Weirdo

You know how, at a school this dull, a good disappearance is the absolute highlight of the year? That was the case with R. He was already the type of kid who ate lunch alone and probably talked to squirrels. But when he just vanished last fall—no note, no transfer, just an empty locker—it was fantastic. The theories were gourmet: cults, Witness Protection, maybe he finally got raptured by the aliens he was always sketching. It kept us entertained for months. Then, just this Monday, he simply walked back into homeroom. No fanfare, no dramatic entrance, just R. Except, he wasn't.

The old R was twitchy, always clutching his backpack straps like they were life rafts. This new version? He’s too smooth. Too composed. His clothes are suddenly fitted and clean, and he stands with this unnerving, military-straight posture. He smiles now, which is the most terrifying part of all. It’s not a genuine, high-school-level miserable smile; it’s thin, wide, and entirely plastic, like he practiced it in front of a mirror until all the human emotion drained out.

And his eyes. God, they’re the worst. Everyone else is too stupid to see it—they’re all cooing about how "brave" he is and asking if he went to therapy. But if you look closely, there’s nothing behind them. They’re perfectly focused on whoever is speaking, but they're utterly hollow. It’s the eyes of someone who forgot what fear feels like, or maybe forgot what anything feels like. He answers every question with perfect, bland politeness, but you just know the answer he wants to give is, "I spent the last year somewhere that would make you claw your own throat out." He came back, but whatever came back isn’t the R who left. And honestly? Watching everyone else try to pretend he’s normal while he chills them to the bone is the best show we’ve had all semester. I can't wait to see what he does next.He came back, but whatever came back isn’t the R who left. And honestly? Watching everyone else try to pretend he’s normal while he chills them to the bone is the best show we’ve had all semester. I can't wait to see what he does next.  

XOXO                                                                                                                                               TheGossipHimbo