Chapters four and five
For the rest of the winter until the holidays, they met there during their lunch breaks. Even when there was snow. Everyone else thought it was too cold to go outside on those days. Neither of them minded. It was much better than eating inside with their friends.
Every break was a time to relax after all.
等等
On the last day before the holidays, Roderich didn't come to their usual place for lunch. At first Francis thought he might run late or something like that. He would suspect the other to be sick but then again he had seen him in the hallway this morning. Francis wondered why he hadn't been told. By now, they even had exchanged cell phone numbers.
Why did this happen on a day he didn't want to eat alone?
He sent a text. Pacing around while he waited for an answer,he felt nervous. And because he felt nervous, he walked around some more.
There was no answer. He would have worried. Then again, Roderich most likely turned off his cell phone when he was at school. That was what they all were supposed to do.
Impatiently, he waited for the break to end. Every second felt like a minute. He couldn't stand it. There was no way he could go through the rest of the day without a break.
In the end, he decided to go look for Roderich. He knew he wasn't supposed to. They never acted as much as friendly towards one another. Usually, they simply ignored the other outside that place.
He found him in his classroom, eating together with both his friends. Francis stood at the door. He watched them for some heartbeats. Roderich acted happily. He didn't look it to Francis, though.
He watched Elizabetha notice him and sending Gilbert over. He hadn't even noticed he had been staring at them long enough for that.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were eating with 'Tonio,” Gilbert asked.
Francis shook his head. “I haven't in days,” was what he should say. He said: “There's something I need to ask.”
“Well, then shoot,” Gilbert said shrugging.
“Not you, idiot,” Francis hissed. He was running out of patience fast. “I need to talk to Roderich.”
Gilbert raised an eyebrow. “What for?” He looked back at his friend. “Since when do you guys even know each other?”
“Just fetch him already, Gilbert,” Francis sighed. “Or I'll fetch him myself.”
“Okay, okay,” Gilbert gave in, strolling back. They had a short conversation. After that, Roderich got up and came over to the door.
“What do you want, Francis?” he sighed.
Francis was surprised by this. More than he should have been. From what they usually acted they weren't friends. They had sticked to pretending this for all this time now. Roderich seemd set on continuing this.
“I need to talk,” Francis said. Desperation crept into his eyes.
“About your music class?” Roderich asked a little louder than necessary. He grabbed Francis' wrist. “Let's go to the music room then.” Francis was dragged away. He just hoped he didn't look too puzzled. He hadn't been aware that Roderich's friends had been watching and listening to them.
Around the corner to an empty hallway, Roderich let go. “What happened?” he asked. Now that they were alone, he looked worried. Francis hadn't thought he looked this bad.
He shook his head. Now that he had had opportunity to talk, he didn't have the words to say it out loud. He'd never said anything like this. It didn't suit him. Saying something like this just wasn't like his usual self. He bit his lower lip.
Softly, Roderich started to stroke Francis' arm up and down. “It's okay,” he said with an encouraging smile on his lips and sadness in his eyes. “I know how you feel.”
Francis shook his head. He couldn't say it. He tired to. But he didn't even want to think about it. It made his chest tight.
Roderich let out an long sigh full of emotions Francis thought he understood. With his left hand, Roderich brushed his hair out of his face. Then, he looked around to see if they really where alone, before he placed a soft, short kiss on Francis' lips.
“Feeling better now?” he asked shyly, his cheeks turned pink.
Francis didn't answer. He just took Roderich by his shoulders, pressed him against the wall of the hallway and drowned them in another kiss.
