Chapter Text
"Nerd!" The bully yelled, pointing at Ray who was holding his violin case. "Who the fuck are you, bringing that shit to our school?"
"What, my violin? I get my lessons here; there is a music teacher, you know." Ray responded, turning to walk away. He wasn't surprised to feel a hand roughly turn him back around.
"Man, Ms. Ramsey is still here? You'd think that with the cuts to the music department, she'd have quit by now." The bully laughed, his friends joining in.
"Can you let go of my arm? I'm going to be late for practice." Ray muttered, not looking up. The bully turned to his friends, who nodded at him, turned around, and punched Ray right in the face. He fell down, and the bullies ran off laughing.
"Fucking hell." Ray mumbled, standing back up and walking to the music room. He held his head where he had been hit; he would definitely need some ice for that. As he inched closer, he heard something different. He heard music. Ray peaked inside the music room, remaining out of sight, and saw a boy with a cello.
The music he heard was sorrowful but passionate, melodic yet pained, it’s crescendos brought a glimmer of hope, while its decrescendos put him into the pits of despair. He saw his instrument shimmer in the dim light, now gliding across the strings while playing this alluring desolate tune. Ray couldn't comprehend the emotions that swirled through him while listening to this person play. He sighed a bit when the music stopped, and quickly made his way into the room.
"That was fantastic." He said quickly. The boy playing looked up in surprise before hastily packing his cello up. Well, as hastily as you can, at least. "No, don't stop playing on account of me, I'd love to hear you play some more."
"I have to go." The boy mumbled, rushing out of the room as Ms. Ramsey walked in.
"Oh my." She said, looking behind her. "Was that Ryan?"
"I'm sorry, who?" Ray asked. He didn't know anyone named Ryan.
"He just moved here from Georgia, Ryan Haywood. What was he doing here?" She asked.
"He was playing the cello." Ray answered. Ms. Ramsey raised an eyebrow.
"Wow, okay. Was his playing any good?" Ray closed his eyes, remembering the music he had just heard, feeling like it's been a thousand years since he heard it.
"It was magical."
"Good job today, Ray! You are a natural at this." Ms. Ramsey cheered. "Do you plan on playing any other instruments? Your violin skills may even surpass mine at this point, I'm not sure if I can teach you much more!" She jokes. "Maybe the viola?" Ray thought for a moment.
"I'll skip out on the viola for now, maybe cello? It's such a beautiful instrument, but then I'd have to learn bass clef."
"I am a music teacher, you know. I'd be more than happy to help you. Do you have access to a cello?"
"My birthday is in a couple of weeks, I'll ask my parents for one."
"Great idea, Ray. You are quite the prodigy; do you plan on doing anything with music after high school?" Ms. Ramsey asked, putting her instrument away, Ray mirroring her movements.
"I'd like to; I've always wanted to join a chamber music group, or maybe start my own quartet. I don't know enough musicians at the moment, though, so it's hard to make any connections." Ray responded. He packed his violin away neatly and closed the case up.
"Maybe you could start with Ryan? He came today for his orientation, but he starts class tomorrow. Maybe you could befriend him, ask him to play with you?" Ms. Ramsey suggested. Ray shrugged.
"I'll think about it."
"Well, in any case, I'll talk to my son too. He is a very talented viola player, you know."
"Why he'd waste his talent on viola will forever remain a mystery." Ray joked.
"Better not let him catch you saying that!" Ms. Ramsey laughed. "Have a nice evening, Ray. I'll see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, Ms. Ramsey." Ray said, walking out of the room. He got his phone out to call his mom, and sighed when she didn't pick up the phone. He texted his dad.
-Hey dad, try and call mom. She didn't pick up for me. Do you think you could give me a ride home, btw?
As he walked to the front of the school, he got a response.
-Don't know, can tell you in 5 min
"Great..." Ray muttered as he walked out the front doors. To his surprise, he saw Ryan standing out there, cello case in hand. Ray walked up and stood next to him. "Hey, I'm Ray." He introduced.
"... Hello. I'm Ryan." Ryan said shortly. Wasn't he just a ray of sunshine.
"You're cello playing is absolutely fantastic." Ray said awkwardly, not sure what else to say.
"Thanks."
"I play the violin, you know."
"Interesting."
"I'm beginning to think that you may not be the best at conversations."
"I'm beginning to get annoyed that some random asshole is trying to make conversation with me when no one asked them to." Ryan snapped.
"Jesus, okay, I was just trying to be friendly." Ray responded, rolling his eyes. Ryan didn't respond. Ray felt a buzz in his pocket, and pulled out his phone.
-Sorry Ray, working late tonight. Your mom isn't picking up. Get home as soon as possible to check on her
"Shit..." He mumbled. That's just what he needed; to walk through the streets of Austin with an expensive instrument. He thought of who he could call to give him a ride. He reluctantly dialed a number.
"Hey, Jack? Yeah, it's Ray........ Are you busy right now?......... Yeah, dad is working so he can't get me, and mom isn't picking up the phone........ Cool, see you in a few." Ray hung up the phone. He looked over at Ryan, who was looking down at his phone, his face getting sadder as he read.
