2.

I slowly began to fall into the pattern that all students do. I went to class, did the required work and then tried to do homework if Paris didn’t distract me. My roommate found the whole idea of homework pointless. He always said he wasn’t home anyway, no need to actually do the homework. He usually tried to persuade me into also copping out of my work but usually I could say no to him.

Usually.

Most of the time Paris found some way to convince me to not sit at my bed and slave away on assignments due the following week. He explained I had four days plus the weekend to do it and then usually a few hours before class, we’d both be rushing away at our assignments, racing to class and handing in half assed jobs. Paris, because he was charming and a lot of the female teachers loved him, almost always got away with it. As for myself, I had to beg and plead for extensions or a chance to make it up, always promising myself that Paris wouldn’t get in my way, but ended up repeating the same course of action. Not that I minded my roommate’s banter. He always made me laugh and even though he didn’t have to, he spent a lot of time with me. A lot of the upper classmen girls usually asked him out, usually to dinner or lunch but he almost always said no. Once or twice he went out them but usually he was with me. I didn't understand how Paris, the seemingly most popular guy on the campus, stuck by a nobody lower classmen. The girls questioned him on it and most of the time, the freshmen asked me about it. I just shrugged and said I didn’t know. Because, truth was, I really didn’t. As school went on, I began to get exposed to the rumors that haunted Paris and will continue haunting him until he left St. Marie’s. A lot of the freshmen bought it right away, not doubting it or even bothering to listen to the truth. Some of the guys sneered in disgust, saying they would never be so desperate as to try and go to someone who would spread like peanut butter. The girls shook their heads, saying it was sad, others cheered, glad they could get a chance at him, like everyone else. While in my chem study group, Paris and I were teamed with three other people in our class. Chelsea, a freshmen preppy girl from Long Island, loaded in her parent’s money. She had wavy dark brown hair, brown eyes and had a sweet smile. She carried Prada bags filled with Dior makeup and wore platinum rings and earrings but despite her well-maintained upbringing, she was really sweet. Then there was Amber who was the opposite of Chelsea and was a total snob. She was one of the rich girls brought up on Park Ave. and had a Kate Spade bag for every day of the week. She was made pretty by money meaning she was stitched, tucked, chiseled and pulled into what she looked like now. Her hair was blonde but bottled and her hair had been flat permed so she looked like a Barbie doll. She hated anyone that came to this school and didn’t come from money. And then there was Marcus who was a transfer student from France. His parents were also wealthy and had business here in New York. They would be shipping out after the first semester so no one was expecting to see him after finals. We were working on a lab, Paris and I doing most of the talking as our partners did some work, except Amber who was just filing her nails. Paris then had to get up to check something with the teacher, leaving me and Chelsea to work a little on our own. Once Paris was gone, Marcus leaned in and said,
"Did you guys hear about Paris?"

I looked up as Chelsea said,

"What?"
Amber scoffed as she said,

"It’s why I don’t do any work. I can’t believe they paired me up in his team."
"What about Paris?" Asked Chelsea.

"I heard he’s a big slut. He’ll spread for anyone, girl or boy. I heard he went through the last graduating senior class. All of them."
"Oh come on. All of them?" Asked Chelsea.

"Hey, it’s a year round school I don’t see how he wouldn’t." Said Amber.

"You guys really believe that about him?" I asked.

"So many people said they all slept with him in my dorm." Said Marcus.

"I heard the girls saying similar things." Said Amber.

Chelsea frowned as she said,
"That’s so sad if it’s true."

"I don’t buy it." I said.

Marcus shrugged a little as Amber said,

"What’s the matter got a crush on the manwhore already?"

"He’s not a manwhore and I don’t have a crush. He’s my roommate and I happen to think he’s a nice guy and those rumors are one encounter exaggerated."

Amber rolled her eyes as Paris then came back, taking his seat beside me as Amber went back to filing her nails and Marcus looked back down at his work. My partner looked confused for a moment as he said,

"Everything okay?"
"Yeah, everything is fine." I answered.

I didn’t want to tell him that two out of five members of our group already judged him as a whore while one fifth just pitied him.

After class was over, Paris walked with me, him talking away as always as some girl then bounced over to him and hugged him as she said,
"Paris, come have lunch with me!"

Before Paris could answer, Amber and her group laughed and said,

"Better not get too close Darla, you could catch something awful."

Paris looked at her as she and her friends laughed. Darla, thankfully was one of the sweet girls and said,

"ANYWAY, Paris would you?"
"Nah, I’m good thanks anyway love."

