It seems packed today. Lay think’s as he walks into the school library. Probably everyone is trying to get a few extra credit points in before their midterms. Lay spots an empty table just around one of the book shelves near the back windows and goes to it, bringing out his stack of books from his purple backpack, opening the biggest one, popping his headphones in his ears and settling in to start reading.

Kris walks in the library a few minutes later and is surprised it is full of busy students. He’s about to turn and leave when he sees a table in the back looks empty and far from other people. He decides to hide there for a while. When he turns past the book shelf he notices a small boy already sitting there, but the boy looks distracted with his own work so maybe he won’t mind Kris sitting next to him.

“Can I sit here?” Kris asks quietly close to the boy’s ear. He doesn’t move or say anything. Kris then notices the headphones hanging from his neck. He sighs and thinks if the boy doesn’t notice him then it should be fine for him to stay. He plops down in the seat opposite him. Kris takes out his phone and starts searching the web for funny videos to watch of something to takes his mind off Tao and his intense stare.

“Circumvent the indeterminate form by factoring both the numerator and denominator.” the boy suddenly says out loud and Kris jumps in his seat. The small hooded figure continues to repeat the phrase quietly to himself over and over. Kris’s eyes widen watching him curiously as the boy looks down quietly reading again.

“Simplify the fractions in the numerator using a common denominator.” The boy lifts his pencil speaking loud again as though he were giving an important speech. Then he slouches back down repeating the phrase over silently. Kris stares at him bewildered, covering his face with his hand and sliding down in his chair as eyes stare at their table.

Why am I always forced to be the center of attention? He wonders. He kicks the boys chair from across the table and the boy looks up, noticing Kris for the first time.

“What are you doing?” Kris mouths, still with his face hidden from the on lookers, behind his hand.

Lay looks around and notices eyes on him. He smiles awkwardly taking his hoodie off and headphones out of his ears. “Sorry…” He says to the room in a whisper, “Was I being too loud?” He directs his question to Kris. Kris nods with a ‘you think?’ expression on his face.

“What were you doing?” Kris asks now that the boy is free of his headphones.

“I was just studying.” Lay looks down flipping through pages of his book. “I like to say important phrases out loud once then repeat them to myself silently. It helps me remember them.”

Kris chuckles softly eyeing this interesting character. “Does it really work?”

“Some of the time...” Lay mumbles “But I’m really forgetful so most of the time it doesn’t.” He says the last part a little under his breathe but Kris hears him and laughs catching Lay’s attention. He sees Kris clearly for the first time since he realized someone was sitting with him and is captivated at how attractive he is and how charming his laugh is that he can’t stop staring at Kris’s gummy smile.

“Hey,” Kris’s voice brings Lay out of his daze making him blink several times. “Are you new here?”

“No.” Lay shakes his head. “I’ve gone here all four of my high school years.”

“So you’re a senior like me?” Kris leans forward on the table with his arms lying in front of him.

“I guess so.” Lay doesn’t know why Kris's gesture makes him nervous. “I-I’m Lay, by the way.”

“I’m Kris, I’m the captain of our schools basketball team.” He states proudly.

“I know who you are.” Lay surprises him.

“Are you a basketball fan?” Kris asks and Lay shakes his head.

“We were in the same Algebra class last year.” He says not sure if he should be offended that Kris doesn't remember they had a class together for half a year.

“We were?” Kris bites his lip and lifts his eyes to the ceiling trying to remember and Lay wonders why everything this boy does is so captivating. “Sorry I don’t usually pay attention in class…to anything.”

“That’s ok, I don’t either.” Lay grins. “I usually just sleep and read everything I need to when I get home.”

Kris suddenly remembers seeing a clump of clothes piled on a table in the back of the class everyday. What if that clump was actually a person? “Wait, did you sleep in the back?”

Lay lies his head down on the table covering his head with his hoodie “Recognize me now?” He jokes.

“That was you?” Kris laughs leaning back in his chair and is met with loud hush sounds around the room. He closes his mouth tight to stop sound from coming out and Lay snorts covering his mouth too, watching Kris. 

-x-

“If it really didn’t mean anything, why did you do it?” Xiumin asks Luhan on their way to the library to meet Lay, accompanied by Suho and Sehun who are trying to ignore the fighting couple.

“I don’t know why I do half the things I do. Like date you.” Luhan shoots back.

“What?” Xiumin is about to argue back when he’s cut off by Sehun.

“Hey, who’s that walking with Lay?” he suddenly says pointing to Lay and Kris exiting the library.

“Isn’t that Kris, the basketball captain guy?” Suho says looking confused at Lay and Kris who are laughing in front of the library. “I didn’t know Lay was friends with him.”

“Wait, what?” Luhan spreads his arms in front to stop his friends from walking any further. “Oh my god, Lay met a guy!”

“Lay doesn’t meet guys. It’s Lay” Xiumin interjects. “I don’t think he’s ever even kissed anyone before.”

“They look like they’re pretty close.” Sehun says as the group of friends continue to watch them.

“Yeaah! Go Lay!” Luhan hoots clapping loudly. “Wow, they look good together don’t they?”