"God damnit..." He muttered.
"Um, everything alright?"
"No one asked you."
"For fucks sake, dude. I'm trying to be friendly here."
"My aunt can't come get me, okay? I live like an hours walk from here, and I have this gigantic cello." He hissed, and he started to walk away.
"Wait, Ryan," Ray said, grabbing Ryan's wrist, "where do you live?"
"On Boulder road, near the Walmart." Ryan said reluctantly.
"You're shitting me, you're the new people that moved in next door?"
"That's quite the coincidence."
"Just wait here with me, asshole. I've got a ride coming and I understand the worry of having an expensive instrument and having to walk home with it."
Ryan didn't say anything, but he sat his case down and decided to wait. It was a few minutes before anyone spoke up again.
"I don't think I like you very much." Ryan mused.
"The feeling is pretty mutual, dick." Ray retorted. He sent a silent 'thank you Jesus' when Jack pulled up.
"Jack, I've never been happier to see you." Ray said, tossing his things in the trunk. "This is Ryan. He's my new neighbor and needs a ride home."
"That's okay, hop on in. I don't bite, I promise." Jack laughed. As they drove off, Ray noticed the surprised looks Ryan was giving Jack.
"What, you've never met a girl named Jack?" Ray spat. If this asshole ends up being transphobic, he swears to God....
"Sorry, I don't mean to stare, I just didn't want to ask and seem insensitive." Ryan said quietly. Jack laughed.
"No worries, dude. Born and raised Jack, just ended up being a girl, not a boy. I like the name Jack though, and names aren't inherently gendered; society just puts them into gendered categories. So you get me, the beautiful trans girl who is called Jack."
"Do you go to Fairpoint?" Ryan asked. Jack nodded.
"I'm a senior this year. Do you start tomorrow? What grade are you in?"
"I do, and I'm a sophomore."
"Looks like you're still the youngest, Ray." Jack laughed. The rest of the ride was filled with a slightly awkward silence.
"Thanks for the ride, Jack." Ray said as he got his things. Ryan quickly thanked him and went home.
"Anytime, my friend. Make sure you give that Ryan kid my number; the free rides stand with him too." Jack winked and drove off. Ray waved at the car before walking inside his quiet house.
"Mom? You okay?" Ray called out cautiously. He heard a bang from the kitchen, and went to see what happened. Inside, be found his mother on the floor, surrounded by pots and pans. Her wheelchair was across the room.
"Ray, thank god. I've been stuck here for an hour, and I landed on my arm funny and now I can't really move it." Rays mom said, tears in her eyes. "I just wanted to make you dinner tonight, like I used to."
"You know you don't have to do things like that, mom. I know it's hard for you since the accident. Now come on, let's get you in your chair and have a look at that arm, alright?" Ray said gently. He picked up his mom and placed her in her chair.
"Thank you so much Ray, I don't know what I'd do without you." She held onto his hand. "Do you think that you could play me a song tonight? I'd love to hear something."
"Let's get this arm checked out, then I'd be happy to play for you, mom."
"Good morning, class. Today I'd like to welcome our new student, Mr. James Ryan Haywood."
"I go by Ryan." He said shortly.
"Alright, Ryan, why don't you take a seat next to Ray back there? He's the one-"
"We've met." Ryan muttered, taking his time walking to his new seat. The teacher, Mr. Heyman blinked and continued on with his lesson.
"We're on page 400, third paragraph." Ray whispered. Ryan muttered a thanks and got his book out.
"Okay, who wants to read first?" Mr. Heyman asked. No one responded. "Well, don't all volunteer at once." Again, no response. He sighed. "Just read amongst yourselves for the next 10 minutes, and we'll have a class discussion afterward."
"So, Ryan," Ray started, "why do you act like you have a stick up your ass?"
"I don't like it here." Ryan responded simply.
"Maybe you'd like it more if you weren't such a dick."
"Maybe."
"Well, it's obvious that you don't like me, or anyone it seems, but you need someone to help you out here. I guess I'm stuck with that job."
"Lucky me."
"You really are a dick, you know that? Just, an absolute asshole. Maybe there is a friend in there, somewhere. You'd love Michael."
"I assume you'll be introducing us later."
"You're sitting with us at lunch, so your assumption would be correct."
Ryan didn't respond anymore, and Ray left it alone. He wondered just what the hell was up with this guy? He genuinely seemed like an asshole. Then again, he also acted as if he cared, like with Jack. Ray began to wonder; was there really a good friend in this kid? He wasn't completely sure, but Ray knew one thing; he was going to befriend this Ryan kid no matter how long it takes.
"Alright, class, since I've been kind enough to let you all socialize all class, here is tonight's homework assignment: you are to write a short story from the point of view of an object. It can be a cell phone, a football, anything you want. My only stipulation is that it has to be inanimate, alright? This assignment is due Friday, so use today and tomorrow wisely " Mr. Heyman received a chorus of mumbled 'yes sir's as the bell rang.
"Hey, wait up, what's your next class?" Ray asked Ryan. He looked at his schedule.
"Calculus with Mr. Burns." He responded.
"Really? Aren't you a sophomore? That's a junior/senior class."
