English

Slipping into the class, Eric made his way towards his nominal seat in the back corner; it was normally a good spot for him since he reasoned it didn't really let people get behind him and the wall meant that he had one less direction to watch from. Other people might have thought it was paranoia perhaps, but to a shy young nerd these were the sort of learned skills that helped to make things easier to deal with other people.

On the other hand, when you're 6'3, green and have pronounced underbite manuvering through a class with 30 students was going to get the attention of everyone in the room and a mix of stares followed him to his seat; some were surprised, some were curious and others... others had a pang of fear go through them that even if he didn't see it in their eyes he could smell it.

Doing his best to ignore them he struggled to get seated at his desk (they were the kind designed in the 60's or 70's where some genius had decided to attatch the chair to the desk and thus couldn't be shifted or adjusted) and began carefully arranging his books, pencil and eraser on the desk. It had always been a bit of a ritual for him and from time to time a source of ammusement from bullies who'd either take things or move them when he wasn't looking but just now it was something he needed to do because it was *normal.*

"Eric Cooper?" mister Smith the english teacher called out.

"Present" he replied reflexively and almost winced at the sound of it. Since he'd changed his vaguely nasal voice had both deepened and become more gravelly leaving him sounding more like a chain smoking trucker.

There was a moment's hesitation and he could here some people chuckling and almost immediately he heard some students chuckling, causing his anxiety to rise.

"Clearly, but what I was asking was for you to take off your sun glasses. You're smart enough to know they're not allowed in school as per the dress code."

In the past Erik would have obeyed immediately; not merely because he had always obeyed his teachers to the best of his ability but also because he was so **** to avoid conflict but now....

"No."

"What was that?" The teacher asked.

"No. I need them because... the change did something to my eyes. The lights bother them."

"You have my sympathies mister cooper but the dress code is what it is and while the school is broad in it's understanding of fashion trends this is clearly an item that-"

"Turn off the lights and I'll take them off" Eric said. He was almost stunned at the words that came out of his mouth; no please or framing it as a question or offer just a statement to the teacher who just stared back at him.

For a seeming eternity the two seemed to stare at each other, waiting for something. The normal gossip and such that was present at the start of class completely silent before the teacher replied "In light of your... condition I'm willing to make an exception; you will of course get a doctors note to support this?"

Eric was vaguely aware that something had shifted in the power dynamics in the room. If he'd been one of the Jocks or Popular students or Delinquents he might have tried to take advantage of this or something but the situation was so foreign to him that he simply nodded his head.

With that the moment passed and Mister smith was back in control of the room, clearing his throat to pull the focus back to him "Alright students, We'll be picking up where we left off yesterday with Act 2 of "Much Ado About Nothing..."