"Psst... That's the new kid. Ya know, the one everybody is trying to avoid..?" A couple of fourth years whispered to one another as they looked out the window of the second story building.
"What?" Ryann murmured, pausing in his tracks to stand besides his classmates.
"The guy’s sitting in the gazebo in the pouring rain. What a freak!" the other senior snorted as they laughed and pointed.
"I heard he was from the big city." The first one mumbled.
"Pleh, I hate city folk from the big country," the snorter growled, "He must be choking in the fresh air!" They both burst up in laughter again.
Ryann ground his teeth. He couldn't take their jeering anymore. "Oh, shut up, you have no idea who that person is." He growled through clenched teeth, his grip on the photograph in his pocket getting tighter.
"What did you say to us, third year?" the first one hissed as the second one glared at Ryann.
"There you are, Ryann! Mi amigo mas guapo!" Cole suddenly managed to slither his way into the confrontation, wrapping an arm around Ryann's shoulders, and trying to play it off cool. "Where have you been? You ran off on me."
"You know this junior, Cole?" the snorter oinked in frustration.
"I'm a senior, pig." Ryann stated bluntly. The first one automatically balled up his fist and threw it at Ryann, but Cole held him back.
"Whoa, there! Look, sorry Reid! He's in my class, don't worry about him." Cole told the first guy, holding his fist gently.
"He's your friend, Cole?!" the oinker gasped in disbelief.
"Yeah, you got a problem with that, pig breath?" Ryann removed himself from the protection of Cole's back.
"I'll tell you if I've got a problem with it, Blondie!" the oinker threatened as Cole held him back with his Buddha-calming hands.
"Forget it, you aren't worth the wasted breath." Ryann turned around and headed down the stairs.
"Wait, Ryann! Where are you going?" Cold called out, beginning to follow a few steps behind.
"The gazebo!" he answered, now at the bottom of the steps.
"What? The new kid?" Reid asked in wonder before all three of their faces were pressed to the glass windows.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