"I'm pretty smart. You don't have any room to talk; they told me that creative writing is a sophomore and up class." Ryan muttered. "I hate to ask, because I don't like you, but could you show me where his room is?"
"It's next to my next class, asshat. You can walk with me." Ray said back to him. Did he really have to point out that he didn't like Ray at every opportunity?
Ray tried to make idle small talk as they walked, to no avail. This Ryan kid sure was quiet; Ray made a secondary goal to change that.
"Here we are, Calc with Mr. Burns. Good luck, dude. Jack has been complaining about derivatives and something called 'chain rule' for a few days now."
"Jack's in this class?" Ryan questioned. Ray nodded.
"Yep. Look at that, you've had a friend your first two classes. I'd say that's a solid streak you've got going for you."
"...Thanks." Ryan said curtly before walking into class. Wow, a genuine compliment; Ray should feel special. He doesn't, but he should. He shook his head and walked into his own class.
"Ray, we saved your seat!" Gavin said happily.
"You're usually here so early, what happened today?" Michael asked.
"Was showing the new kid his class, he's going to sit with us at lunch too." Ray explained.
"Is this the asshole you told me about yesterday?" Michael asked him. Ray nodded.
"The one and only. I don't know, I just feel like he's being a dick because this is new to him. I'm sure he'll open up eventually."
"But if he doesn't, there'll be another arsehole in the group." Gavin grumbled.
"To be fair, we're all assholes, Gavin." Michael snickered. Ray rolled his eyes and got his notes out.
"I've never hated anything more than the unit circle." He groaned. Gavin and Michael agreed as the teacher walked in.
"I hope you all studied up the unit circle, because it's time for a pop quiz." She was met with groans.
"Thank god it's pasta day; I would have died if I had to eat another sub." Gavin groaned, getting his lunch.
"Just start packing, idiot. You wouldn't have to deal with it then." Michael responded, rolling his eyes.
"He'd probably bring fish and chips every day." Ray said, him and Michael laughing as Gavin pouted.
"That's racist!" He yelped.
"It seemed sexist to me." Michael said.
"No, it was ageist, definitely." Ray responded, laughing as they sat down.
Ray looked at everyone at the lunch table. Mica and Jeremy were inseparable as always, grossly exhibiting large amounts of PDA. Jeremy noticed Ray's look, and they started to blush. Mica, however, just smirked and gave Jeremy a peck on the cheek, causing them to blush harder. Lindsay was waiting for Michael and Gavin, handing them some of the cupcakes she had brought to school and laughing as Jack basically drooled as she walked up. Ray noticed one specific person missing from the table, however...
"Yo Jack, have you seen Ryan?" Ray asked.
"Not since Calc, no. That kid is fucking smart though, he taught me how to do derivatives and chain rule in 20 minutes." Jack responded.
"I try my best." A voice said from behind Ray. He turned around in surprise, and smiled when he saw Ryan.
"Ryan! Glad you made your way to The Queerest Table in the World™." Ray stated. Ryan raised an eyebrow.
"The queerest table in the world?" He questioned as he sat down.
"TM. That's important." Gavin told him, his mouth full of cupcake.
"...Okay. Why is this the queerest table in the world, then?" Ryan asked. "TM." Gavin nodded approvingly.
"Well, my friend," Ray started, "there's Jack, who you know is trans. She's also bi. There's Mica, who's also bi, and Jeremy, who is agender and pan. There's Michael, who is pan, Lindsay who is grayromantic bi, and Gavin who is pan. Then you have me, the flaming homosexual himself."
"So do queer people always flock together like this?" Ryan asked.
"When you're at a school with a bunch of asshole bullies, you do." Mica said.
"So, what brand of queer are you?" Gavin asked. Lindsay smacked his arm.
"You can't just ask someone's sexuality when you just met them, asshole." She passed a cupcake to Ryan. "Here, ignore Gavin. He's an idiot sometimes. I love to bake, so you better get used to baked goods every other day."
"Thanks." Ryan said shortly, not even attempting to eat his treat.
"You okay, dude? First day been rough?" Ray asked. Ryan ignored him. "Can you not be a dick for once in your life, please?"
"Why are you trying so hard? You just met me yesterday, what do you get out of befriending me?" Ryan snapped at him. Ray blinked, not expecting the sudden outburst.
"I get a new friend. An absolute asshole, but a new friend nonetheless. You can push me away all you want, but I'm not going anywhere." Ray said in all seriousness. Ryan didn't know how to respond to that, so he just sat in silence.
Jack noticed the quiet boy, so she began to make conversation. "So, what's the rest of your schedule like, Ryan?"
Ryan pulled it out, looking it over. "I have physics with Mr. Bragg, but only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, ceramics with Ms. Ramsey, and English with Mr. Burton."
"Nice, my dad is the coolest English teacher in the school. You lucked out." Mica pointed out.
"You also share a schedule with me!" Lindsay said excitedly.
"Lucky me." Ryan muttered. He instantly regretted his tone when he saw the look on Lindsay's face. He sighed. "I'm glad I'll know at least one person. Now I won't even have to walk alone." He said, trying to help her feel better. He felt relief when she gave him a smile.
