Chapter 10.
Kim blinked his sore eyes and stared at a sliver of light peaking through the curtains. He'd been too nervous to sleep. Today would be his first day attending classes and his chest felt tight with dread.
He didn't want to go. He didn't want to face a room full of strangers. The people he'd met so far had mostly been friendly, but he was certain that was only because of Cassius or Chilla's presence beside him.
This time, he would be alone. What if they didn't like him, like in his previous school? What if he was bullied?
As if he felt the smaller boy's tension, Yas' arms tightened in sleep and his cool cheek settled against Kim's shoulder. The albino released a soft, hissing sigh and Kim closed his eyes.
He tried to focus on the long limbs curled around him. On the breaths against his skin. He breathed with them. In and out. Slow and steady, like Yas had taught him.
His heart started to calm and he buried his nose in Yas' snowy hair, inhaling his musky scent.
The mattress shifted as Chilla stretched and lifted Cassius' tanned arm from his waist. He always woke up a few minutes before the alarm rang.
Chilla sat up and reached for the curtains, silver hair sliding over his pale shoulders, and paused. Slowly, he turned to look at Kim, eyes glowing for an instant in the dark. "Did you sleep at all?"
Kim's tail flicked with guilt, but it barely hurt anymore. He didn't want to lie, but he knew Chilla would make him stay in bed, if he told the truth.
"A little." He said and a small divot appeared between Chilla's brows.
The headboy leaned down and stroked Kim's hip beneath the covers. These casual, intimate touches were one of the things Kim treasured the most and he closed his eyes to savor it.
"You can still change your mind and do private lessons with Yas, like dr. Fowler suggested." Chilla said quietly.
Kim shook his head and opened his eyes. Yas took private lessons, yes, but he was also beautiful and intelligent. Kim had spent many evenings beside the albino, watching him do his homework.
Kim hadn't been able to keep up with the math equations, or the grammar, but Yas hadn't struggled at all. He would outgrow his anxieties eventually and then he would manage on his own just fine.
Kim didn't think the same applied to him. He needed this. He needed to push himself and get out of his comfort zone. He was holding everyone back.
He knew Cassius and Chilla turned down their friends daily, just to stay inside with him, and that wasn't fair. Cassius, especially, wasn't meant to be cooped up indoors.
"No, thank you. I want to go." He whispered and looked away from Chilla's knowing eyes.
The silver haired boy lowered his head and kissed Kim's jaw, fingertips catching one of his twitching ears and rubbing the fold softly. Kim turned his head and their mouths brushed. Chilla's tongue gently teased the rim of his lip and then the alarm rang.
"Nooo." Cassius moaned at the same time Yas shuddered and hissed.
Chilla rolled his eyes and sat up. He tugged the curtains apart, letting in a flood of sunshine, and tapped his phone to silence the alarm. Cassius caught Chilla around the waist and nuzzled his spine.
"Lie down, honey." Cassius breathed between kisses. Chilla whacked the blonde's arm, until Cassius let go and flung himself down on the mattress with a dramatic sob. "You know I need to."
"It's your own fault." The headboy said tartly and stepped down the ladder. "Either you wake up earlier or stop planning morning runs."
Cassius groaned and rolled across the bed to grab Kim, who was trying to wriggle out of Yas' arms.
"Open up." Cassius caught the smaller boy's jaw and kissed him, tongue sliding hungrily between his lips and making him instantly hard. "Mmm."
Cassius gripped Kim's buttocks, kneading the flesh hard and pressing their hips firmly together. The blonde's cock was already hot and dripping, smearing stickiness onto Kim's belly and making his skin tingle. Yas' arms loosened around him and cool fingers trailed down his abdomen.
Chilla was right, Cassius needed release at least twice a day or he became stressed and agitated, but his social spirit, and time management skills, didn't always make it easy.
"You're already late, Cassius!" Chilla snapped.
There was a knock on the door and Kim distantly heard it open. It was hard to care when the scent of fresh grass was in his nose, and silky curls were slipping through his fingers.