“Hey Kris!” A deep voice catches all their attentions as a big group of guys come full force towards Kris and Lay.

“We’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Chanyeol says pushing his way between Lay and Kris, knocking the smaller of the two down to the ground as he moves behind Kris to push him foward with the group.

“Hey!” Luhan shouts watching the incident as Kris’s friends drag him off without him being able to even say bye to Lay.

“Wait,” Kris looks around Chanyeol and the other boys to try and find Lay “I was just talking with someone.” he doesn’t see him and has no idea he’s been knocked to the ground.

“You can talk to them later. Right now we need to discuss our plan to get you with that hottie Tao.”

“I haven’t decided if I want to date him or not.” Kris retorts.

“We know.” Chen states. “That’s why we decided for you.”

 Lay picks up his glasses that were knocked off. He sighs when he sees they've been cracked. He's still a little shaken when his friends run to be by his side.

“Hey are you ok?” Suho asks helping Lay collect his books.

“What jerks, who do they think they are?” Sehun glares after them.

“It’s ok. I don’t think they knew I was there.” Lay puts on a small smile but feels a little sad he didn’t get to say bye to Kris. They didn't even exchange numbers and he wonders if he'll ever run into him again.

“It’s definitely not ok.” Xiumin says with furrowed eyebrows. Just then the bell rings catching everyones attention.

“I have to get to dance.” Lay says brushing himself off. “It’s all the way on the other side of the school. I hope I can make it.”

“Want me to carry your books for you?” Suho asks.

“No that’s ok.” Lay takes them from Suho, waving bye at his friends as he backs away before taking off in a run.

“Poor Lay. He’s always being thrown this way or that, watching him is exhausting sometimes.” Sehun says but Luhan is still staring at where those boys went.

“Guys follow me.” He says marching in said direction.

-x-

“I’ll meet you guys on the court I have to get my gym bag from my locker.” Kris leaves his friends dashing out of sight.

“Hurry up!” Kai calls after him.

“Hey!” an angry voice calls out to the group of friends, and they all turn to see Luhan, Xiumin, Sehun and Suho glaring forcefully at them. Some of them trying hard to look scarier than is actually possible…Suho.

“What the hell is this?” D.O. asks with raised eyebrows.

“The hall monitor gang?” Chen jokes and his friends laugh behind him.

“That’s not even clever.” Sehun scoffs.

“You guys were mean to our friend and we expect you to apologies or face the consequences.” Luhan lifts his chin up trying to look more dangerous, “Especially that giraffe with the monkey ears back there!” He points to Chanyeol and all Chanyeol’s friends laugh at him. Chanyeol laughs too acting like the remark didn’t faze him though he is very sensitive about his ears and looks in general.

“Oh yeah?” Chanyeol comes out from behind his friends and he towers over Luhan and the other boys but Luhan shows no sign of feeling intimated.

“Yeah.” Sehun being the tallest of the group steps forward and arches his back trying to look as tall and mean as Chanyeol but fails. Still Chanyeol seems a little taken back.

 Just as Sehun steps forward so do Xiumin and a reluctant Suho. Chanyeol laughs at the sight of the little army.

“I don’t even know who your friend is.” Chanyeol points out, wondering if they even have the right students.

“He was talking with your friend Kris.” Luhan says through pierced eyes. “They looked like they were getting along really well too, until you guys knocked him down.”

“Wow that’s lucky,” Kai walks forward to back up Chanyeol. “Because Kris already has someone he likes.”

“It looked like he was interested in our friend before you all interrupted.” Sehun says back.

“No, way.” Baekhyun say, and though not very intimidating joins the discussion walking up on Chanyeol’s right, crossing his arms. “Kris caught the eye of the soon to be most popular guy in school. No offense but he wouldn’t give that up for your loser friend.”

“Our friends the best.” Luhan says about ready to pummel anyone who says differently. 

“He can’t be that awesome if we didn't even notice him.” D.O. mocks making his friends laugh.

Luhan lunges at D.O. who steps back surprised but Lugan is stopped by Xiumin who holds him back, seeing Chanyeol step forward if his boyfriend was about to start something. Xiumin sees the group of boys and knows they are outnumbered and out heighted.

“He’s not worth it.” He says to his overheated boyfriend.

Chanyeol chuckles and stands in between Luhan and D.O. “Sorry but Kris isn’t going anywhere near your friend. So he can just go find someone else.” Chanyeol shoots a fake smile at them before turning around and walking off followed by the rest of his gang.

Suho takes a deep breathe once they are out of sight, letting out all his anxiety he had been keeping in for fear he might be in a fight. Suho wasn’t a fighter. “That was close.” He says clutching his chest.

“They’re all talk.” Sehun says patting Suho’s back who looks like he’s going to throw up. “Whoa, breathe man.”

“You alright, Lu?” Xiumin rubs his boyfriends back as he notices he’s breathing rather hard.

“You don’t think Lay can get Kris?” Luhan says glaring at where Kris’s friends had stood, a mischievous smile appearing on his face. “We’ll see about that.”

***

A/N: I hope to update very frequently so please look foward to more! Again please comment and let me know your thoughts! Thank you!