ANON: First of all, I’m sorry. I am not comfortable around you and it’s not your fault. Thank you for your discretion today.

ANON: Second, I do think it’s best if you can find other friends. I will try to be less sensitive, but like anyone else, I have bad days too.

ANON: Third, I genuinely enjoy spending time with Ciel, and would never dream of pushing them away.

ANON: Fourth, thank you for listening.

Em looked at the messages on his phone. He breathed a sigh, far heavier than he intended. Michael, to his left in the auditorium, leaned over trying to read his phone.

“Is Noa still being stuck up?” Michael asked.

“It’s fine, we talked about it.” Em really didn’t want to talk about Noa, least of all with Michael while waiting for the Diversity Initiative meeting to start. Ciel, to his right, grabbed his phone to scroll through it themselves.

“I should talk to them, it’s not ok the way they’re treating you!” Michael was getting louder, and had crossed his arms over his chest.

“Drop it, Michael,” Ciel spoke up. “My brother doesn’t need a white knight.” Ciel wasn’t even looking at Michael, just casually going through Em’s messages.

Michael made a grump noise and turned his attention to the stage. Em took Ciel’s phone and started going through their messages too. Before too long they swapped phones back as the Vice Principal took the stage.

DI meetings were usually smaller, but the first two of the year were always packed and in the auditorium. Later they would be held in the north end of the cafeteria. In these first meetings the student leaders would be chosen and the routine established for freshman and other new students. Noa and several other students were situated on the stage as well as several teachers and other members of staff.

The long successful history of the DI was discussed with pride. The school, previously a private boys school, had started the DI to promote positive racial relations in the student body. Now the activities and meetings were designed not just for racial acceptance and inclusion, but sexuality, gender, abilities, religions, etc.

After the VP’s speech, the meeting moved on to student nominations for presidency of DI. Nominated by the student staff, and voted on by the student body, they would have the support and guidance of the teachers to continue another successful year of DI. Em didn’t recognize the students being nominated for most of the positions, but last, and never least, Noa was the only nomination for president. Even from his seat in the audience he could see Noa’s face turn beet red. There was a group in the audience shouting and catcalling as Noa stood to accept the nomination. Em tried to find the group, but he was pretty sure it wasn’t any part of Noa’s usual friends.

The meeting wound down, voting would take place in first period classes tomorrow. Em, Michael, and Ciel made their way out of the auditorium chattering about random things. Michael took a moment to apologize for getting upset. To Ciel, he just looked scared, like he might have messed up his chances with Em already.

Ciel separated from them, to take their bag back to their room. On the way they ran into Tani, who was on the grass dumping her book bag all over. Ciel knelt and asked what was wrong. “The notes! Em lent me his notes from calculus. I can’t find them!”

Ciel helped her with going through notebooks and folders, “I thought only Noa was in that class with him?”

“Oh, but I was supposed to be. They transferred me today, so I borrowed yesterday’s notes. I was headed to the library to photocopy them, but now I am not sure where I put them!”

Ciel found a note addressed to Em, a confession, of course. They pretended to not see it at all and continued, finally, buried in a binder marked for US history, Ciel found the calculus notes. They held them triumphantly, “Got it!”

“OMG Ciel!” She glomped Ciel knocking them to the ground. “You saved my life!” She squealed before getting up.

“You owe me,” Ciel sat up slowly brushing grass from their clothes. They helped her gather everything back together before standing up again.

“I can buy you an ice cream?!” she offered grasping the notes like her life depended on it.

“Ice cream and a conversation?” Ciel countered.

“Oh god, if it’s gossip, I got you. I’ll see you at dinner, yeh?”

Ciel waved her off and walked towards NBH again. Ciel thought about the confession note. What was it about Em that had people crawling all over him? First Michael, now Tani. Although Tani wasn’t going to get anywhere with Em. They wondered how well that conversation was going to go. As it was Ciel was certain Michael would be nursing a broken heart after Saturday too. It’s for the best though, dating in the group might damage the friendships.

They swiped their keycard and headed into their room to change. The sad part, Ciel allowed themselves to admit, was their wish to have some of that attention. Just a little.