6 Enthusiasm Part 2

Head tilted, eyes-smiling, and turtleneck brushing against his bright yellow cardigan, a man greets him, "Hi, welcome to my Fine Arts Class."

The world turns on its head as light touches Noe's eyes.

Glasses rim the teacher's light sky-blue eyes which contrast against salted caramel skin. Compelled to speak if not just to make the man's filled cheeks bubble just a bit more, "Thank you," Noe responds. "I'm Noe."

A sheen of happiness forms over the teacher's face and in his plump cheeks appear two dimples buried deep within them. "Well, Noe, I'm Mr. Henderson," he extends a bandaged hand but immediately retracts it.

Returning to the front of the class, Mr. Henderson begins, "Sit, sit everyone," he gestures for them to relax. Noe instantly follows the command. The other five students breathe a sigh of relief as they melt into their bean bags.

"Mr. Henderson, I missed your class," the nerd mewls.

"Unfortunately, for you and I both, we can only meet once a week. Something about joy seems to scare this school," he chuckles as he takes out their source material from his bag. "That's why... ta-dah!" A copy of Romeo and Juliet rests in his hands, "we're going to continue reading the most immature of stories perusing as a romantic tragedy. No fifteen-year-olds should suffer this, but we make do."

He chucks a copy at Noe and Noe catches it. Pointing, Mr. Henderson instructs, "Just listen in for today and pitch in where you can."

Noe nods enthusiastically.

"Mr. Henderson?"

"Yes, Bodhi?" he sighs exasperatedly and raises his eyebrows at the nerd.

A ray of sun hits him at just the right spot to shine his beauty all over Noe's intrigue. Noe extends his hand and tries to catch Mr. Henderson's playful grin from afar. It slips between his fingertips.

The nerd, Bodhi, begins, "When Romeo drawled, "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, for I ne'er saw true beauty till this night," did he actually fall in love with Juliet at first sight or was it something else?"

"That's not an answer I can give you right now. Come ask me in a few years."

"Mr. Henderson, come on," Bodhi moans and swivels his bum. "I've been locked up all day and night. You answering my question would cheer me up."

"That's emotional manipulation," he interjects.

Front and center, Bodhi stares at him innocently, almost, expectantly.

"You wrote such brilliance in your thesis paper. Why don't you ever bring ideas like that up during class?" A panda caught beneath eucalyptus leaves, Mr. Henderson gives in, "Alright. The answer is: it depends. What do you think 'love' is?"

"Hm. For me, it's that feeling when I solve an impossible math problem. I'm filled with love for myself."

"You're just prideful," the Korean boy says from next to Noe.

"Oh, Eris, you have something to add today," Mr. Henderson congratulates him. "Why don't you tell us what love means to you?"

Eris contemplates for a moment. "Love is that feeling when I destroy something that took a long time to make," he grins.

Mr. Henderson blinks.

"Okay, maybe I'll go next. As an adult, love is what grows when you spend more time with someone or even something. It's the boring response but true nonetheless."

Noe listens attentively, 'Romeo and Juliet' long cast aside.

"In the case of Romeo and his Juliet, Shakespeare fantasizes that love can be instant. However, when it comes to what is as intangible as love, no one can say what is and is not possible. To give a numerical value or scientific dichotomy as to when, where, and how love blooms would defeat the purpose of love itself. In essence, we may all be correct. Look at it like this..."

As Mr. Henderson passionately explores what does and does not constitute true love, Noe soaks up every last syllable. A pool of compassion forms around him.

Mr. Henderson's auburn hair swooshes to the right every so often. Whenever he enters deep thought or entertains another one of Bodhi's circumstantial questions, a single crease forms between his dense eyebrows. Excited, he breathes faster. Agitated, his heartbeat raises ever so slightly. Tired, he pushes his brown glasses up.

It comes in waves and scribbled circles, the dabbing of fingers against the table, boots tapping against the floor, pencil twirling, and blue eyes colliding for Noe to feel his heart bursting out of his chest, mind numbing at the idea of this man.

Too soon, class ends. Mr. Henderson straightens up as a deafening gong incessantly sounds throughout the premises causing the crows along the windowpane to complain.

"That's it for today, class," Mr. Henderson's heart beats faster as everyone rises to their feet. Shoulders slouched and eyes now downcast, they cannot meet Mr. Henderson's eyes.

"Chins up, eyes straight ahead," he commands. "There is nothing they can throw at you that you won't get up from; not on my watch."

One by one, the students file out until only Noe and Mr. Henderson are left.

"Is your back doing better today, Noe?" Mr. Henderson asks.

"Yes, it is. Thank you for asking," Noe answers him.

The Korean boy dashes back into the classroom.

"Eris, I thought I told you not to let him out of your sight," Mr. Henderson exasperates.

"No time to talk. Renner next period," Eris curtly responds before stealing Noe's collar and dragging him out of the room.

Noe's eyes remain locked on Mr. Henderson until they reach the opposite side of the corridor and the door is shut after him. Veren makes itself vicariously known again but Noe has no recourse but to sit through Sir Renner's fits of anger for two hours.

"Class dismissed."

Lunch arrives as Noe feels his stomach is about to dig in to itself.

He, Terry, and Bodhi head to lunch together whilst Eris takes his leave of absence.

"Bodhi!" Jinn vaults towards them and crashes into Bodhi, delivering the bear hug of the century, the moment they breach the cafeteria's entryway. "I'm so glad to see you back in one piece!" he cups Bodhi's face before collecting his hand. "I grabbed lunch for all of you. We have plans to discuss."