Chapter 10
Dayyan
“Can I pick you up? Can we go together?” I quickly press send. Yesterday I was really relaxed, now I’m really nervous.
“What would you like for breakfast, sweetie?” My mother’s warm voice echoes from the kitchen and my stomach churns. Urgh, let’s not talk about food.
“I don’t want to eat, thanks, Mom.”
She gently puts her arm around my shoulder. “You’re nervous, that’s perfectly normal. But you’re not alone. Your friend is with you, stick with him. Everything will be fine, you’ll see. Nutella toast with banana?”
She knows me too well; that’s my absolute favorite breakfast, and sure enough, my stomach is rumbling tellingly. “But just one slice.”
“Sure thing.” And with a kiss on my cheek, she shoos me out of the kitchen.
Why isn’t Jannis texting back? Did he change his mind? Doesn’t he want to be seen with me? Is he afraid of what his friends will think of me? I’m just biting into my toast when my phone vibrates. “7:25 a.m. at my place. You’re going by bike, right?”
I reply with a thumbs up and am relieved for now. One step done.
We turn into the school’s bike cellar, and something’s off. Jannis greeted me normally, but hasn’t spoken a word since. He nods and points, he’s listening to me and responding, but he doesn’t speak.
Silently, he takes me to the office and waves to a middle-aged woman. “Good morning, Jannis. Do you need something?”
Shaking his head, he points at me and I introduce myself.
“Ah, are you our new student? Welcome. Here’s your schedule.
” She reaches for an A4 sheet of paper on her desk and slides it across the counter.
“We were able to put you in almost all of the same classes as Jannis. You only have the advanced biology class on your own. Oh, and French.” I knew that, Jannis has advanced French.
“Welcome to Goethe Gymnasium then. Now get out of here, or you’ll be late for your first class. ”
Grinning, I follow Jannis into the hallway. “Is everyone here this nice?”
Again, I only get a shrug in response.
In the classroom, he waves me over to a double desk in the second row and points to the seat on the very end.
“Is this seat free?” Jannis nods affirmatively and sits down next to me.
The classroom is slowly filling up, but no one is interested in us. No “hello,” no “how was your break,” nothing. Jannis sits next to me with his shoulders hunched.
The first two periods went well. I introduced myself and everyone was at least friendly. I have biology next period. “Can you tell me where I need to go?”
Without a word, he grabs his phone and just a few seconds later, a tall girl is standing in front of me. “Hey, I’ll take you to biology.”
Shit, I forgot her name; there were so many introductions earlier. “Cool, thanks.”
I shoulder my backpack and follow her. Just before the door, I turn around again. “See you later?”
If I’ve read my schedule correctly, I now have a double biology lesson and then I’m done, because our German teacher is sick. Jannis looks pained as he silently shakes his head.
“What are you waiting for? Mrs. Hartmann hates tardiness. Just one second after the bell and you have to bring a cake. Homemade, not store-bought.”
“Coming!”
“You’re friends with Jannis?” Her tone isn’t friendly, it’s more like a cross-examination.
“Why do you ask?”
“Jannis and I go way back, since he came to his fathers. It’s not easy being friends with him, is it?”
Huh? What is she talking about? “No. Actually, it is. What do you mean?”
She looks down at me with a frown. “Never mind. This way.”
After biology class, I hurry to the bike cellar as quickly as possible. I want to wait for Jannis, and my heart leaps when I see his bike still next to mine.
It takes a while for the heavy door to open and Jannis to come toward me, lost in thought.
“Hey.”
He flinches in surprise, then turns around frantically. “Hey. What are you still doing here?”
“I was waiting for you.”
His head falls to his chest. “Why?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I want to ride home with you.”
“Is that so?” A slight smile lifts his lips and for a moment he looks me in the eyes. “Aren’t you fed up with me already after this morning?”
I don’t understand anything anymore. Okay, yes, he was different and I definitely have questions, but fed up? “Why? Was that a strategy? Do you want to get rid of me?”
Stunned, he looks at me and shakes his head. Suddenly, a door locks loudly behind us and Jannis startles in surprise.
“Oh, you’re still here.” Jannis freezes at the first word. I didn’t recognize the voice, but now I see a big, burly boy from our class. An unpleasant grin plays around his mouth as he walks toward us.
“We were just about to leave.” I grab my handlebars with determination. I don’t know what this guy wants from us, but I don’t want any trouble. Not on my first day of school. Not as a young man with an immigrant background. I don’t need that label.
We ride side by side in silence until we reach the dragon meadow, then I can’t stand it any longer. “What happened today? And don’t bullshit me.”
I slow down and look at Jannis, but he just ducks his head and keeps riding. I don’t get an answer until we stop in front of his gate, where he frantically types something into his phone.
“Later, okay?” says a computer voice, and Jannis looks at me pleadingly. Then he types again. His hands shaking. “I’ll explain, I promise. Can I pick you up at three?”
Why isn’t he talking? I recall the morning and realize he hasn’t spoken a single word. Except in the bike cellar, when were alone.
Even someone with little empathy would recognize how desperate Jannis is right now, and I nod. My answers can wait if he needs to calm down first.