Convince Me

Chapter One - Kenji

I stumble into my room, dizzy. Shit. This time it's my turn to have a hangover at a fairly important life defining meeting. Tomorrow, I'm going to be SO dead inside. I'll probably down a few bowls of ramen. It's valid though, no one should judge me. If they judge me, I will insult them. Wait, maybe I should write a bunch of reasons why I have the right to have ramen. Warner will definitely tell me off. He will see this list and gasp, and blink, and nod, and never tell me off for eating again.

I walk to the desk, or rather, stumble, grabbing the spinny chair to support myself, and flinging myself in. I grab a pencil with my right hand and start to write on a piece of paper.

Wait, why is my handwriting so bad right now? Oh. Ohh. I'm left handed, that little shit. I grab the pen with my left hand, fumbling to hold it like I used to. Ok. so. Number One: I'm from japan, therefore I get unlimited ramen. Strongest reason...how did they teach us in school again? Strongest reason last...weakest second and second strongest first. Ok. I cross out the one, and write a three instead. Ok, what's my second strongest reason? Oh, maybe it reminds me of my parents. I almost sober at the thought, writing it number one. There's something wet on my cheek...am I crying? You can cry when you're drunk? Oh. Maybe this should be number three then. I cross both numbers out, and switch them around. Ok, now, what's another reason? Oh, maybe I starved for years. A tear hits the paper, expanding, smudging the 'p'.

Fuck. Stop it. I wipe my face aggressively and slap my head. How do I order this? I think it depends on the person. If it was for Warner, I would make the starving for years as the strongest, privileged shit. If it was for Naz, I'd put the unlimited reason. She'd agree. She's always rambling about her masgouf...though to be fair, it's delicious as hell. Lucky shit. But if this...uh...persuasive letter was for J, I'd put the parent one third because she has daddy and mommy issues. Emotional- wait, no, I can't call J shit, she's less shit than everyone else. One of my favourite people, apart from Brendan and Winston. Hm. I need a title. 'Wyh you dhuolf let me have feyeve bowls of ramen-'

"Kenji?"

I snap my head towards the door, shocked. Shit. Is that Aphrodite-? Oh. No, it's just Nazeera. The lucky shit.

"Hii!" I drawl, smiling idiotically.

"...Are you drunk?" She opens the door softly, her slender hands curling around the oak wood-

"Oh my god Kenji- JULIETTE! KENJI'S DRUNK."

"Hey. That's mean of you. Why..." I stand up, disliking how childish I feel when she's taller. I regret it though, instantly, because I stumble, and crash into Nazeera. I grip her arms and steady myself, looking into her amber eyes. They're darker, but flecks of gold light them up, and swirl, I wonder how no one else is drawn to her like a gold rush. I smirk, feeling less drunk, but still unsteady. God, the effect she has on me.

"Are you...blushing?" I laugh, it coming out naturally. A soft rose has flooded her nose and cheeks and thinking that I caused it, God, I think I won the lottery. She shoves me away, presumably forgetting I'm drunk- and I fall, stumbling, but I don't feel pain, just the slight crinkle of my eyes, I must be still smiling, I realise, and now I've stopped, the crinkle disappearing, because ew, Warner's here. He looks tired, really tired, I wonder who woke him up.

"Hey man, are you ok? You look tired." I mumble, and his piercing green eyes roll–how rude– and I realise he came for me. Aww, how sweet, I think or say, I can't even tell anymore. Someone's lifting me up, wait, when did J get here? And all of a sudden it's tomorrow. J has time travel powers? I'm not surprised.

-

Fuck. I do, Indeed, regret drinking, a lot, yesterday. It was my birthday though- no one can tell me off for eating ramen. I vaguely remember Naz falling from laughter after seeing my paper, reasons I should have ramen. It works though, I'm sitting at breakfast with a bowl of ramen and I already feel SO much better. I love ramen, in case no one knows. I'm dishevelled as well, but in a...uh...clean way? I don't really know. My hair is normal, amazing, you know, but my face is flushed, my eyes sleepy, and I think I have an eyelash stuck in the cornea of my eye- whatever. I'll dress up all fancy later, for the meeting.