After class was over Chris and I made an intentional effort to be some of the last ones out, but we still wanted to have a few people left for them to hear. It was pretty easy, as some people (mostly girls) kept curiously eyeing him and seemed to be slowing down just to see if he would talk to them. Eventually, he said, loud enough for them to hear:
"Hey, would you mind showing me to my locker? All the halls look the same to me at the moment..."
"Sure, no problem. Just give me a minute here."
We kept pretending for a minute longer till the few people who were hanging back went away. The girls fled, disappointed that he had asked me for directions and not them.
"That was easier than I thought." He said in a low tone, smiling wide. "Actually, it was sort of fun, kind of like we were in a spy movie, I feel we need secret signals."
Clearly, he was feeling better than in the morning, I was happy to see him this way, this is how his fresh start should look on him, always.