"Sounds great! Now, are you going to eat that, or am I going to have to force it down your throat?"
"She's very serious about her sweets." Jeremy laughed.
"It'll be easier if you just take a bite and tell her what you think." Ray whispered to him.
"Sorry, I'm not much of a cupcake person." He muttered, handing it back to Lindsay. "Thank you, though. They look really pretty."
"I'll make some cookies next time, I won't be able to live with myself if I let a friend go without trying my super amazing baked goods." She winked, and Ryan surprised Ray by smiling, just a little bit. He'd be lying if he said that it wasn't just a little bit cute.
"Oh, Ryan, do you know what you're going to write about for creative writing?" Ray asked. Ryan was quiet a moment, rubbing his wrist absentmindedly.
"I'm not too sure yet. Do you?" He asked back, pulling his sleeve down.
"I don't know, either. It has to be something good though; this assignment is notorious in this class. Mr. Heyman picks the best two and has them share to the class, and they get out of the next big writing assignment, if the rumors are to be believed."
"That would be cool. Imagine if the both of us got it." Ryan pondered. What the hell did that mean? Ray thought about it for the rest of lunch, and went on with his day.
A broken bottle, a clenched fist, and a crying child sitting in a corner.
"You want more, you bitch? Or are you ready to make my dinner, like a good little housewife?" The husband slurred, pressing the broken bottle into the neck of the wife while holding her by her hair. She nodded her head as she cried, and he let go. "There's a good little girl, doing what she's told. Everyone needs a little tough love." He turned his attention to the crying child.
"What are you crying for, hm? Are you upset that I hurt your mommy?" The father asked. The child continued crying. "Answer me when I'm talking to you." The father said in a dangerous, low growl. The child simply nodded. The father grabbed his arm and yanked him up.
"You that upset over your mommy? Why don't you take her place then?" He laughed, dropping the broken bottle and slamming the child against the wall. The child fell, landing on the bottle. The child cried more.
"Look at that, you've got a little booboo! Go have your mother look at it and patch you up. This'll be a good lesson; it'll toughen you up." The father said. He made his way to the couch as the child went into the kitchen. The child only cried as the mother pulled the glass out and cleaned the blood.
"Did you talk to Ryan about forming a chamber group?" Ms. Ramsey asked Ray before their rehearsal the next day. Ray chuckled.
"I haven't exactly gotten around to asking. That kid is really hard to befriend. I think I'm breaking him though."
"Is that what you call making friends? Sometimes I worry for today's youth." She laughed. As Ray finished unpacking his instrument, the door to the room opened. Ryan walked in, cello in hand.
"Ryan, hello!" Ms. Ramsey said, delighted. "Oh, I see you have your cello! Would you like to sit in on this lesson?" She asked, but he was already backing out of the room.
"Sorry, I don't want to interrupt. I'll see you later, Ray." He said quickly, basically running away from the room. Ray sighed.
"See what I mean? He's so hard to read, and I have no idea what he's thinking." Ray shook his head.
"Well, I believe you'll figure things out. You're a smart boy, and I know you'll be able to connect with him." Ms. Ramsey smiles, and she started the lesson.
Ryan sat outside of the door, listening to them. He heard Ray playing the violin, and was shocked at how good he was. After about 30 minutes, they took a break. Ryan really should feel bad for eavesdropping. He doesn't, but he should.
"So, Ray, how's your mother doing?" Ms. Ramsey asked. It was silent for a moment.
"She's doing well. She fell out of her chair yesterday, so I had to take care of her."
"Oh no! Please let her know that she's in my thoughts." She responded. Ryan pondered that a moment. Ray took care of his mom? Ryan remembered his middle school years, and he can't help but feel empathy. It's hard, being a teenager responsable for a parent.
"How are you doing, Ray? It's been 3 years since her accident, and I know you have taken up the responsibility since your father works so much." Ms. Ramsey said.
"It's been tough. Mom try's her hardest to pretend like everything is okay, while Dad try's his hardest to make sure he's around as little as possible. Sometimes I just want a break, you know? I probably sound really selfish for saying that..." He trailed off.
You aren't selfish, you idiot. Ryan thought. Does he really believe he's selfish for wanting a break?
"You aren't selfish for wanting the normal life of a teenager, Ray. Don't even worry about that. Now, what to you want to work on?"
"The variations on Tchaikovsky would be fun right now."
"Oh? You haven't even formed a chamber group and yet you chose a chamber piece?"
"I like to think ahead." Ray laughed. Ryan blinked. Ray was forming a chamber music group?
"In any case, Geoff said that he would love to join your group. He gets extra credit for it, and you know how college can be." Ms. Ramsey laughed, and they began playing. Ryan was honestly dumbstruck at how wonderful Ray was at the violin. He could really start a career.
Ryan's trance was broken when his phone buzzed. He read the message, and cursed. He grabbed his case, racing hurriedly outside. He reluctantly texted Jack, asking for a ride home. He needed to hurry.
"So this writing assignment, are you going to write about your violin?" Rays dad asked at dinner.
"I don't know. That would be the easiest, I guess, but also super predictable." Ray responded.
