Wembly headed to P.E. with Liana’s words echoing in his mind. Don’t participate…but even if this place could change people, why would this be the source necessarily?
As he headed into the locker room, Wembly went straight for the boys’ teacher, but after asking permission to sit out realized he had misplaced his doctor’s note. The coach wouldn’t hear it when Wembly protested that he had severe asthma and literally could not participate.
Wembly reluctantly found some uniform clothes and an empty locker and began changing.
“Don’t worry about Coach. He can be a real hardass. But show him you have a problem and he’ll back down.”
Wembly turned and found the source of the voice: a handsome boy with light brown hair, about his height.
“I’m Abe Daniels,” he said with a grin. “Freshman.”
This surprised Wembly, who introduced himself then commented, “You look a bit older than that.”
Abe pulled off the plaid flannel shirt he’d been wearing as well as his slim jeans. This revealed a lean, tight, muscular body with 6 abs and defined arms and legs, even a noticeable chest. Wembly’s eyes widened to the size of plates.
Abe chuckled. “Puberty hits a bit quicker around here, and they really emphasize physical activity for men.”
Wembly heard loud laughter and looked towards the group producing it. At the center was a very tall and very buff boy with gorgeous blond hair and blue eyes and chiseled features. He was clearly the leader.
Abe noticed his attention shift. “That’s Shane Emerson. He’s a junior and the biggest jock around here. He helps his parents farm a lot on the weekends and in summer.”
Wembly recognized the name. “Was he always…?”
Abe smirked. “Was he always this masculine? Actually no, I don’t think so. When he first came he reminded me of you. And he seemed more into guys than girls. Now he’s dating Olivia, but he probably beds a different girl every week.”
Wembly shivered a bit. So Liana was right.
To start the gym class, the coach told them all to run several laps. Wembly didn’t get far before he began to wheeze. He reached for his inhaler but it was back in the locker room. He cursed his stupidity as the world went black…
“Wembly? Wembly! Are you ok?”
He could barely open his lungs, and then they locked up altogether. He couldn’t breathe, he’d die here…
Suddenly, a person began doing mouth-to-mouth on him. Wembly’s lungs ballooned with air, then began to resume their normal function.
He was taken to the ER, but they found no lingering signs of trauma resulting from the incident. They did, however, write a new note for him.
Oddly, though, ever since then Wembly had felt like he was breathing better than he had in ages.
He was told that Abe had seen him fall and yelled for the coach to call 911, but it had been Shane who’d dashed to his side and performed the mouth-to-mouth. Wembly was so relieved to be alive he didn’t initially feel alarmed by this.
His dad drove him home from the hospital and told him to get some rest in bed. Wembly, relieved, fell fast asleep.
He had no idea that the events of today would have major effects tomorrow.