Chapter Text
Autumn had arrived early in Baltimore. The leaves of the trees of the sidewalks were already getting that orange color and they were falling from the branches at an alarming rate, as well as the cold had already arrived. Jackets and coats were more than required if you wanted to take a walk, especially during the morning.
Nigel Lecter did not mind the cold, in fact he even liked the weather. Once he had traveled to Florida and it came to be the worst two weeks of his life. He preferred the cold, perhaps because his heart was as cold as the temperature outside.
Nigel Lecter was a seventeen years old boy with sandy-hair and piercing amber eyes. The angles of his face were well defined and he had sharp cheekbones. He was tall and strong for his age and because of this he could go to bars in the city outskirts and drink vodka without problems. Nigel was still in high school, it was his last year, and he could not wait to put a end on this suffering. Although he had no idea why he kept going to school after all. He had a job with his uncle and he was making money, he didn't need school. It's okay, steal cars and smuggle things is not what one might call 'work', but it gave him money, and that was important. However his uncle Robert insisted that school was important, especially in the field of their work, which they had to be smart and agile. That's why, and for that alone, he took his books and notebooks, shoved inside his backpack and drove his old car to 'Frederick Chilton High School'.
Since he was the only one of his friends who had a car, he gave a ride to the other three boys. Garrett Jacob Hobbs, Francis Dolarhyde and Abel Gideon. The four had grown up together in the same neighborhood, the word that best describes the friendship between them would be 'cronies'. Nigel considered himself a person without friends. They went to the twisted path together and together they were the terror of the school. This little gang was known as "The Murderers". They were bullies and terrorized the other students. Needless to say that Nigel was the leader. His dominant position was sufficient to command and be obeyed, and inside those gates his word was the law.
That was an ordinary Wednesday as any other. Nigel walked the halls with his notebook in hand, closely followed by his cronies as if he were a king and the others his servants.
"Have you seen the new guy?" Abel asked Nigel who didn't give him much attention. Of the three boys beside him, Abel was who Nigel despised most.
"I saw him. He is my neighbor." Garrett said. For Nigel, Garrett was a good doormat, but absolutely he didn't trust the boy.
"So what?" Francis said bored. Of the three, he preferred the company of Francis, because he was a boy who was more concerned with his own damn business.
"I heard he's nuts, is that true?" Abel asked turning his attention to Garrett.
"I don't know, but he's weird."
"It will be fun to mess with him." Abel laughed and Nigel snorted.
They had this thing for making nerds life as miserable as possible. Nigel saw little fun about it, but he didn't move a finger to prevent his friends neither say anything. If the kid was a nerd, it wasn't his problem, if he would be thrown against the lockers, it wasn't his problem. Nigel had nothing to do with it. If the kid did not want this kind of thing to happen, he should fight back or leave the school.
The first class on Wednesday was History. He entered the classroom and headed to his seat in the back of the classroom, where it was always empty. Nigel enjoyed the history class and since his friends didn't share the same class, Nigel could sit, watch and learn.
The other students were arriving and filling the room, going to their seats they occupied since the school year started a month ago. The teacher entered the room and Nigel rolled his eyes when he asked for everyone's attention. It would be another tedious speech about school rules?
"Good morning, students." Professor Brian Zeller said after all the students were quiet in their seats. Having received no response, he cleared his throat and Nigel chuckled, that guy was ridiculous. "Well, since gossip has the speed of light, you should now be aware of the new student."
Nigel decided to open his notebook and start doodling while listening to the excited whispers of his classmates. That would be a boring speech about the new kid. So what?
"I really hope you will be kind and welcome the newest member of our school."
More whispers.
"Adam, you may come in." Nigel heard Zeller say and then he raised his head to look towards the door.
Standing in the doorway was a kid. He had curly black hair falling over his forehead. He wore jeans and a black hooded sweater. He had his books pressed tight against his chest. Something about him was odd, he had his head lowered and changed his weight from one leg to another as if he was really nervous. Even after Zeller called him, the boy was still in the doorway.
"Adam?" He called again, only then the boy moved and entered the classroom. He glanced to the students and lowered his head. "Would you like to introduce yourself to your classmates?"
Adam shook his head vehemently and seemed to shrink. He still had his head lowered and Nigel could not see his face.
"All right." Zeller said defeated "Well students, this is Adam Raki, he came from New York, He will study with us, and so on. Adam, you may sit."
Adam raised his head to rapidly scan the classroom, just to find that most places were already occupied except for one only place in the bottom, next to Nigel.
Nigel observed that Adam was scared. He saw the boy swallow dry again and walking hesitantly toward the empty seat. He saw the boy place his books on his desk and sat silently. Nigel normally would not have given a damn about this kid, but there was something about him that was different. Nigel could see that this Adam boy was not feeling well and Nigel noticed with astonishment that his hands were shaking.
He'd seen someone get nervous because the first day of school, but this was ridiculous.
Adam did not look at Nigel and neither had said a word, which he found quite rude, but decided to let it go. The blonde boy turned his attention to the class trying to ignore the boy next to him. As Garrett had said, he should be nuts. The problem wasn't his. Abel would have fun doing the poor kid's life a living hell.
After the history lesson, Nigel did not see the kid the rest of the day, neither at lunchtime.
But Nigel had nothing to do with it.