Part 19: how opposites meet - a Shadilver story
Sunday flew by and it was already Monday morning. Silver had not really slept well the rest of the weekend. They was constantly wondering if Shadow would be mad at them for their behaviour Friday night, Silver felt really ashamed as they was so childish.
Together with Tails, Silver walked to school and Silver told him what happened this weekend and showed some photo's they took with their phone. ``They are all just so tiny.''
``They really are cute, but Silver, how are your parents going to pay for that? Taking care of four `more' cats that can be quite expensive. Maybe it could be a good idea to castrate and sterilise all your cats, so this won't happen in the future.''
``Yeah you do have a point, but we probably have to save some money for that. Or maybe when the kittens are a bit older I could find another family who would like to take care of them. But we will see, now that I've work, there are more possibilities.''
A loud roaring was heard from behind them and they turned around and spotted Shadow on his motorcycle who just arrived at school. He looked pretty tough but also troubled, maybe lost in thoughts.
``He is early for once, I see,'' Tails spoke a bit sarcastically.
``I should probably talk to him and apologise,'' Silver wanted to follow Shadow but Tails held them back.
``What for? It's not like he has been a role model last week,'' Silver looked questionable at Tails and thought for a moment. Maybe Tails was right. Shadow had done a few nice things and maybe saved them from Scourge in the classroom that day, but Tails wasn't there to see it. On the other hand, Shadow had been awful at the beginning of last week. People don't just change over night. ``I think you can't trust that guy.''
``You're probably right,'' Silver replied, they both went for the front door but their way got blocked.
``OMG! You are Silver!'' A tall girl screamed. All the students who were chilling before class looked over. Some stood enthusiastic up and came over.
``You were so awesome!''
``I've always liked our school band, but I sure want to hear more from you!''
``I've heard you did just learn how to play this Friday? How's that possible.''
``Must be a lie.''
``Is that your boyfriend?'' Some asked and pointed at Tails.
``You two are so cute together!''
Silver and Tails turned red as they got bombarded with all kinds of questions, but all the students didn't even give them the time to answer any of them. They were making all kinds of assumptions which weren't true but they didn't even get the time to disprove them. One of the girls picked up Silver and wanted to hug them.
``He let me go! Put me down,'' Silver yelped and tried to push her away as this wasn't attention they was looking for.
``But you are so tiny and fluffy.''
``Put them down!'' Sonic came in between, ``Don't you see Silver doesn't like this?''
Silver frees their self and got away, Tails followed them quickly in side the building. They went to the classroom, they needed to be for the first lesson of the day, the classroom was still empty.
``That was just annoying,'' Silver said, ``Why are they all being like that all of a sudden.''
``Well that is probably how it feels like to have fans.''
``If that's the case, then I'm quitting the band,'' Silver spoke a bit angry.
``Nah, you don't mean that, besides it will probably just be over soon, you know how students can be with trendy things.'' Silver sat down behind one of the tables with their arms folded and looked really cranky. ``Come on Silver, what did you expect, you really did great Friday and those students just really appreciated it.''
``Those students just need to leave me be,'' Tails rolled his eyes and sat next to his friend.
Some students came in and took their place and looked over at Silver but didn't say anything. It seems like Sonic had given them a speech to make sure they would leave Silver alone. Silver was annoyed by their stares and planted their face on the table, just wishing everybody would stop looking. In the corner of their eye Silver saw someone was standing next to them and sighed. ``Yes, I'm Silver just move along,'' Silver said and made a movement to say `Go away.'
``Seems like you got out of the wrong side of the bed,'' Silver quickly looked up and saw Shadow was standing at their table. Shadow smiled at them, Silver's cheeks turned a light pink. ``How have you been?'' He asked. Silver didn't really know how to respond as they still feels a bit guilty about how they acted towards Shadow at the party but also thought about what Tails said.
``Just great,'' Silver responded sarcastically and in a way to say they didn't want to talk about it and dropped their head back on the table. Shadow got the message.
``It's just good to see you again,'' Shadow said and moved to the back of the class, Silver slightly moved their head to see Shadow sit down. Shadow looked back at Silver, did Silver spot an expression of concern on his face? Silver turned back and let their head rest on their arms which they had places on the table. Silver sighed and just felt ashamed of acting this way towards Shadow, but it is as Tails said, it's not like he had been nice all the time, maybe this was just an act.
The first lesson they started the day with was biology from Ms Tikal. The subject for the upcoming weeks would be about the growth of plants which lifted Silvers spirit up. As that subject was just something that really did interest them. So they became less cranky and participated well during the lesson. Every time Ms Tikal asked a question Silver answered so quickly, that some other students started to get annoyed by that, as they also wanted to give the correct answers as well.
During their next lesson, English, Silver felt something of about Shadow. Shadow and Espio were talking quite a lot during the lesson but quietly. And for some reason Jet wasn't sitting next to them or even involved. `How peculiar' Silver thought, if they were planning something you would have thought they wanted to have the whole gang involved. Now that Silver was looking better at Shadow they noticed he had a cut on his cheek. Silver felt bad for him.
During break Silver noticed Scourge, Jet and Vector sitting outside, but Shadow and Espio stayed inside. Which felt just weird and both the groups were acting different both whispering to each other.
When the bell rang Silver said they needed to go to the restroom so waited until Tails left to take some leftover sandwiches from the table. `Wow this apple isn't even touched.' Silver took it and wanted to put some of the food in their bag.