"I think it would be sweet, Ray. You do have such a gift." Rays mom smiled at him, and he smiled back.
"Thanks, mom. I'll write it after dinner."
"So, any ideas on what you want for your birthday? It is a few weeks away, and I want to get you something great. 15 is so special after all, you be able to get your temps soon!" Rays dad said.
"I don't think I'll be driving, dad." He said quietly. "Anyway, I was actually hoping I could get a cello? Ms. Ramsey thinks that I'm ready for a new instrument to learn."
"I'll see what I can do, son. Sorry to leave you both so soon, but I'm very tired from all the hours I've been picking up. I'm going to go to bed early tonight." Rays dad said, leaving the table.
"Ray, do you think you can play for me again? I'd love to hear that 4 lewd piece you played."
"You mean 4 Preludes?" Ray laughed, and his mom smiled and nodded. "I'd love to play for you, mom. Let me get the table and dishes done, and I'll play a few pieces tonight."
"Thank you so much, Ray. I love you."
"I love you too, Mom."
After he did the dishes and played for his mother, Ray finally went up to his room and sat at his desk. He had a basic idea of what he would write, but still, he shouldn't have waited until the last second to start this assignment. Even so, he spent the next three hours writing.
As he started the last paragraph, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He was surprised to see that it was Ryan.
-look out of your window
Ray looked up confused, and he saw Ryan waving to him from his house. So their rooms were at the same level, and had a window facing each other. Their situation was beginning to sound more and more like a bad romance film. Ray texted him back.
-that's crazy, I can't believe our rooms are aligning like this
-another coincidence, it would appear. Are you working on your paper?
-yeah. I'm writing mine from the point of view of a violin. I'm so original
-you always did strike me as the type of person to take the path of least resistance
-that's only if I don't care about what I'm doing. When I care, I go all in
-is that why you're trying so hard with me?
That message took Ray by surprise. What the hell did that mean? He responded, blushing a little bit.
-it is indeed, my friend. Now, I gotta finish my paper, then I'm out for the night. See you tomorrow, dude
-I'll see you, tomorrow, Ray. Maybe we could both catch a ride together in the morning?
-of course, dude. I'm glad you're finally accepting my kindness
There were no further text messages, and Ray watched Ryan's light shut off. Finally, the kid is opening up to him. That was quicker than he expected.
Ray finished writing his paper, admiring the work that he did. He organized his desk, put his paper in his bag, and jumped into bed. For some reason, he dreamed of Ryan that night. For some other reason, Ray was completely fine with that.
"Alright, class, I hope you all took this assignment seriously. This is the rumored assignment that I know you've all heard about, and the two best papers get out of the midterm this year." The class seemed to immediately start giving their full attention. "Why does bribery work best with you kids. I'll never understand it." Mr. Heyman shook his head as he started to collect the papers.
"So what did you end up writing about?" Ray asked Ryan.
"I wrote a bunch, but I ultimately choose the one from the point of view of a beer bottle." Ryan mumbled, looking away.
"That's pretty cool. My dad used to drink a lot of beer. He stopped a few years ago, though."
"Same with my dad."
"Look at that, we're bonding over alcoholic fathers."
"At least yours choose to stop." Ryan had a profound gift to surprise Ray with his words. Ray can't think of a response to that, so he just shuts up and listens to the lecture.
"Okay, class, I'm proud that so many of you did the assignment, and actually payed attention today, so I'll make this weekends homework easy. I want you to meet up with someone in this class, and write about them. I recommend you not be rude in your writing, for you will lose points if you go to far. You may partner up yourselves. Have a good weekend."
"So, you wanna be partners?" Ray asked Ryan as they walked together.
"Yeah, we can just stare at each other through our windows." Ryan gave a small chuckle. Ray pushed away the thought of how cute his laugh was.
"Yeah, that's pretty funny that our rooms are aligned like they are. Maybe we should build a little bridge on the tree so we can sneak out to chill."
"I could arrange that, if you're serious." Ryan commented. Jesus Christ, this dude gave him so many mixed signals.
"We'll talk about it more at lunch. Have fun in calc, dude."
"Thanks. You have fun in geometry. If you ever need help with anything, let me know." Ryan said, and he walked into class.
"Ray, you look so shook right now." Michael said, laughing.
"Yeah, what happened?" Gavin asked.
"I think Ryan is opening up?" Ray responded.
"Look at Ray, the miracle worker! Is he a total asshole, even now?" Michael asked.
"No, he's really cool, actually." He was more than that, Ray just didn't know how to describe it.
"That's good, at least. Maybe he'll be cool in lunch today." Gavin responded. Ray just nodded, groaning as the teacher handed back the quizzes.
At lunch, Ray was actually excited for Ryan to come. Talking to him was a lot of fun, surprisingly. He isn't sure what changed in the last two days, but he's glad Ryan is talking to him now.
"Jeremy, you and Mica really gotta chill with the PDA." Michael laughed, purposefully causing them to blush.
"You leave my boo alone, Michael. Stop acting like you, Gav, and Lindsay aren't just as lovey dovey." Mica responded.
"Y-yeah! What she said!" Jeremy squeaked.
