Unbelievable

I walked into the cafeteria to discover that Io had already sat down at my usual table, in my usual spot, so I didn’t even have to look around. As I straddled the bench and slung my brown bag down, Io glanced up from the tabletop. “Why do you keep doing that?” he muttered, taking off his sunglasses but keeping his eyes shut. He rubbed the back of his wrist across them and then replaced the glasses. “What?” I asked innocently, unwrapping my sandwich. “Face it, Io. You need my help. You clearly have no idea how to behave around here.” “Do you have to talk to me?” he demanded plaintively. He tried staring at me, and my world narrowed down to those eyes behind sunglasses, visible only as black-on-black smudges. He said something under his breath and looked away. “What?” I repeated, a little irritably. “I told you, I’m trying to help you. Oh, and I sat here months before you came to school, Io. If anything, you’re seeking me out.” It was the first time I’d said his name aloud. I liked it, and the way it was spelled. “Never mind.” His features warped by frustration, he thought for a minute, stormy-faced and glowering at nothing in particular; a tiny line appeared between his eyebrows as he brooded. I hurriedly looked down at my flimsy paper plate. After a pause while I took a bite out of my sandwich, I dared to look up again. Io had his chin propped on his fist and was studying me like I studied a paramecium under a microscope the year before – fascinated, but mildly repulsed. A sly look suddenly flitted over his intense features and it was gone before I even recognized it fully. Io’s eyes went a little bit wider than usual (even for him) and he leaned forward. My heartbeat sputtered like a vintage car’s engine despite myself. “Aly,” he said in a low voice. “Do you have to keep talking to me?” Somehow I liked this less than the fear. I leaned backwards. “No,” I said slowly. Io’s expression was almost smiling. “Then why keep trying?” I could feel myself losing concentration; I frowned in thought, glancing away, and it snapped into place. A different kind of persuasion. It was underhanded. “That’s not going to work,” I said furiously, biting off each word. It was one of my rare turns to scowl at Io, instead of vice versa. I’d never been flirted with before, or anything close. I felt my face burn red. “And unless you want people to think you’re totally nuts, you can’t go around acting like that either,” I snapped. He made a very frustrated noise, pushing his chair back. Nice, Aly. Try to be friendly and tick him off instead. “Hey, I sat here before you showed up. If you wanna move, move,” I said firmly. “I’m staying!” Io stared at me for a moment, taken aback, and then glared. I held my ground, glaring right back at him. After a long moment, he scowled, stubbornly scooting back in. The one new guy and he has to be psycho. I deliberately took another bite of my sandwich, chewing and trying to hide my victory smile as Io resettled, this time with his face resting on his folded arms. After a while I could hear him muttering to himself. I tuned in curiously, not even sure he was speaking English. After a second, I realized that he wasn’t. Io abruptly looked up incredulously. “Were you listening to me?” he cried, his hands balled into fists and pressing against the table, his jaw locking. Alarmingly, the table’s joints groaned. I felt my eyes widen and scooted back. “You’re the one thinking aloud,” I accused. “What language was that?” Io stood so quickly I could’ve missed it in a blink, snapping, “I can not be around you. It is anger-making.” He left the cafeteria. Quite a number of people were staring at me, and they suddenly seemed very unintimidating next to Io. Not even a week ago, I would have sheepishly ducked my head and huddled over my lunch, but now I stared back, locking eyes with each person at a time until, one by one, they ducked their heads and turned back to their food. I finished my sandwich, sure that I must be glowing. Who knew assertiveness would feel so good? But, however strange I was myself, I had to admit: there was something not quite right with Io Myes. And I was determined to figure it out.