who_is_she | (no subject)

Another year, and Anthony was at another school. He was feeling strangely unattached to the whole thing, as it wasn't like he'd left any friends at his old school, and he wasn't likely to make any more this year. Really, he was anxious for classes to start, because he'd nearly finished looking through all his textbooks and he was running out of ways to occupy himself.

At first, he'd been glad to know his new school had two-person rooms instead of large rooms housing many students, as he'd been glad to know he'd have more privacy and quiet. But now he was beginning to see a downside, as his roommate was late. He'd arrived on the first possible move-in day, and had been moved in for days, but today was the last move-in day, and it was well after noon and his roommate had still not arrived. He was beginning to wonder what kind of person would leave move in so late, as now he'd only have a day to get unpacked and settled and prepare himself for classes.

All Anthony had was a name--Roderigo Juarez, and he had no idea what else to expect. No doubt he'd be an insufferable kind of person, who was all right leaving things to the last minute and never finished homework on time and always made a lot of noise. Anthony had already inquired about switching roommates, but had been encouraged to give it a chance first. Anthony didn't even want to get to know this potential disaster of a roommate, not if he was going to have the quiet, calm school year he'd planned interrupted.

He was sitting on his bed, now, a book in his lap that he was attempting to distract himself with. He wasn't really succeeding, and kept glancing up to stare at the door, which had been quiet and closed all day long, and he was nervous that his roommate wouldn't ever show up and he'd have to deal with getting a new roommate. Anthony sighs, scratching the back of his neck and closing the book, it wasn't like he was concentrating on it anyways.

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Roddie stumbles down the hallway, carting his single suitcase behind him and trying to fight the tears that were still dripping down his cheeks. His moms had offered to see him to his room, and to help him move in, but he'd been sure that would only make the goodbyes harder, and he wasn't too keen on the idea of being a blubbering mess clinging to his mothers' hands in front of the other boys on the first day.

He stops in front of the door that was meant to be his room and swallows, wiping his face unceremoniously with one hand before leaning on the door handle and pushing his way in. His roommate is already in there, sitting crosslegged on the bottom bunk reading a book, and he waves at him with the best smile he can muster up.

"Hey," he says, sniffling, and he carefully removes the turtle tank that was strapped to the top of his suitcase before letting it fall noisily onto the floor, "I'm Roddie, are you...An...thony? Right?"

"Antony Miller," he says stiffly, looking over this boy and his belongings. His eyes are red and puffy, like he's been crying, and Anthony isn't sure what to do with that. Why would he be crying? Perhaps he had an accident or lost some of his belongings? Anthony wasn't sure what it was, but he did know that he was even more apprehensive about his new roommate.

He remembers his manners too late, but stands up anyways, his expression a little hunted as he stands before the other boy and holds out his hand to shake Roddie's.

"It's very nice to meet you," he says politely, shaking Roddie's hand, "Are you, er... All right?" He adds, glancing over Roddie's red and damp face.

"What? Yeah, I'm fine," Roddie says, wiping his face one more time and balancing the turtle tank precariously in one hand before returning the handshake with his now wet hand, "I'm fine, I just -- you know, said goodbye to my parents."

He wipes his nose on the sleeve of his shirt as he walks over to the empty desk, and sets the tank down as gently as he can before dropping to his knees to plug the lamp into the outlet on the wall.

"This is Harriett," he says, pointing to the tank and grinning as best as he could manage, "She doesn't stink or anything, and she's really quiet, and doesn't bite. You can play with her too, but my mom says you should wash your hands after if you don't want sal vanilla. You know...that disease you get from eating raw chicken."

He walks back over to his suitcase and unzips it, revealing the meager wardrobe he'd brought with him, as well as his school books, and several action figures and other toys he'd brought along with him.

"Do you sleep on the top bunk or the bottom bunk?" he asks, secretly hoping Anthony would choose the bottom. He'd always wanted to sleep in a bunk bed.

Antony wants to ask why saying goodbye to his parents would make him cry, but Roddie carries on before he can ask. He thinks back to when he'd said goodbye to his parents; it was really just a brief hug from his mother, his father hadn't even been there. He hadn't been sad at all, and couldn't imagine being torn up about leaving his big, quiet house for the year.

"Salmonella," he corrects without thinking, then looks anxiously over at the beds. He's been sleeping on the bottom bunk, due to his fear of heights, but he remembers previous years when voicing his fear had ended disastrously.

"I'm all right either way," he says, shrugging, trying to seem casual while hoping desperately that Roddie would take the top.

Roddie scratches his head, looking over at the bed. He really, really wanted that top bunk, but it seemed mean to take the privilege away from the boy who'd been here before him, even though he was offering it freely.

"You sure?" he says, his expression a little pained, "You can have the top, seriously, you were here first."

He sits down on the bottom bunk, just to show him that he really was totally okay with taking it.

Anthony bites his lip, shaking his head vigorously and feeling his anxiety build as he realizes this situation can only end in either admitting his fear or sleeping on the top bunk, neither of which is favourable.

"N-no, I... I don't mind," he says, waving his hands in front of himself and flushing when he hears his own voice shaking. He turns away to save face, scratching the back of his neck and swallowing thickly. He berates himself internally for screwing up so close to meeting his roommate, and hopes he can still request a new roommate.

Roddie looks at him in concern and surprise, and he stands up, crossing the room to tentatively rest his hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," he says gently, feeling his face growing a little hot in sympathy at seeing someone so obviously uncomfortable, "Are you upset? It's okay, it's just...it seems like maybe you do mind. Which bunk do you want?"

Anthony swallows and makes an aborted movement with his shoulders that's not quite a shrug.

"I'm..." Anthony starts, attempting to find an excuse but sighing when he comes up with nothing but the truth, "I don't... Like heights." he admits, flushing darkly and pushing both hands into his hair, "I'd offer the bottom."

Roddie's expression softens immediately, and gives a short, surprised laugh as his expression breaks out into a smile.

"Oh, that's it?" he laughs, clapping Anthony's shoulders with both hands before releasing him, "That's cool, don't worry about it! Actually, that's cool, 'cause I wanted the top anyway, but like, everybody wants the top, so I didn't want to take it from you. But you don't want it, so it works out for both of us!"

He runs over to his suitcase and pulls out the sheets that had been neatly folded in his bag by his mother, and climbs the ladder to begin to go about stripping the white sheets that were already on the bed, fitting his own star-covered sheets onto the bed.

"So, Tony, what are you doing for the rest of the day?" he asks, stuffing his pillows into the less drab pillowcases he had brought with him.

Anthony breathes out a sigh when Roddie brushes off his concern, shocked that he didn't immediately jump on his fears and make fun of him.

"Anthony," he corrects automatically, eyeing Roddie's nonstandard sheets but having enough sense to keep his mouth shut, "Um," he starts, sitting down on the bottom bunk to pick up his book, "I was just going to read."