"Stop harassing them, assholes. Let them be in love." Lindsay said, walking up and kissing Michael and Gavin. "If you don't stop teasing Jeremy, maybe I just won't kiss you anymore."
"Sorry lil J." Both Gavin and Michael muttered. Lindsay smiled, satisfied as she sat down.
"Are those doughnuts?" Ryan asked, sitting down next to Ray.
"Yep! I made them this morning, they're super fresh! Want to try one!" Lindsay asked.
"I'd love to try one. Doughnuts are my favorite." Ryan said, almost eager. Ryan's whole demeanor was so different from the previous days. He actually seemed to be enjoying himself. He grabbed the chocolate glazed doughnut and took a huge bite. His eyes closed in delight.
"Holy shit, these are really good." Ryan said through a full mouth. Everyone laughed.
"I knew you'd like my baking; everyone does." Lindsay winked. "Have as many as you like, my friend."
"So, how are your classes? How's the first week of school here?" Jack asked, gabbing herself a doughnut.
"It's been an adjustment. My old school had a lot of... problems with it, and I wasn't sure if this school would be any better. It's not, really. The only difference is that I have some friends here."
"We're your friends! You said it!" Gavin said happily.
"Glad we could be the ones to help you out here, Ryan. You're pretty cool yourself." Michael said smoothly. Mica and Jeremy agreed.
"Hey, the Great Fall Sleepover is next weekend, right? Why don't we invite Ryan?" Jack suggested.
"Yeah, of course! All our friends have to come." Ray agreed.
"I'm afraid to ask, but what is the Great Fall Sleepover?" Ryan asked.
"I'm glad you asked my friend. Y'see, We've all been friends with each other for maybe 4 years now. Imagine, little 5th grade me hanging out with 9th grader Jack and 10th grader Geoff. Geoff's family is basically rich; they live in the huge house behind the college. They have everything there, and Geoff always had us come over for a sleepover in the Fall.
"It's so much fun, he's got a whole arcade, a movie room, a video game room, and even a music room!" Ray ended excitedly.
"You always get so excited about the music room." Mica laughed.
"He's got electric instruments! That's so cool! Have you ever even seen an electric cello? It's so cool!"
"He has an electric cello?" Ryan asked, his eyes brightening.
"He sure does. It's black and white, and absolutely beautiful. Once he hears that you play the cello, he'll probably force you to try it out." Ray laughed. He loved seeing Ryan so passionate about something. It was amazing.
They all groaned as the bell rang, indicating the end of lunch. Ray said bye to Ryan and Lindsay, who walked away together. He saw Lindsay offering Ryan another doughnut, and Ryan eagerly accepting it. Ray smiled to himself; Ryan was starting to feel at home.
After school that day, Ray ran into Ryan on his way out. For once, Ryan didn't have his cello, just like Ray didn't have his violin.
"No lessons today?" Ryan asked as they walked together.
"Nope, I get every other Friday off. No cello today?"
"Nah, today's my off day. Sometimes I just need a break."
"I feel that, my friend. I feel that." Ray said, pulling out his phone and preparing to ask his dad or Jack for a ride. Before he could dial a number, Ryan put his hand on Rays. Ray felt his cheeks get warm.
"Let's walk today. Neither of us have a super expensive instrument, and I want to see the sights." Ryan said. Ray nodded dumbly, and they stood their for a moment, unmoving.
"Um, your hand..." Ray squeaked. Ryan immediately jerked away, rubbing the back of his neck. They began walking.
"I'm… sorry about the way I treated you the first day we met, and going into the next. That was really shitty of me." Ryan mumbled. Ray was taken aback; he wasn't expecting an apology.
"It's alright, dude. It must've been hard, making the adjustment."
"Even so, I shouldn't have treated you like I did. I'm really sorry."
"All is forgiven, but you have to come over sometime to play video games. Then I'll say we're even."
"Sounds like a plan."
The next week seemed to fly by, Ray and his group excited for the fall sleepover. Ryan had been opening up more and more, letting his true personality shine through. Ray really liked Ryan, he was super smart, super funny, and almost as good at video games as he was. Almost.
"Dude, I'm so excited! I got Mario party for us to play, as well as Mario Kart." Mica said happily.
"Once we're done with those kid games, I brought Mortal Kombat." Ray laughed.
"I have all three Jackbox Party Packs, that would be fun too." Ryan added in.
"Ryan, with the assist! This weekend is going to be so much fun!" Michael yelped out. "When's Jack going to be here, anyway?"
"She said she'd be about another 5 minutes. She's helping Geoff set up this year. I can't wait to see him, Geoff's been in college for three months now. You think he's changed?" Ray asked. Gavin shook his head.
"No way he's changed, he's too stubborn for that." Everyone nodded in agreement.
Everyone kept on with idle conversation, but Ray noticed that Ryan was unusually quiet.
"Hey, you okay?" He asked him quietly. Ryan nodded.
"Yeah, just not used to spending so much time away from home." He muttered. Ray placed a hand on Ryan's shoulder.
"Hey, don't worry. If anything happens, we can have Jack or Ms. Ramsey take you home, alright?" Ray said. Ryan nodded and Ray smiled at him. "You'll have a lot of fun, I promise."