When Chilla spoke again his voice was soft and courteous. "Good-morning, Oliver."
"H-hi..." A boy squeaked.
.....
Cassius eventually controlled himself and left for his run with a pained expression.
"I printed your schedule." Chilla passed Kim a sheet of paper over breakfast. "I've ordered a SIM card for my old phone and then you can download it."
"...thank you." Kim accepted the paper and his ears twitched guiltily. This was another reason he needed to become more independent. The school covered most of his expenses, but Chilla and Cassius had already given him so much; clothes, shoes, books.
Kim had watched his mother take advantage of people his entire life and he knew that if all you did was take, you would end up alone.
"You're going?" Yas rasped, looking up from his salmon bagel with wide pink eyes.
"Y-yeah." Kim clutched his bowl of oatmeal, to hide his hands trembling, and forced a smile. "I'm looking forward to it."
Yas blinked rapidly and ducked his head, until his frothy hair spilled over his cheeks. Chilla's eyes darkened to a steel grey and Kim's insides knotted. Did he say something wrong?
Yas didn't speak much after that and it wasn't long before he put down his bagel and left for the showers, without so much as a goodbye.
Kim's eyes prickled with unshed tears. He knew he should be used to it by now; Yas had these episodes now and then.
But Chilla hugged the redhead to his chest and whispered encouragement into his ear. The taller boy's body felt warm and comforting and it was difficult for Kim to let go.
.....
Kim walked down the halls, with his thumbs tucked beneath the straps of his backpack. He felt hyperaware of his body; the clumsy step of his feet and the twitch of his tail.
He regretted turning down Chilla's offer to accompany him, but he was the one who had insisted on doing this alone. None of these shifters were predators. He was perfectly safe.
He forced his chin up and his eyes connected with a pretty brunette who looked on the verge of laughter. Was she laughing at him?
Kim's eyes shot back down to the floor and a cold sweat broke out on his skin.
They're not thinking about you, they're thinking about themselves. Just like you. Milly had told him in therapy with a comforting smile.
He tried to remember that and followed his classmates through a heavy wooden door, painted dark green, and scurried to an empty seat in the last row, furthest away from the sunlit windows.
He kept his eyes on the table in front of him and lifted his bag. His fingers were clammy and it took a few tries for him to undo the zipper.
It was a leaf green bag with two fruit badges pinned to the right front pocket; a cluster of purple grapes and a mango. It was a present from Cassius and the sight of it still made Kim's heart flutter.
It was a personal gift with a memory attached to it, something that Kim had never received before. And the urge to be with Cassius - to bask in his sweet smile and touch his smooth golden skin - was suddenly so strong that Kim had to blink back tears.
"That's my seat!" A girl barked and Kim's head snapped up, eyes opening wide in alarm.
The girl was tall and athletic looking, with ebony skin and sleek hair pulled into a long tail. She glared and stomped her foot at him. Kim jumped to his feet and squeaked out an apology. She pulled back the chair with a loud scrape and sat with an annoyed huff.
Kim looked up and flinched. The entire class was watching him now and he didn't know where to sit.
"You must be Kim." The teacher spoke from behind a polished oak desk. Her amber eyes were sharp behind her spectacles and she had a beak of a nose. "I'm glad you could finally join us. Would you care to introduce yourself?"
Kim's mouth dried up and he thought he might be sick.
"Red!"
He startled and chittered, causing a smattering of laughter to run through the class. Kasper stood, massive body looming over the crowd. "You can sit here."
He kicked Jude's chair beside him and the blonde scowled up at him furiously. Kasper just grinned and shrugged.
Jude stood, pink mouth set in a tight line of anger, and stomped to a spare chair at the front of the class. He sat stiffly, slender spine twitching beneath his lavender t-shirt.
Kim darted past two rows of chairs and sat gratefully beside Kasper. He fumbled through his bag for his history textbook and prayed the teacher didn't ask him again.
"What page Mrs. Ibis?" Kasper called out, voice deep and strong.
"...fifty-four, Clark will you read the first paragraph?" The teacher said and Kim's shoulders sagged in relief.
