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‘Don't look so scared. We'll do something easy. Just find someone you know and say hi to them.’

‘...Right now?’

‘Right now.’

He grimaced and looked among the passing faces. He knew quite a lot of them, actually, but he wasn’t jumping at the chance to tell that to Garovel.

‘How about her?’ said Garovel. He pointed to blond Jenny Friedman, with whom Hector had attended middle school.

‘Fuck no!’

‘Why not? What’s wrong with her?’

‘She’s a girl!’

‘What?! I had no idea! Eww! Keep her away from me, Hector! Don't let her touch me with her girl-cooties!’

He pursed his lips. ‘I... just... agh... There’s just no way... Talking to a girl is way more difficult...’

‘Why?’

‘Because! They--! They're--! I don't know! It just is!’

‘Fine. What about him, then?’ The reaper pointed to Micah Chamberlain. ‘I remember him from the other day. Seemed nice enough.’

Hector’s face soured as he strained for an excuse. Nothing sprung to mind, and he gave a defeated sigh. ‘Alright, I’ll... try...’

‘You’re not moving.’

‘I’m... just... waiting for the right moment...’

‘There isn’t one. Go on.’

‘B-but... uh... what do I say after hello?’

‘Don’t worry about it. I’ll help you.’

He made his way through the crowd to Micah’s locker. When the other young man turned and saw him standing there, Hector was so afraid of looking like a deer in the headlights that he just blurted the word out. “Hello.”

“Hi,” said Micah, friendly but a bit hesitant. “Uh... who are you?”

‘Fuck me, what do I say?’

‘Your name. Say your name.’

“H-Hector Goffe.”

“Oh! You’re the guy I accidentally hit during the food fight! I’m really sorry about that. I meant to find you afterwards and apologize properly, but I forgot. I hope you’re not too mad.”

Hector was the deer now.