"Hey, dickweeds! Come on so we can hurry back to my place!" They all heard a voice yell from outside. Sure enough, Geoff and Jack were outside sitting in a limo of all things. Definitely not what Ryan was expecting, judging by the look on his face.
"Hey, Geoff! It's good to see you, buddy!" Jeremy said as they all piled into the limo.
"Good to see all you guys too. Now, who's the newbie?" Geoff asked, gesturing to Ryan.
"Geoff, I'd like you to meet Ryan Haywood. Ryan, this is Geoff. He's an asshole." Ray introduced.
"Hey!"
"It's nice to meet you, Geoff. Thanks for letting me tag along." Ryan said quietly.
"It's no problem, dude. Any friend of these assholes is a friend of mine. You'll love it at my house, Ryan. It's going to blow your mind." Geoff said, smiling
He was right; as they arrived at Geoff's house, Ryan looked ahead in awe.
"It's so big!" He exclaimed. "Who needs a house this big?"
"My dad basically owns all of this town. It has its perks." Geoff laughed at Ryan's awe. "Let's get inside; it gets even better."
After a few hours of video games and Ryan being in absolute awe of the house, Geoff took him and Ray to the music room.
"I can't believe you play the cello, Ryan." Geoff said, nodding approvingly. "I want to see what you've got."
"Oh, I'm not that good..." Ryan mumbled, rubbing his arm.
"Nonsense; I've heard him play before. His playing is absolutely wonderful." Ray said. Ryan gave him a dirty glare as he walked to the cello. It wasn't the electric one, but Jesus Christ it was a good cello. It felt natural in his hands, and with ease, he began to play.
He wasn't too sure what his hands decided to play, as he was too enveloped in the music, but he believes it was an Arensky piece. In any case, he let his hands do everything for him, letting himself dissolve into the music.
When he finished, he looked up to see Ray and Geoff seemingly in a trance. Ray had a faint smile on his face. It was Geoff who snapped out of it first.
"Dude, holy shit. You have to be the best cellist I've ever heard, and I'm a Performance major." Geoff said in awe. "You have such a talent for this. How long have you been playing?"
"About 9 years." Ryan answered, blushing furiously. He wasn't used to compliments, especially not compliments on his music.
"You've been playing since the first grade? Shit!" Ray exclaimed. Ryan blushed even more.
"Dude, you have to join our chamber group." Geoff said.
"Geoff, come on." Ray groaned. He didn't want to bring it up so soon.
"Why not? We need a cellist, and obviously Ryan has the talent for it! He's perfect for the job!"
"Don't feel pressured by Geoff; if you don't want to join up, you don't have to." Ray told Ryan. Ryan was silent for a moment, deep in thought.
"I'll have to think about it. I'm not sure if my schedule will allow me to join a music group right now." Ryan answered. Geoff was about to protest, but Ray hit him.
"No worries, dude. Take all the time you need." He smiled, and Ryan gave a small smile back.
A few more hours passed, and everyone was almost ready for 'bed' (bed meaning continuing to play video games, but in their pajamas). Ryan made his way to the bathroom, ready to change, and opened the door.
Inside, he saw Michael. His shirt was off, revealing the binder he wore. Michael yelped out in surprise.
"Sorry." Ryan said hurriedly as he tried to close the door, but he instead found himself being pulled inside of the bathroom.
"Fucking hell, this is just fucking great." Michael muttered, pacing around the large bathroom as Ryan sat on the floor. "You cant fucking tell anyone this!"
"Why would I tell anyone? This isn't something that is my place to tell." Ryan said sincerely. Even so, Michael remained skeptical.
"I had to move here because a 'friend' at my last school fucking told everyone that I was actually a girl. Someone I knew for years spread around that I was a girl basically the moment I told her. Sorry if I'm a little fucking skeptical of someone who I met last week."
"You don't have to worry about me outing you, Michael. I would never do that." Ryan assured. "I understand; I know how shitty it is, having to hide a part of who you are in order to stay safe."
"How could you possibly understand?" Michael asked, sounding close to tears.
"I'm trans, too." Ryan admitted. Michael's head jerked to his direction. "After my mom left my dad, she was able to let me start transitioning. I was lucky enough to start before puberty." Ryan explained. "I've avoided many relationships because I'm trans. One of my old boyfriends ended up being a huge transphobe and broke up with me the day I told him. Many of my old friends made fun of me when I told them.
"I decided that I wouldn't tell anyone, just so I could maybe get some real friends. I didn't exactly want to tell anyone here, but I feel like this situation called for it."
"You... you're..." Michael stuttered.
"It's okay, Michael. Your secret is safe with me, and I trust my secret is safe with you. I do have a question, though. Does anyone in the group know?" Ryan asked. Michael was silent for a moment.
"Both Lindsay and Gavin know, and now you. But that's it. I don't want anyone else knowing. I know that everyone would be very supportive, but..." Michael trailed off.
"I understand, Michael. You don't have to explain yourself. But, make sure you don't sleep in that. It's very dangerous."
"This isn't my first sleepover, asshole. I always take it off after everyone goes to sleep and I wake up early to put it back on again." Michael rolled his eyes as Ryan got up to leave. "Hey Ryan?" Ryan turned and looked at him. "Thank you."
