IpgFxOo3
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3eIupUhCX
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOron7eB7g
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyLQzmO60a
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyG2JVgDcAp
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfS2VB8VGSI
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1G9ZbK4Dh
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShF8kTV70G
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0bJoFNBuN
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwBKgL5BWb
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFicJZ93pbQ
Jesse287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUBOyiJv5H
whipped his head back towards the boy as the screen door of the neighbor’s home287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeFl2DBAYz
slammed shut. 287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBg6K1tfZG
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIytIw5W4Ns
