Because We're Here

Chapter 1

“The hell do you mean!”

It was evident, by the urgent and high tone of the exclamation, that the topic of discussion was one of great importance. 

“I mean that water can’t be wet you dumbass!”

Or perhaps not.

The two boys who were currently arguing in the cafeteria were seemingly unaware of the fact, and so Amy decided to ignore it too. He approached the table and sat down on his usual spot, food tray at hand. A blonde, Ellie, was already sitting there, reading a book. As soon as he saw Amy sit down he gave him a look. One that roughly translated to: ‘why do we even hang out with these guys’.

Amy had to contend to that.

One of the guys arguing, Luke, who was clearly frustrated, looked sharply at Amy and asked, “Yo Amy can you tell this stupid f**k that water can't be wet.”

Marc looked at Luke as though he was mentally disabled and in a lower, but still desperate, voice asked, "is it dry then?!"

Ellie shook his head, flipping a page of his book. “Here we go again”

“Are you retarded Marc?”

“Water wets things,” Amy clarified, complete attention on his lunch.

Marc gaped at him, “Amy are you on his side?”

“Bro grow up. It's like saying fire is burnt,” Luke deadpanned.

“Point to Gryffindor,” looking over his book, Elliot set his eyes on Marc "Just give up, you won't win this one." This seemed to stop Marc as, with a f**k y'all, he finally sat down and started looking at his phone.

They were always like this— unnecessarily loud. Well, mostly Luke and Marc, Elliot was the sane one of the lot. Still, in normal circumstances, Amy wouldn’t have seen himself in the company of people like them. They were too much, too idiotic, most of the time. 

But it was easy. Amy didn’t have to do much, when he was with them. They argued, and they were loud, and Amy just had to agree, or add a comment or two, and it was fine. He didn’t have to socialize much, they did that for him. So he put up with them.

They weren’t really his friends, he felt like they just put up with him too.

And, more times than not, Amy didn’t understand them.

“I thought you broke up with her because she was a pain in the ass,” Luke said, an answer to Marc’s comment about his girlfriend being too jealous. Luke’s demeanor changed though. When a few seconds ago he’d been laughing and relaxed, now his posture was stiff, his smile tight. 

The change in mannerisms was uncalled for and out of nowhere, although he doubted anyone else was aware. Amy, as he did notice it, didn’t get it.

Marc shrugged. “Yeah but god knows finding an ass like that is hard around here. A man gotta make sacrifices for the greater good.”

“The greater ass,” Luke laughed, but he was picking at his food tray, eyes avoiding Marc. There were times Amy felt as though there were things most people were aware of, that he, due to his lack of emotional awareness, wasn’t. Right now was one of those times. 

He ate his lunch, and tried to ignore it.

“Leonard!”

A female shout made Amy look up. There was a girl, naturally red hair, freckles, striding towards their table. She was catching up to a guy, calling his name. A guy who was purposely walking towards their table as well.

Amy stared.

The girl kept calling out to him, until the guy reached his destination. And stopped right in front of Amy. The girl halted a few steps behind him, looking weary.

 “Bro did you want something?” Marc asked him. The guys had stopped talking and were now staring at the so called Leonard and the red head. “It's kinda weird when you just stand there.”

It was the boy from earlier. The boy from math class. The one that chuckled.

Fascinating.

“Oh sorry,” the boy in question said, but he didn't seem sorry at all. His brown eyes met Amy’s, and he stretched out a hand, “I just wanted to ask if you wanted to be friends?”

The girl behind him cringed, shutting her eyes. Amy looked at both of them, then he looked at the guy's hand waiting to be shaken.

Amy couldn’t stop staring. 

Someone in the background cleared their throat awkwardly, Elliot, probably. 

“Okay,” Amy said, before he could think better of it.

That seemed to be more than enough for… Leonard, who just smiled before walking away. A little red puppy following him.

“Yep, that was totally weird,” Luke exclaimed.

Indeed.