Virgil's POV

'another day, another attack' I think to myself.
I sit with Patton and Logan, my mind still wandering to that red boy, just as I see him walking around the school, looking confused, so I go and talk to him.

He seems relieved to see me and let's out a sigh. "Are you ok? I was so worried when I saw you fall earlier! I hope I helped! I really hope that you're feeling better!" He splutters. But I just stand there giggling. He raises and eyebrow in confusion, and I take a look at his hand; it's covered in blood.
"What happened to you?" I ask.
"Oh, just a minor injury" he says, beaming "although I cannot seem to find the nurses office!"
I start to giggle again, and carefully take his hand and lead him to first aid.

We enter the room but no one is there, so I turn to the boy and say "looks like there's no one here, want me to bandage that up for you?"
"No, really, I'll be fine" he says, so i start towards the door, but he winces just as I am about to leave. I walk towards the cupboard and pull out the first aid kit and start to dab an antiseptic wipe on his cuts which make him flinch, but I carry on anyway.

"I never got to say" I start "thank you for all your help today, you may have set a record for recovering from and anxiety attack"
"I'm glad I could help" he says, blushing, "my brother gave me some tips before he..." the boy stops dead In his words and I start to feel uneasy, but manage to keep my balance.
He looks me in the eye and I realise he has tears in his. I raise my hand up to his cheek and give him a sympathetic smile, before carrying on with my first aid.

After I finish cleaning his hands I realise that the cuts are small arches, like fingernail patterns...

"*GASP*" I jump back, dropping his hand as I realise those are my fingernails! Tears fill my eyes as I take a step forward and try to apologise for this and he just starts laughing.

"What's so funny?" I ask, eyes full of tears.
"Nothing" says the boy, still laughing
"It must be something" I say, irritated
"Nothing it's just, you act like an outcast, and yet you care so much about how you treat others, so as not to offend them, or make their lives bad, and I wander why?"

This boy, is it my imagination or did he just read how I've felt all my life and actually put it into words?!

"Y-yes" I say, still shocked "that's how I've felt ever since I can remember. H-how did you know?!"
"It's textbook" he says with a grin "my....m-my..."
The boy stops and stutters on his words and so I hold my hand up to his cheek again to calm him, and it works
"Sorry, I don't like talking about this" he says with tears in his eyes, and I start crying myself.
Through the sobs I can just about hear him trying to reconcile me, and it works.

"Why the tears, my chemically imbalanced romance?" He says with a chuckle, and before I am able to run away, he pulls me into a warm hug.
"W-h..what? Why are you hugging me?" I ask and as I pull away, realising that I have left a black, eyeshadow stain on his lapel!
"Because" he says "I think it's been a long time since someone did, because they meant it"
He's not wrong, I mean, Patton hugs me all the home but that's just because she is an adorable goofball, though I would never admit it out loud; but this hug, it was warm and welcoming.
"Shouldn't it be me welcoming you to this school with a hug? I mean, it's not easy being the new kid, I should know"
He looks at me with a frown."what do you mean, 'I should know'? How do people treat you?!" His voice is strong but soft and not overwhelming. Tears start streaming from my face again and I start sobbing, then just as he is about to pull me into another hug, the bell for next lesson goes and we walk away to our different classes.
But before I do I stop and say "thank you for all your help today, I really appreciate it"
"Not a problem,...er-erm...?
"Virgil" I say. His face relaxes and my heart stops as he opens his mouth to speak.
"Roman" he says softly, "my name is Roman"