Respect is not just given—it is earned gradually.
The accumulation of respect does not happen in an instant—it slowly builds, moment by moment, in people's minds, until people look at you differently than the previous day.
Loid noticed that he was at the end of week 2 of it all.
He was not noticing that people were suddenly treating him like a star; he was noticing that people had no longer treated him like he was unnoticed.
"Did you get the assignment done yet, Loid?"
"Could you talk to me about problem 3 again?"
"What did you get for your answer, bro?"
These were simple questions.
These were normal conversations.
These are the types of questions and conversations that most people probably never REALLY think twice about.
But for Loid, they were not yet part of his "normal approach" to life.
When answering these questions, Loid was still careful with his responses—he still was sometimes awkward when talking to people—he was still quiet—but he was no longer avoiding people at all.
Through all of this, the environment of Loid's school and classroom began to adjust to accommodate him.
"You know, Jay, you're just annoying me," said Jay as he leaned back in his chair.
Loid turned his head towards Jay. "Annoying you about what?"
"The fact that you are improving so fast," said Jay.
"Improving so fast? I am not improving that fast," said Loid.
"You are," Jay said without hesitation. "When I looked at you a month ago, you looked like you were going to apologize to the whole room for breathing too loud."
Loid just stared blank at his friend.
"That's a little bit too dramatic," said Loid.
"That's a little bit accurate," said Jay.
Besides them, Julian closed his book with a very calm, deliberate motion.
"He's right," Julian said.
Loid turned to look at Julian as well. "Julian, you are the reasonable guy."
"I am the reasonable guy, which is why I'm the accurate guy," said Julian.
Jay looked very proud of himself.
"See?"
Loid sighed softly.
But inside...
he got what they were saying.
Things changed.
Not completely.
But enough that it's recognizable this time.
What was the most bizarre & unexpected aspect?
He wasn't trying to make any impressions on anyone anymore.
He was only...
carrying on.
Going forward.
Improving.
Now just by doing that, it has completely altered how others see him.
At lunchtime...
Loid was standing next to the vending machine digging in his pocket looking for some change.
Then...
"Still suck at keeping change?"
Loid looked up.
Aria Whitmore was standing next to him casually holding a drink.
"...I don't suck at it."
"You've checked that same pocket 3 times."
Loid stopped.
"...Good point."
Aria chuckled lightly.
Again.
Comfortable.
Natural.
Like it wasn't difficult to talk to Loid.
And he was somehow still taken aback by it.
"You've become a lot more at ease," she said moments later.
Loid frowned some, "...Have I?"
"Yeah."
She leaned up against the wall.
"You still overthink things," she added, "but not as much as you once did."
Loid looked away some.
"...I guess that makes sense."
"It does."
Before Loid could say anything back...
somebody close to Aria called her name.
She waved but didn't look at the person.
Then looked back at Loid.
"You wanna know what's really interesting..."
"What?"
"You actually listen when people speak."
Loid simply blinked once.
"'Is that a rare thing?'"
"'It is very rare.'"
Aria gave him a small smile.
"'Many people just wait to take there turn to speak.'"
That sentence stuck with him longer than he meant it to.
Because, no one had ever complimented him on something like that in his life.
Not for confidence. Not for talent. Not for looks. Just for ____.
Being a good listener.
"'Anyways', Aria said as she pushed herself off the wall and walked away. 'Please do not disappear on me again.'"
Loid frowned. "'Disappear?'"
"'You used to blend into the background too much.'"
Her eyes were directly on his, without flinching.
"'You do not need to do that anymore.'"
And then she turned and walked away. Leaving Loid standing there, still.
Thinking.
Charlotte had been nearby in the hallway. She'd seen part of the conversation between Aria and Loid. Not enough to hear it, but enough to see the change in the atmosphere.
Loid appeared comfortable, once again. No longer awkward or ill at ease. And Aria had appeared to truly want to speak with him.
Charlotte was the first to look away. For some reason, she didn't know why she felt slightly disturbed by that.
Not anger. Not jealousy. Just an unknown feeling she could not explain...yet.
"'Charlotte'"
Charlotte blinked, having lost her train of thought.
Ava had been watching Charlotte intently. "You've been distracted today?"
Charlotte tried to smile. "'I have?'"
"'Yeah.'"
Ava tilted her head slightly. "'And I think I know why.'"
Charlotte shook her head violently, and would not respond.
Ava let out a soft laugh. "'Mhm.'"
Yet again, Charlotte ignored him.
But inside of Loid, there was some unexplainable sense of turbulence associated with his thoughts and feelings.
Loid Ainsworth had gone from being a background fixture in his mind and life to an actual...
presence.
Presence is hard to miss if you are aware of it.
At the end of the day, Mr. Harrison returned recent quizzes to the students in class.
A couple of students groaned as soon as Mr. Harrison returned their quizzes.
Jay checked his quiz score and sighed very loudly.
"My academic demise continues."
"You say that about every test you take," Loid said in response.
"Yeah, and every test has told me that I am right."
Loid nearly smiled a second time.
Just then Mr. Harrison was standing near his desk.
"Nice job on making progress," Mr. Harrison said, very matter of factly.
Loid momentarily hesitated before replying, "...thank you."
Mr. Harrison nodded one time before he walked away.
That was an average interaction that would not be remembered by most individuals.
However, to Loid, that meant a lot.
More people could now see that Loid had progressed.
Slowly but surely, this realization started to change how he viewed himself.
Not cocky.
Not over-confident.
Just...
a bit more grounded...
...a bit more sure of himself...
...and a bit more genuine.
At the end of the day, students were leaving class at a pace.
Loid put his backpack together pretty quietly, and then noticed a girl that was standing by his desk.
Charlotte Vale (again).
For a ½ of a second, his brain discontinued functioning completely.
Not entirely...
...but enough to remind him that some habits take a lot of effort to break.
Charlotte calmly gazed into his eyes.
"Your explanation from the previous class was great," she said softly.
Very plain.
This was definitely an understatement.
Loid's eyes opened wide with surprise.
"Thanks," he said.
The silence that followed wasn't strange, just a little different.
Charlotte gave him the slightest nod and said, "Have a good night."
Then turned and began walking away from him.
Loid was frozen in place for three seconds.
Jay appeared next to him.
"Yo!"
Loid continued to look straight ahead.
"Yeah," he said.
Jay had a goofy grin on his face.
"She was the first person to talk to you," he said.
Loid looked to the ground.
For the first time in a long time
He couldn't contain a smile as it crept onto his face.