The bell rang exactly on time, and the class errupted in smiles and laughter. I sighed happily to myself, packing my bag away as groups of people flooded out the door into the open hall. It’ll all be over soon.

As per usual, I was last to leave the class, but I liked it that way. I silently handed Mr Ronan a card, avoiding eye contact. I could tell he wanted to say something, maybe to reach out. I made it fast.

“Thank you, sir, for everything.”

I made a quick departure, ignoring his voice as I left.

The hallway was packed. Sheets of crumpled papers littered the floor, rows of students gathered at lockers, talking, laughing, planning meetings. Summer lights bounced off the walls and shone brightly down out the big doors. I was a bit jealous of them at the time, I always was.

I walked to my locker, opening it sheepishly. I threw everything left in it into my bag, not leaving a trace.

“Have a good break, man”

I turned, mouth agape to where I heard the voice. Tino was leaned against the locker next to mine, grinning awkardly, but yet his words still felt sincere. He for once had a concerned air about him. I never sensed that from him before.

I nodded with a small smile back, my head still bowed down as he stared into my eyes.

“See you next term, right?”

It felt so strange. Of all people I never would have imagined Tino to have noticed. To be honest I never even thought he remembered who I was.

Yet, he does always make an effort. To talk to me that Is. Even with all his gang and all the ladies at his side, the proud Tino would talk to me every single day at these lockers, even if I didn’t respond back.

This time I did.

Pulling out my old-school camera, I handed it to him, breaking our eye contact. I muttered so low I was almost covered by the sounds of the hallway.

“Here, I want you to have this. It’s old but It still works. There’s some film still left on it”

He just stared at me and shook his head, dumbfounded.

“No-no way. Your camera? For me?”

I nodded. He took it apprehensively, looking at me with a worried look. His hard fingers felt the curves and rough parts of it, and he gawked like a child with his new toy.

I brushed past him, walking hastily. I heard him call my name but I just walked faster.

I manoeuvred around the crowds of friends, all having fun together. The sound of trust and intimacy filled the atmosphere while I walked alone, head down and back slouched.

When I walked out those big doors I felt relieved, you could say. To people out here, I was just another face, just another human going about there life. Happy faces stumbled past me, arms linked around each others, kissing, loving, giggling.

Tonight. I’ll do it tonight. And this time, I won’t look back.