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Johnny was standing right in front of him, laughing at his predicament.
Oh, but Daniel had lost it. He would show Johnny what anger is!
He slowly stepped towards Johnny.
"Don't even think of it worm!” Johnny sneered.
Daniel looked right in Johnny's eyes and pressed the ruined pie into his shirt, slowly dragging it down.
A beat passed, Johnny face scrunched in disbelief. He raised his arms to fight but Daniel was quicker. He bent and charged at Johnny, pushing him down. They fell into a few guys sitting at another table who quickly got up and away. Ali tried to stop them, but the Dutch pushed her out of the way, trying to get into the tussle. A crowd quickly gathered around them.
"STOP!" Mr Davis, the principal, shouted. The crowd parted as he stepped towards them. A sudden hush spread through the students gathered.
"Mr. Larusso, I know that you are a new student this year, and I understand that adjusting to a new place must be difficult. But! This is not the way to deal with those difficulties."
Daniel opened his mouth as if to argue, and Mr. Davis immediately gestured at him to stop.
"Not a word, Mr. Larusso."
Johnny snickered along with Dutch and Tommy.
"And you, Mr. Lawrence! I did not expect this from you. This school has certain values that one needs to uphold while conducting their day-to-day activities. While Mr. Larusso here maybe new to the school, you have been attending for a long time."
"But Mr. Davis, he attacked me with a pie!"
"He kept that pie on my seat!"
"Quiet!" Mr. Davis said.
"I have received multiple complaints about you two disrupting classes. I think it is time you both learned a lesson about getting along with your peers. You both will hold hands through lunch period. If I don't see any improvement in your behaviours, you both will serve detention for the whole week, and I will be calling your parents to talk about your actions."
Daniel and Johnny finally got quiet.
They each took a seat on a chair. Daniel held out his hand to Johnny and Johnny, looking for one last time at Mr. Davis, took it.
"I will be alerted if you don’t do as I have said."
With these final words, Mr. Davis left.
The crowd began to chatter once again, a few titters sounding out.
Daniel had cooled down from the time of the fight, and could feel everyone's eyes on him. Well, at least he wasn't alone in this. It was probably a bigger embarrassment for Johnny, Mr. King Karate and golden boy of the school.
Johnny also finally got time to think. He realised the situation he was in. To hold onto another boy's hand, Johnny never thought this day would come. Johnny had only ever held his girlfriends' hands. With his friends, sure, they would spar, or jab at eachother in a friendly manner. They would sometimes put an arm around eachother's shoulder, or playfight. This experience was something completely new. And to hold a boy's hand in front of a crowd consisting of his schoolmates, Johnny couldn't imagine anything worse.
Dutch and Tommy burst into loud laughter, Bobby and Jimmy also couldn't hold back their giggles.
"What are you guys laughing at?" Johnny glared.
"Johnny, seeing you in this situation is pretty funny, I gotta say." Dutch said.
"You guys got what you deserved." Ali interjected. "Though it was no fault of Daniel's."
Bobby interjected before anyone could say anything, "Sorry, Johnny. You know we couldn't do anything in front of Mr. Davis." Bobby consoled. "Would you like me to bring you lunch?"
"No thanks, I'm done. You guys can leave." Johnny replied, looking down.
Dutch made to say something, but Jimmy pulled him away. The Cobra boys left Johnny to get back to their own lunch.
"Daniel, I'm sorry this happened. Do you need anything?" Ali said sympathetically.
"I'm good." Daniel gritted out.
Ali waved to Daniel as she and her friends left too.
It was just Daniel and Johnny now.
Johnny could feel everyone's stares in the cafeteria and hear the occasional whispers. Johnny covered his face and tried to block it all out.
The lunch period had never felt this long. Johnny became highly aware of the hand holding his, of the person sitting beside him. Daniel's hand felt small in his. He had slender fingers.
Johnny never paid much attention to the twerp's hands. Except for that time, he punched Johnny. It was a surprisingly good punch, though Johnny would never admit it.
His hand felt warm, soft, except for the bruises littering his knuckles.
Johnny felt his own hands shake. He carefully made sure to keep his hand relaxed, to not make any feelings or emotions apparent.
---
Daniel had also hidden his face in his other hand. He couldn't believe it. He was finally starting to believe that moving to California would be a fresh start. But it was like since meeting Johnny and the Cobras, his troubles never seemed to end.
The reason for all his troubles sat right beside him. Johnny held his hand in a firm hold. Daniel was surprised that he did not try to play any power games, like trying to squeeze his hand out. Though perhaps it would be too gay for Johnny, Daniel thought.
Johnny's hand was bigger compared to his. They sat near eachother. Johnny, Daniel was reluctant to say, smelt pretty good. It was probably some expensive cologne. Daniel was aware of each point in his hand touching Johnny's.
Johnny was, objectively speaking, a pretty nice looking guy. Okay, who was he kidding? Johnny was handsome, with his tall height, and golden hair, his charming smile with his perfect teeth.
Daniel wondered if they had met another way, would they have been friends?
Maybe, but they hadn't. They had fought for a stupid reason Johnny couldn't let go and Daniel couldn't stop poking Johnny for and now here they were. Daniel was holding Johnny's hand.
The perfect hand of the Californian poster boy.
Daniel could feel his face heat the longer he held hands with Johnny. He could feel his entire world shift, the walls he had built in his mind against Johnny slowly crumble. It was ridiculous really, because Johnny had made Daniel's time here very difficult. And yet Daniel couldn't help the blush rising to his cheeks.
He peeked at Johnny.
Johnny was still sitting with his arm around his face.
Daniel hoped Johnny wasn't secretly a mind reader, else he would never let him live it down.
---
Johnny was trying to distract his mind from the whole situation. It wasn't working. Johnny had lost track of time but it had been quite some time to be holding someone's hand.
Johnny couldn't stop thinking about Daniel. The twerp was never quiet, always chattering about something, waving his stick hands around. Daniel was quiet right now.
He had brown doe eyes, Johnny had never seen such eyes on a guy before. He had a delicate nose and mouth and neck that just filled Johnny up with many complicated feelings and made him want to punch something. The guy had personality, he never seemed to back down from any fight.
Johnny had thought this year would be his, that he would get over Ali. And then this punk had arrived, ruining it all.
Come to think of it, Johnny wasn’t that upset about Ali anymore. Daniel was just very annoying, always trying to impress Ali. If Daniel hadn’t pursued Ali, maybe Johnny would have left him alone.
Maybe.
Maybe Johnny would have deigned to talk to him. Maybe Daniel would have sat with the Cobras. Maybe they could have roamed around on their bikes. Maybe Daniel would have chattered away like he did and Johnny would have made him shut up with his mou-
***RINGGGG***
The end of break bell rang out, jolting Johnny from his thoughts. Daniel slowly removed his hand from Johnny's and looked away.
"Mr. Davis said till end of break. See you around." Daniel said, leaving.
Johnny couldn't form a reply. Or a single thought, too confused by where his mind had gone. Johnny felt like he was swimming underwater, trying to break the surface.
"Johnny, you alright man?" Bobby said as he walked towards him.
"Yes, yes."
"Come on man, we have history next." Bobby said, moving to leave.
Johnny moved behind him on autopilot. He had a lot to think about today.
---
See you around? See you around?! Why did he have to say that?
Daniel cursed himself. Well, it was alright. Daniel wouldn't be seeing Johnny after this anyways. In fact he was going to stay the hell away. Lest his stupid heart and stupid brain make his stupid mouth say something stupid.
He looked at his hand one last time, stretching it out and trying to lose the feeling of it being held by a golden idiot.