``What are you doing?'' Silver froze and slowly turned around to see Shadow who looked at all the half eaten sandwiches Silver held in their arms.
``I-i uhmmm, I,'' Silver started to stutter as feeling busted. ``I-I just w-wanted to help t-to clean up.'' Silver lied.
``They have people for that, you should go to class. It's not like you to be late.''
``You don't have to tell me what to do,'' Silver replied a bit angry. Shadow took their arm and wanted to take them back to class, making Silver to drop the sandwiches, ``Don't touch me!'' Silver said and pulled their arm away from his grip.
``What's wrong with you? Are you still angry at me or something?''
``What's wrong with me? You're the one acting weird, at one point you are nice, the other time you are bullying me and acting gross and now you act like you care for me to be in class in time.''
Shadow looked puzzled but also saw the truth in Silver's words. ``Sorry, I don't mean to be like that.''
``Like what!?'' Silver replied, ``Weird, nice, a bully, gross, what do you not mean to be.'' Shadow looked a bit shocked at Silver's outburst. It hurt him to see Silver this way, he only wanted to help. They had such a good time on stage but what happened which made Silver snap? ``That's what I thought,'' Silver said as Shadow hadn't answered, Silver looked one more time at the food, which they didn't want to pick up while Shadow was still here, but they also needed food for at home. ``Just go,'' Silver said. Shadow wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words and moved on.
He left the cafeteria but just didn't want Silver to be alone around school. As he didn't have any idea what Scourge could be planning. Shadow just stayed around and watched Silver who thought he was away. Silver looked around to see nobody looking and picked up the food they had dropped and put it in their backpack, Silver looked at the apple which had a bump in it since it was dropped on the ground. Silver sighed a bit disappointed but did put it in their bag anyway. Shadow looked puzzled as he watched.
______________________________
Of course Silver was far to late for the next lesson which made sure they got extra homework for geography but so did Shadow as he came in after them, Silver just sighed frustrated and took a seat somewhere near the back, as the seat next to Tails was already taken.
``I will go to the library will I see you there later?'' Tails asked as the lesson was over, but Silver still needed to go to the next lesson.
``That's okay will see you there,'' Silver went over to the gym hall as that was the place drama lesson would take please. Before Silver had really looked forward to it, but at this point there were just too many things going through their head. Silver entered the gym and all the students were sitting gross-legged in a circle on the ground. Silver spotted Marine and went to sit next to her.
``Didn't know you were in drama class as well,'' Silver said.
``Yeah I really like drama lessons, it's just like art class. Just really cozy with all the other students,'' Silver looked around and smiled doubtfully to the other students.
``So you are Silver the new student,'' The teacher said as Silver nodded. ``Please stand up and sit down in the middle of the circle. Silver sighed as they had the feeling this was going to be very uncomfortable. All the students looked as Silver took their place and looked around a bit nervous. ``Close your eyes.'' Silver did and folded their arms as it didn't feel good to sit there and to feel all those eyes watching. ``Welcome in the circle of trust,'' the teacher said, ``For drama lessons and acting it's very important to be who you are, to empty your head and to expose yourself.'' Silver rolled their eyes underneath their eyelids as all those things didn't sound like anything they could do right now.
Silver felt embarrassed sitting there in the middle of the circle with their eyes closed and still everyone was looking. ``In this trust circle your classmates will ask you any type of question and you will have to answer as fast as you can.'' Silver felt nervous for all the questions they could ask.
``What is you favourite colour?''
``Blue.''
``What did you do this weekend?''
``Work''
And more questions came which they answered, ''What did you last eat?'' ``Do you have any pets?'' ``Do you sleep with your sock on?'' ``What colour are you eyes?'' But after a while the questions started to become more personal.
``Have you ever been in love,'' Silver's cheek changed a slight pink.
``No''
``What does love mean for you."
``Happiness I suppose.''
``Are you happy?'' Silver went quiet and dropped their head a bit as they didn't know how to answer that question.
After a few seconds ``Thank you for you participation,'' the teacher said, ``You can take your place back in the circle.'' Silver felt embarrassed and sat next to Marine. ``Thank you for being honest towards us. Every drama student had to do this. It is a way to learn to know yourself better, be truthful and find out what the thing is you need to work on. It does seem cruel but this way you find out what's holding you back. We can't give you the answer on how to be happy but we can help you to find out what would make you happy, as happiness is apparently holding you back.''
Silver didn't respond and just looked at their knees. ``You don't have to be ashamed, we all aren't perfect and we all have our issues we have to work on.'' All the other students started to share their things they had troubles with. ``I have trust issues, I wish I was born a girl, I'm gay and my parents don't accept me, I lost faith in God, I feel like everybody is smarter than me, My mother left me when I was only one year old,'' Marine said at the end. Silver looked a bit shocked at everybody as they all shared these secrets.
``All we want to say is, you're not alone, everybody has their issues and you just need to find out how to overcome them or learn to live with them,'' Silver started to understand and felt less embarrassed. Silver nodded at the teacher.
``Thank you for making me realise,'' Silver said with a small voice.
``For these lessons it is very important we learn to trust each other, that way we can bond with each other, help each other and understand each other, which is very important when you will start acting. You need to understand the characters you're representing and become that character,'' she explained to the whole class, but apparently she had explained it more often as some of the students were mouthing the teachers answer with her.
After all drama class felt really inspiring and it made Silver think about things that could make them happy. But it felt all out of reach at the moment, `I should focus on the small happy moments for now, probably.'
