Part 2
The metal bleachers were cold beneath Achilles legs, shorts were truly a terrible idea, maybe he should’ve followed suit and just worn his autumn uniform.
He could only wait until Melissa came with a blanket or until his legs adjusted to the chill of the metal.
“Mr. Achilles Atkinson”
Speak of the devil.
“I’ve brought you your blanket sir” She makes a grand gesture
“Why thank you, Madam” He takes it gratefully, immediately tucking it underneath his legs.
Melissa sits down next to him, yanking a bit of the blanket to cover her own legs, she’s changed out of her normal clothes to her uniform. Following only some of the rules at the moment, her hair was still down, she was wearing a black lipstick still, and she wasn’t wearing ‘approved’ shoes.
Achilles liked to consider himself a rule follower but even now that he was thinking about it his uniform wasn’t even being worn completely to the rule books standard.
“I think I might go into fencing this year” Melissa says, tucking a piece of her unruly hair behind her ear.
“That would be nice, a familiar face this year” Achilles smiles at her, patting her leg he says, “always nice to know i’ll be winning, eh?”
“You cocky bastard” she hits him playfully, knowing it’s all in good intent.
A loud buzzing interrupted their ‘dispute’ signaling that orientation was starting. The headmaster's voice fills the field everyone sits in, repeating the same words that have been spoken to them for the past 6 years.
Maybe Pat was smart for not coming, I already know what's happening Achilles thinks to himself as he fiddles with the hem of the blanket.
He tilts his head to look at Melissa and considers just getting up and leaving, but from a quick glance around he decides against it since no one else is getting up.
He sighs gently and continues to space off ignoring the slight chill in the wind.
The next hour is long, way longer than a normal hour usually feels. It just kept dragging on and on, and now he was finally able to get up, stretch and go hurry and sign up for fencing.
Fencing was one of the few things that Achilles liked, was good at, and could focus and devote his time too. That list was limited to fencing, doing hair, and rugby. Well, technically not rugby seeing as he wasn’t very good at it, he just really enjoyed hearing and watching it.
He walked in the doors of the gym expecting to see more people this year, hoping more people would join the team giving them a better chance at winning something but to his dismay there were two singular people, two of which were in the year below him.
Three people for sign ups, well, at least he had a good chance of getting in.
He walks over to the sign up table and writes his name down, scanning the room once more, there's only two people in here now. Him and someone talking to the coach. He squints to see if he knows them and he does. It’s Pat, holding a small duffel bag chirping politely to the Coach.
He turns around and makes it back to his dorm, not wanting the other boy to see him in there. It wouldn’t be weird, this was something Achilles had been doing for five years and anyone could vouch for that fact.
It just felt weird being in the same room as him without him knowing so he did the only thing he could, and well he was doing it well. He was already halfway to his dorm and he didn’t plan on stopping now.
He opened the door and flopped on his bed, already tired. He was glad this was just a “tour” day, he already knew all his teachers and classes. He could easily sleep the day away and not have to deal with anything until tomorrow.
Andy was probably with his girlfriend and Pat wouldn’t be back for a while, ten minutes at least if he left right now. Maybe five if he were a bit taller.
Achilles laughs to himself at his small joke.
He shimmies over to his bag and digs out his schedule, looking once more to make sure he has it down before he finally drifts off to sleep.
A sleep that lasts for the rest of the day.