Tyler was surprised when Jeremy touched the back of his neck, eyes widening as he instinctively flinched away. This group of people sure is friendly, he thought while rubbing the back of his neck with one hand and accepting the second lollipop with the other. He nodded his head in thanks, not able to find the words to do so with. He settled back in his chair, eyes cast down to the lollipop in his hands as he finished sucking on what was left of the first one he had received. He listened as everyone talked around him, the all-too-familiar waves of anxiety hitting him again.
Evan accepting Jeremy's candy with warm grin, then made sure to introduce himself to everyone else in the group. He doubted he would be able to remember most of their names come tomorrow, but it was good to be making friends so early in the school year. It's hard to imagine that this large group of people had come together simply because he had complimented Alyssa on her hat. He chuckled at the thought and turned to Alyssa, expecting to continue their conversation, only to find she had turned back around.
He leaned over the chair beside her. "Trying to escape the conversation, huh?" he asked with a soft laugh. "And it'd be nice of you to come see me in a play, but it'd be even better to be in a play with you, whatever your acting ability may be. Maybe even a musical, where you can show off your dancing skills." He heard some ruckus about a lost contact going on behind him and turned around, but it the issue seemed to have been resolved. His eyes lingered on Tyler for a moment, who caught his gaze. Evan sent him a look that seemed to say "You alright?". Tyler replied with a small nod, and while Evan wasn't convinced, he turned around anyway to continue talking with Alyssa.
Alright? Sure, Tyler was alright. He didn't need Evan worrying about him, though he was sure to do it anyway. Alright? The word bounced around in Tyler's head as he quickly glanced at the group of students around him, careful to avoid eye contact with anyone. He was alright. The nervous storm in his stomach was acting up again, he felt miserably claustrophobic with all the people around him, and he felt as if he were drowning in all the noise of the conversations going on around him, but he was alright. That's what he told himself as he shrunk down in his seat, trying to make himself seem smaller in the midst of the chaotic auditorium. It wasn't as if he could go anywhere to relax. The principal could start speaking any minute now. He sighed and rested his head in his hands, closing his eyes and trying to find the piano's melody underneath the chatter of students.