"Here’s your class list, now if you follow me I’ll show you around,” said the office worker of the school with a smile. Cameron nodded and followed her out. “Ms. Shay!” The office lady looked at one of the on duty school security officers who was supervising the second lunch. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about the behavior of some of the…” Cameron tuned her out and looked at all the tables. The one they were closest to was the no-peanuts table, but seemed to have mostly dark dressed kids there. A boy walked over and sat down, only to get yelled at. “Fuuck off! We don’t want you here.” Said one of the guys, who might’ve actually been a girl. “You’re a pain in the ass.” Said another one, and another agreed. The boy mumbled something back that Cameron couldn’t hear. “It doesn’t matter! We don’t want you here. All you do is complain.” Said one of the girls with a spiked collar. The boy took a book from his bag and started reading. She took it from his hands and said, “I don’t care if I’m a pain in the bottom too. All you do is complain.” Some of the nearby tables had stopped talking and were watching. He whispered something again. “Even if I complain, it’s no where near as annoying as you. Now get lost, or book goes in the can.” She held the book over a gray trash can with a black bag next to her. He hesitated, took the book and left the table. He walked past Cameron, who followed him with his eyes. He went into a bathroom near the gym. He turned back to Ms. Schnay. “Can I go to the bathroom?” He interrupted. She nodded, “Yeah sure.” And continued talking to the security officer, only a more casual conversation. He went into the bathroom he’d seen him go in to. He felt bad for him; everyone at the table had ganged up on him. They had given him crap for what he did, even if they did it too. No one had stood up for him. “Hello?” He heard a stall door close and lock. He walked over to it and stood in front of it. “You okay?” He paused. “I saw and heard it all.” He heard a muffled sob, but got no response. “Do you need me to get a teacher? Office worker? Someone?”

“No.” He said weakly. “I’m fine.” Cameron put his hand on the stall door. “You don’t sound fine.” He didn’t say anything for a second. “Just go away.” He finally said. Cameron dropped his bag and locked the door of the bathroom. “Listen, I haven’t got long before the office lady comes to see what’s taking so long.” He walked back over to the stall. “Coming under.” He said as he got on his hands and knees, then sunk lower to the floor, crawling under the door. “Idiot.” He wiped his eyes. “That’s a bathroom floor. It’s disgusting.” Cameron shrugged. “You don’t seem to care you’re sitting on a toilet, so we’re even.” He shifted. “There’s a toilet seat. I’m not over the water.” He kept his hands; which he had his hoody sleeves pulled over so that Cameron could only see the tips of his fingers, over his face; only showing his eyes. “I’m Cameron.” He said, leaning on the door. He wiped his eyes again, and sniffled. “Harper.” He said, looking at his book on the floor next to him. Cameron picked it up. “Wicked Lovely.” Cameron read as Harper took it forcefully from his hands. “Fairies.” He said and tucked it under his hoody. Cameron looked at the walls, which had writing in pen, pencil, and sharpie all over them. “Very decorative.” Harper looked to his feet this time. “Why do you even try and sit with them?” Cameron asked; Harper shrugged. “Usual they’re nicer.” Cameron bent down and looked at him. “And how much nicer is ‘nicer’?” Harper started to chew on one of his nails. “They just ignore me.” Cameron frowned. “That doesn’t seem much nicer.” Harper looked up at him. “It’s nicer than the other tables are.” Both Cameron and Harper jumped as someone pounded on the door. “Cameron? What’s taking so long?” Came Ms. Schnay. “Out in a sec!” he yelled back and unlocked the stall door. He stopped and turned around. “If you need to talk, I’ll listen.” He offered, but Harper didn’t say anything back. “Bye.” He said and pulled out his ipod from his pocket, unwrapping the headphones. Cameron hesitated, then walked out. “Sorry. No soap. Had to try a few.” He lied as he came out, remembering the multiple soap dispensers. “Oh, really? I’ll have to tell the custodian’s later.” She said as she started to walk down the hall, he followed. Harper. I wonder if everyone is like that to him… Maybe we’ll have some classes together. He seemed my age.