A boy with a head of tight white curls began reading in a low and nasally voice. A warm, heavy hand settled on the back of Kim's neck, making him jump.
"We all know what it's like to be new." Kasper murmured under his breath, even though every shifter could probably hear him. "You can sit with me anytime."
Kim flashed the boy a grateful look, but his throat felt too tight to speak. Kasper's liquid dark eyes were kind and he squeezed Kim's nape lightly.
The redhead knew Kasper could probably snap his neck like a twig and the knowledge should have been frightening, but instead the fact that he couldn't escape - that he was trapped - made Kim feel a whisper of the peace he felt with Yas.
But it only lasted a few seconds, before Kasper's hand lifted. Kim spent the remainder of the lesson squirming in his seat. His senses were on high alert and he had a hard time concentrating.
He could smell every shifter in the room. Fresh turned earth, damp woods and decaying leaves. All safe scents, but his instincts told him he was in danger.
Kim had never done well in school. He was too dumb, too small and too weak to be paired with stronger, healthier kids.
The fact that his mother had rarely washed his clothes hadn't helped. He'd stunk and the bullies were only too happy to remind him daily.
His clean clothes and brushed hair now felt like a facade. As if he was only pretending to be normal.
My son? He's an idiot! The best part of him ran down my leg.
Oh god, not now.
Kim forced the memory away and tried to take notes with trembling fingers. He could feel Kasper's worried eyes on him - along with every other stare in the room - and that was bad, because any such scrutiny would inevitably find him wanting.
When class ended Kim packed his bag quickly and was out the door, before Kasper had a chance to catch up with him.
The minute he stepped over the threshold, a weight seemed to lift off his shoulders and his body grew light with relief.
He rushed down the corridor, barely feeling his swift steps touch the stone floor. He wanted to keep running and find somewhere high and dark. He wanted to curl into an embrace of cool skin and red lips and stay there forever.
But he couldn't. He had to get through this day. He had to prove that he wasn't a burden. That he could be independent, just like everyone else.
"Kim!" A voice rang out and he slowed reluctantly. When he turned his heart sank.
Jude caught up with him, not the least out of breath. "Herbalism is downstairs, in room thirty-one."
Kim blinked and dug through his pockets for his schedule. "B-but it s-says..."
Jude's cold blank stare made Kim stutter with nerves and the blonde rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"I'm just trying to help you! There's been a room change. Listen or don't, I don't care. You already made me late for my appointment." Jude stormed off, without a backward glance.
Kim looked back the way he came uncertainly. He didn't want to linger in the hall and wait for his classmates, when he'd just run off like that. He'd already made a fool of himself enough today.
He hurried down the stairs and walked down a corridor. He'd just located room twenty-nine, when he scented them.
Blood, heat and desert planes. Predators. All the hairs raised on his skin and his heart raced.
Voices sounded from around a corner, approaching fast, and Kim ducked into a bathroom, only to run into a hard chest.
"Watch it!" Jonathan scowled down at him and Kim felt all the blood drain from his cheeks.
The boy's expression went blank with surprise and his dark blue eyes flicked over Kim's ears and tail.
"You're that new kid...wow! You really are a kid aren't you?" Jonathan's grin showed far too many teeth to be friendly and his long fingers dug into Kim's shoulders, when the redhead tried to ease back towards the door.
"How's Chilla doing? I heard you're sharing his room?"
"I-I'm l-late f-f-for-" Kim's voice cut off in a squeak when Jonathan shook him hard, making his head rip back and forth painfully.
"Tell me," Jonathan wasn't smiling anymore and a growl had edged into his voice, "is it true that you're fucking?"
Kim's eyes were so wide they were starting to feel dry and his body shook. There was no right answer and he had a feeling Jonathan already knew. "P-please l-let-"
The words had barely left his mouth, before he was shoved to the piss-soaked floor in front of the urinals.
He pushed up on his hands and knees and Jonathan kicked him hard in the gut. The air exploded from Kim's lungs and he crumpled to the floor, curling in on himself.
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