"No problem, dude. After all, what are friends for?"
"I will not fucking have this! My daughter is just that; my daughter!" The father screamed, beer bottle in hand.
"Stop screaming, you're scaring him." The mother said in defiance. She isn't sure where this newfound strength and courage came from, but she's thankful she has it. Her son needs her protection right now.
"I'm scaring her, huh? Well, she should be scared! Walking around, acting like she's a boy. And you! You're just letting her do this!" The father roared.
"If you won't accept your son, then maybe we should just leave. We have put up with your abuse for 9 years, it's time we got away."
"You will take my daughter nowhere!" The father screamed, taking his bottle and throwing it at the sons head. It hit with a sickening crack, and the son collapsed onto the ground. The mother immediately picked the son up and ran out of the front door, turning her head to scream.
"You miserable man, I hope you choke on the beer you drink!"
After the mother and son are away, the mother takes the son to the hospital. It took the son 2 days to wake up.
"Good morning, son." The mother said, smiling. The son asked what happened. "You and I left your father, and now we are going far away from here. We are going to go somewhere where you can get what you need as a boy, alright? Before all of that, you need a new name. Did you have one in mind?" The mother asked. The son thought a moment before speaking.
"Stuck between James and Ryan, huh? Well, why not both? James Ryan Haywood. That way, you can choose which name you use!" The child smiled and laughed with excitement. "Now rest, son. We have a long trip ahead of us."
The next morning, Ray woke up unusually early. They had stayed up really late playing games, and just the thought made Ray smile. He has watched Ryan intently when they all played, loving how much fun he was having.
Ray got up, noticing that both Geoff and Michael were awake and out of the room. When he went to the kitchen, he found them there drinking coffee.
"Holy shit, Ray's awake before noon! It's a Christmas miracle!" Geoff feigned shock. Michael laughed.
"Shut up, asshole. You have any tea?" Ray asked, stirring down at the table.
"Always keep a box of tea for you, dude. Here ya go." Geoff responded, handing Ray a tea bag, the hot kettle, and a mug.
"That Ryan kid sure is something else." Geoff said absentmindedly.
"Yeah, but he's really cool. I'm glad we're friends with him." Michael said in response.
"Really? I've never heard you say that about anyone." Ray laughed, and Michael blushed.
"I just had a conversation with him last night, and we bonded. He's a good kid."
"I try my best." They heard from behind them. They all turned their heads to see Ryan walking in.
"You've gotta stop doing that." Ray laughed.
"Good morning, Mr. Haywood. Coffee or tea?" Geoff asked.
"Tea, please." Ryan answered, sitting down next to Ray.
"Another one who drinks tea? Where do you find these kids, Ray?" Geoff asked.
"In the music room, It would seem." Ray laughed in response. Ryan chuckled along with him.
"Those who are musically inclined do tend to have a sense of hipsterness, in some way. Like Geoff and his moustache." Ryan said.
"Hey, my moustache is a work of art." Geoff grumbled.
"Amazing how a freshman in college could pull off such a hipster looking moustache."
"I don't think I like you anymore."
"Aw, don't be like that, Geoff. It just reenforces that you're a hipster."
"Ray, you sure do know how to pick your friends." Geoff mumbled, drinking his coffee.
"I try my best." Ray responded with a smile.
"Oh, hey, I have a surprise for the both of you." Geoff started. "I talked to my mom, and she agrees with me that the electric violin and electric cello would be put to much better use if the both of you were to take them." Ray choked on his tea a little bit.
"Are you serious?" He asked.
"100%. I'm perfectly content with my viola, and those instruments are just collecting dust. My mom and I both agreed that it would be better if they had someone to play them."
"I... I can't accept this, Geoff. Thank you so much, but I can't just take an electric cello for free." Ryan said quietly, looking down.
"You think it's for free? No, you misunderstand. You'll be given the instruments, but in order to keep them, you have to preform a concert."
"A concert?" Ray questioned.
"Yep. UT is hosting its annual music fest, and they always have young instrumentalists come in and play. If you want these instruments, you'll be entered into the contest they have for string players."
"We'll be against each other?" Ryan asked.
"If you want. You also could perform a duet. They've never had a duet both have electric instruments before, so that would be cool." Geoff said. Ray looked at Ryan for a moment before speaking.
"I'm down if you are." He said.
"I've never been able to preform in front of an audience. I think it'll be a good experience." Ryan said. Geoff cheered.
"Nice! I'll call my mom to let her know; she can help you two prepare!" He said, walking out of the kitchen.
"You two and your music." Michael chuckled, shaking his head. "So passionate about a hunk of wood."
"You don't play an instrument, so you wouldn't understand. Music evokes a different kind of passion." Ryan responded. He turned his attention to Ray. "Of all the people I could have met first and befriended, I'm glad it was you."
That certainly caught Ray off guard. "I'm glad I was able to help get you out of your shell."
"No, I mean it, Ray. I'm not used to having people try so hard for me; thank you so much."
"Anytime, Ryan, anytime." Ray said, and he meant it, 110%.