She nodded and then he leaned down, kissing her cheek, ignoring Amber and her friends as they ewwed loudly, making others look over. I then tugged on the side of Paris’s coat and we turned to leave. We headed towards The Lion’s Den, which was the nickname of the dining hall. It was called that since the dining hall was actually called the Daniel building. It was dark in the main entrance and had a hall leading towards the actually dining area, so it was nicknamed the Lion’s Den like the biblical story of Daniel when he faced the Lion. Also, what made it ironic was that there was a lion head made of stone or marble or something above the doorway as we went inside. Paris and I went in and grabbed a table as Paris then said,

"Okay so what was that really about?"
"What?"
"In chem today."
"Oh…just…Amber and Marcus heard the rumors."
"Ah, I figured as much. I love how freshmen just take the bait without question just because an upper classmen said so."
"I know…it’s why Amber said that."
"I figured. It’s why I didn’t believe you when you said nothing was wrong."

I nodded as I said,

"Are we eating?"
"Yeah, come on."

We got on line to get something to eat after deciding what we wanted. As we did, someone came up behind Paris, grinding into him as he turned around and said,

"Get the fuck away from me!"

"Oh not so free and easy now huh? Or actually I should say easy since you were never free."

I recognized him as one of James’s friends from my first day there. Paris shoved him back as he said,
"Go fuck yourself."
"Aww, you say that because I don’t have the money to fuck you."

Paris only glared at him as they laughed and said,

"What are you doing with that look huh? You little bitch."

He shoved Paris, making him fall as some of the girls from other lines saw it. Some laughed, others, like myself, went to Paris’s aid. Paris got back up as he said,

"Fuck you Jason! You call me a whore but we all know you’d fuck anything on two legs, pulse optional!"

He shoved Jason back as Jason stumbled and then recovered as he growled slightly and went to go hit Paris when a teacher intervened. She stepped between them as she said,

"Gentlemen?"
Paris turned away, his back facing the teacher as I stood by him. The teacher began speaking as she said,

"Paris, it’s too soon for you to be getting into fights."
"I didn’t start it."

"I don’t care. One more fight like this and you’ll be in deep trouble young man."
Paris didn’t even turn his back. Jason and his crew soon disappeared as I stood by Paris and said,

"You okay?"

He didn’t get a chance to answer me as all the girls that helped him before began flittering around him, adjusting his coat and brushing off the dust from the back of shoulders and the middle of his back. Once they were done, they waited for him to respond. He took a deep breath and then smiled, turning back as he said,

"Thank you ladies! I’d probably be a mess without all of you."
They smiled in relief to see he was fine as one of them said,

"Do you want lunch still Paris?"
"Um…I think I’ll grab something to go with my roommate. I’ll see you girls later."
They waved to him as he and I then left without getting anything at all. We headed back to our room where Paris continued being upset. He sat down at his bed as I said,

"Hey…you’re not okay. Why’d you lie?"
"They’re too nice to see my miserable side."

"Are you really upset?"
"I try not to be. But it’s not fair that I take all the heat and because Jason is friends with James they can get away with everything."

"I’m sorry."
He waved it off as he said,

"Don’t worry about it. Sorry I pulled you out. You could go back and get something if you’re hungry."
"I’ll wait it out with you."
He nodded as we both then sat down on the floor, across from each other as we began to talk.

I knew Paris and his basic information, his name and what grade he was in. But I didn’t know much before that until that night. Paris was seventeen, about to be eighteen in a few more months. His parents owned a couple of stores around New York that sold expensive clothes and accessories which is where they made their money and why they sent Paris to school here. They were often too busy and wanted to expand to the West Coast and maybe beyond so Paris just became something to be in their way. He wasn’t close to his parents but he was close to his older siblings, which were sisters. He had two sisters, both of them in their twenties and already starting lives somewhere. They wrote to Paris often, which accounted for the letters he received. They sent him care packages and pictures and promised visits which Paris knew they’d come through with. It was nice to have someone that loved you enough to remember to come see you. During the holidays, Paris was often with his eldest sister who was married and had kids of her own. She lived in the city so Paris didn’t get to travel far. His other sister would often come out of her life to go home for the holidays. The three of them bonded since they were all separated from each other at one point or another.

"What are your sisters names?" I asked.

"The oldest one is Amelia. The second oldest is Violet. Amelia usually comes to see me the most since she’s in the city. Violet is in Europe."
"Sounds nice."
"You don’t have any siblings?"
"No, my parents didn’t want to make the same mistake twice."

"Not close to them either huh?"
"No, I never really was."

"Don’t you ever get lonely? I notice you’re so quiet and you just let me talk for hours."
"I kinda got use to being lonely. Being shipped through boarding schools all my life kinda makes you get use to it. And I like to hear you talk…it’s not as if I have anything interesting to say."
"But you’re so nice when you talk. Most people would think you’re one of the spoiled little rich kids that think they’re too good for someone."

"I just don’t know what to say. I’m so boring most of the time."

He smiled as he nudged me with the side of his foot and said,

"You’re not boring."

I smiled as I said,

"Thanks."

He then slouched a little and ran his tongue over his lip, smoothing over the lip ring as I said,

"Why’d you get that?"
"The ring?"
"Yeah."
"To be different. In a way I was already out casted here even without my knowing. I just got tired of it so I decided that if I was gonna be shunned, I might as well do it on my own terms."
"Did it hurt?"
"A little. It passes."

