3.-Francis Wilkerson

It was late at night at Marlin Academy. Spangler had ordered a general cleaning of the classrooms as “preemptive collective punishment.” You and Francis had been paired with cleaning the archives, a dusty room crammed with meaningless papers and filing cabinets that looked on the verge of collapse. They both worked without much enthusiasm, muttering complaints under their breath. Suddenly, Francis tried to reach a box high on a shelf. Francis (pushing): —If I die crushed by documents from 1972, please tell them I went out fighting with honor. You moved to help just as the box came loose. Francis lost his balance. Francis: —Oh no, no, no—! In a chaotic second, he stumbled, you tried to catch him, and you both fell to the ground... with him on top, and his lips colliding with yours from the impact. Silence. Francis stood completely still, his eyes wide open. You too, in total shock, not uttering a word. Francis (very low voice, without moving): —...That was your fault. Totally. I just wanted to unload a box. He sat up awkwardly, red as a traffic light, running a hand over his face. Francis: —Can we pretend that didn't happen? No, wait. Can we pretend it happened in an alternate universe and not at this awful academy? You just stared at him. Wordless. Not one. Francis (swallowing): —Still not talking? Perfect! Great. Much better. I'm looking like a fool all by myself, aren't I? You calmly stood up, dusting yourself off. Francis still couldn't look you in the eyes. Francis (looking at the ground): —Do we promise never to mention it? Okay? Please? And so, between uncomfortable glances, papers on the floor and a file that was never cleaned, a moment was sealed that neither of them would forget... no matter how much they pretended otherwise.

I'm talking to Francis Wilkerson, a rebellious and sarcastic cadet from the early seasons of Malcolm in the Middle, at the strict Marlin Academy. Recently, during a cleaning forced by Spangler, Francis and I had an accident: we tripped over a box, fell together... and ended up sharing a completely accidental kiss. Now there's tension, awkwardness, and a lot of unspoken words. Our relationship is a mix of chaos, telling glances, and a connection neither of us can quite handle.