We Don't Balance Out

CHAPTER ONE

"You and I aren't a good match anymore."

The very moment those words left his mouth, Reki knew he would come to regret them. But in the moment, anger and grief overtook all other emotions. Reki broke away from Langa's grasp and ran, not bothering to look back, even when he heard Langa call his name. There was no way he could turn to face the taller boy after that.

Part of him wondered if he was just being selfish, if he was being overdramatic. Perhaps Langa hadn't meant to hurt him so much. Either way, Reki wasn't going to forgive him so easily. He broke their promise! How could he not be mad? And it wasn't just that either. Reki had spent months helping Langa learn how to use a skateboard, and Langa had looked up to him. Reki wasn't afraid to admit that he liked that feeling- the feeling of being praised and complimented. Perhaps it was narcissistic of him, but he had never really felt that kind of love from people before. Sure, his family loved him, but his mom was nearly always focused on his little sisters. And, yeah, he had friends at school- but none of them even compared to Langa, or how he made him feel. When he was with Langa, Reki felt so loved, so cared for, so admired. It was such a wonderful feeling.

How had Langa become so talented, so fast? One moment, Reki was teaching him how to stand up on the board properly, but next thing he knew, Langa had surpassed him by a milestone.

Reki didn't want to say he was jealous, but he missed being equals with his best friend. He missed when they were a pair, not just "SNOW and his red- haired friend". Nobody recognized all the hard work Reki put into skateboarding anymore, or how hard he tried to keep up with everyone else. All everyone talked about was "Oh, did you see that newbie?" "He's is so incredible!" "He has so much talent, he must have worked so hard!"

He hated to admit it, but Reki wished he had never showed Langa how to skate at all. He wished he had never brought Langa to S, or made that special skateboard just for him, or spent all those hours mentoring him and teaching him how to do new tricks.

Part of him wished he had never met Langa at all.

Reki squeezed his eyes shut at that thought. That wasn't true! Of course he was glad he met Langa! Langa was his best friend, after all. He just felt so betrayed. It was as if Langa had tossed him aside without a second thought.

Reki was shaken from his thoughts as he reached the front door of his home, realizing how soaked he was. He didn't want his mom to worry.

As fast and as silently as he could, Reki pushed open the door, dropped his skateboard by the doormat, and rushed upstairs to his room. He could already hear his mother cooking dinner and his sisters playing in the living room.

"How was it?" He could hear his mom shout from the Kitchen.

Reki tripped on his own two feet, and quickly picking himself back up, yelled "It was fine mom!"

He just hoped his mom wouldn't pick up on the cracks in his voice.

Reki slammed his door shut and slumped against the back of it, taking his phone from his hoodie pocket and powering it on.

2 missed text messages
1 misses call

Reki buried his head in his hands, and mustering up all the courage he had, he opened the messages Langa had left him.

Wednesday
6:52 pm
Reki, can we please work this out.

6:55 pm
This isn't like you.

Almost immediately, Reki shut off his phone and threw it onto his bed across the room. What did Langa even know about him? Reki was hurt! Of course he would act differently than normal! Was Langa really just going to break their promise and then act like nothing happened? That wasn't fair. Langa was the one acting differently than normal. Since when did he become so high and mighty?

Reki squeezed his eyes shut tightly and practically collapsed onto his bed. He felt exhausted. Maybe he could just deal with this tomorrow...