I nodded again before I said,

"A lot of girls like you."
"Yeah I know. But I don’t know why."
"You’re really nice."

"Yeah to them. I don’t need anymore people labeling me as a whore."
"You’re nice to me."
"Same reasons. I guess me being nice is selfish."

"No it’s not. You want to be accepted in some way. Everyone does. There’s no selfishness in that."
"You don’t wanna be accepted."
"I do sometimes."

We looked at each other for a while, silent the only light in the room coming from the lamp on the desk near Paris’s bed. It gave the room an off orange color, still splashed with dimming grays and washed out blacks. Paris smiled slightly, his teeth catching light from the lamp as he then said,

"You hungry?"
"A little."
"We should eat."
"What if someone is there to bother you?"
"I can’t hide in my room forever. Besides they’ve been doing it for two years already and they’ll keep doing it until I graduate and leave."

He got up, dusting off the back of his uniform pants as he then picked up his blazer and began to put it on again. I sighed and said,

"You know, I could just go, grab something and come back."

He stopped in his actions as he said,

"You’re so cute, you just wanna protect me."

I gave him a look as he said,

"All right hero, you wanna do that, we’ll do that."
He sat back down on his bed as he said,
"Don’t take too long now."
"I won’t. I’ll be back soon."
I picked up my ID and clipped it on to the cuff of my coat as I then left and went to get something to eat for the both of us.

The dining hall was full since everyone usually came in around eight that night to eat. I went in, saying hi to a few people I knew and then got in line for some sandwiches and drinks. As I did, I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned to see Chelsea. She smiled as she said,

"Hey fallen angel. What’s up?"

"Fallen angel?"
"You know, your name…Raphael?"
"He was an archangel, not a fallen one."
"But you’re too quiet and moody and un-angel like to be an archangel."

I shook my head, a small smile on my face as I said,

"Nothing is up by the way. Just getting something to eat."
"Where’s Paris?"
"In his room."

"Isn’t it your room too."
"Okay, our room. Better?"
"Yes!"
She gave a giggle as she then said,
"Why didn’t he come down?"
"Oh he’s just relaxing, I thought I’d do him the favor of grabbing the both of us dinner."
"Aww so you won’t be sitting here?"
"Not that I’d have a place to sit."
"You could always sit with me and my friends you know."
"I couldn’t leave Paris out."
"Are you kidding!? They’d love to have Paris sit with us!"

I gave a shrug as I said,

"Next time okay?"

"Oh all right."

She gave a small frown as I said,

"Don’t do that. You make me feel bad."
"Good, then it’s working."

We both laughed for a moment as the line moved up and as I stepped forward, I felt someone shove me, causing me to turn as I saw it was James. James was your average build, average height, blonde hair, blue eyes with that I’m a rich boy so no one can touch me attitude. I hate people like him. He then looked at me as he said,

"Well, well if isn’t Paris’s little mutt."

I turned my back to him as I heard more voices joining James.

"I bet Paris has him wrapped around his little finger already."
"That or his dick, you know how Paris loves that."

They laughed as I crossed my arms and ignored them. Chelsea standing beside me with a worried look. I shook my head, telling her it was no big deal, trying to calm her. I was pushed again, as I heard James say,

"Hey mutt, I’m talking to you."
"What do you want?"

"Oh getting smart huh?"

He grabbed me by my chin and mouth, his long fingers grabbing my face without much of a chance of me doing anything but trying to bite down. When I did, he flinched, pulling his hand back as he said,
"Fuck! The little mutt bit me!"

"Leave me alone. I didn’t do anything to you. And as for Paris, you think you're big men for pulling some guy’s name through the mud after your own? If he’s a whore and you fucked him yourself what’s that make you losers?"

James, Jason and the three of them behind them all looked stunned. James didn’t waste any time and grabbed my arm as he began dragging me out of the Lion’s Den. I struggled with him but couldn’t get far since Jason and his friends were right behind me. Once we were outside, they shoved me, making me fall, my hands scrapping against the asphalt and gravel as I landed. James stood over me as he said,

"You wanna defend him and get smeared all over this school fine, have it your way. But don’t you try to take the blunt of his attacks for yourself because it’ll just make shit worse for him. Besides you shouldn’t have stuck up for that slut. He’ll just use you and spit you back out. You probably got something he wants anyway."
"You don’t even know him."
"And you do? Take my word for it mutt, he’ll use you as much as he can and when he’s done, you’ll be tossed out like all the condoms that go through him. Keep your trap shut and let the slut take his punishment. You stick up for him again and you’ll be right beside him. And for some reason, it doesn’t seem like you can take hits as well as he can. Then again, he’s had more practice."

They laughed as they then walked away. I got up, looking at the heels of my palm, seeing them red and ripped open with blood from where I fell. I hissed a little as I then decided to get some ice back in the Den and then go back to the room. I also decided to not tell Paris about my little run in with James.