How Green Becomes Wood

Sloan couldn't help but agree with that statement, "You're probably right. He, definitely, would probably feel weird hearing delineations between various forms of being wealthy...but I mean, I guess that's technically an assumption. I don't know anything about his home life, he could be like that cousin of yours--the one who always dresses down."
 
"True, true, he could be," Peter agreed. "I was thinking more about the fact of what a shy fellow he is. He seems swell when we talk like yesterday, but he's so quiet and reserved that I genuinely had no idea he even went to this school for the longest time. I'm quite impressed that Xander made friends with him."

"What, you think I can't make friends?" Xander frowned.

Peter shook his head. "No, just that you two seem rather unlikely personality-wise."
 
"I'm not really shocked you became friends with him," Sloan said slowly, trying to walk this line carefully, "You are absolutely the sort of person to make friends with people who aren't really... valued, elsewhere. But the fact you made friends with him is impressive because he is so... elusive. He seems nice enough, and I like him okay, not that I really feel like I know him, but it's like when a nature photographer captures images of some rare, burrowing animal."
 
Xander stared at her, trying to decide how to take that. It seemed like a compliment to him? Maybe? And statements about Milo. "He's... shy," Xander finally said. "Had bully problems."

Peter winced. "Oof, not fun. I have not had many troubles with bullies, thankfully, but I've seen them work."
 
"And there's nothing wrong with being shy," Sloan replied lightly, "and this school loves to tear people to shreds for the slightest perceived difference. Honestly, he's really good at being shy, I've never met someone so good at not being noticed." She paused, "Well, no one that I'm aware of, anyway."
 
Peter laughed and then sobered. "I wonder how many people go through life without ever catching anyone's attention ever? It's kind of sad."

"Not everyone likes being the center of attention," Xander pointed out with a frown.

"Oh, no," Peter said, holding up his hands. "I understand that, and not everyone has to be like me or Alec, but isn't that a part of being alive? To leave an impact? One good friend, artwork, footprints on the sand..."

Xander didn't have an answer to that.

Alec sat quietly for a moment and then noticed something. "Oh! There's Tom. I wanted to talk to him about something. I'll be back later!"
 
"I think..." Sloan began, but then fell silent as she thought more carefully about it. After Alec left, she assembled her thoughts well enough to say, "I think it's harder to be completely isolated, at least for a person's entire life, than it seems. People are everywhere, aren't they? And like... a lot of serial killers have spouses, don't they? So if some of the worst sociopaths have people in their life, surely... a normal person, at some point, will find good people. If they're brave enough to seek them out, anyway."
 
"Mmm, brave enough," Peter said with a little nod. "That's the rub right there, isn't it? It's hard to be brave and even attempt to trust again after pain like that. Then again, you have stories like that one lady who died in her apartment and no one realized for a ridiculously long time. She wasn't even the only one." He heaved a sigh.

Xander stood. "Well, on that depressing note, I'm going to head toward class."

Peter winced. "Sorry. That was rather dark, wasn't it?"
 
"I mean, just because you were alone at the end, that doesn't mean you were always alone, right?" Sloan asked, but she wasn't looking at them anymore, "How many people actually go their entire lives without ever feeling connected to someone? Because, if you think about it, you could get married and have a wonderful life, but if your spouse dies first, and your kid happens to be on a vacation when you pass... Or, if you never have kids, and you're the last one alive out of your friends... That doesn't necessarily mean you were lonely your entire life, right? Just at the end. I guess that doesn't make it much easier, but... It doesn't make it worse, right?"

She raised her head as Xander walked off, and after a brief moment said, gathering her thinks, "It's important to talk about dark things sometimes, isn't it? What does pretending they don't exist and everything is perfect going to do?"
 
Peter gave Sloan a wry smile. "Create a whole separate set of problems. That's what pretending everything is hunky dory does, I guess. But at least we have each other, the lot of us." He scooped up his things, stood, and stretched. "And now, back to life as usual!"
 
"I can't wait to be finished with bell cycles," Sloan grumbled, slinging her bag over her shoulder, "I'm so close to being a senior, which means I'm so close to being done with high school, and then I get to decide what to do with my day. I can't wait."
 
"Until you get a job that dictates what you do with the majority of your day," Peter remarked with a teasing smirk. "Although I guess you could always marry for money and convenience."
 
"Ugh, I could never do something like that," Sloan groaned, walking with Peter until it was time for them to part ways, "but however my job dictates me, at least I won't be beholden to bells. I'll see you later."
 
Peter laughed and saluted her before heading off to his own class. He spotted Alec weaving through the crowded hallway, stopping to talk to people here and there. Xander followed in his wake, keeping an eye on things. Looked like their plan was coming together nicely!
 
Near the end of the day, Milo came up to Xander, "I, um, am planning to go to the darkroom tonight, to try to get good pictures. A lot of cities have a public one. A lot of people don't know that."
 
Xander tipped his head curiously. "It sounds like a horror setting or something, but it has something to do with making the pictures turn into pictures, right? With chemicals and junk. I did not know there were public ones. Are they free to use?"
 
"It depends on the location. This one is $20 an hour, which is... a lot, so most of the time I just pay to have them developed, but I wanted to be able to have more control over these. Some high schools have photography classes, and I always take them, so I have darkroom privileges."
 
Xander hesitated a moment. Normally, he would have left it there, but Peter and Sloan's comments about human interaction played in his mind. He took a deep breath and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Can I come?"
 
Xander shrugged, trying not to feel awkward. "Sure. Why not? I've never seen pictures developed. I don't know anything about it other than a couple of little movie scenes. Could be interesting."
 
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