The Pencil's Case

Flirt or not flirt? That is the question.

The first class is about to start, next to me stood one of our classmates. I saw, in the corner of my eye, Dewei pushed by Han entering the classroom. She has difficulties in math, so I took this excuse to invite her next to me, pretending I will help her today. It displeased Dewei for sure. It was written on his face. The girl thanked me before the teacher starts the lesson.

At the first break, I took out a book from my bag. I heard his wheelchair rolling to me even if I obviously started reading. A backpack that was misplaced on the floor locked his wheelchair, he tripped over it. I caught him right on time. I frowned at the pain coming from my arm because he has caught my arm when I came.

"At least you still catch me."

"I was helping our classmate with her maths difficulties," I pretended.

"You are indeed such a sociable butterfly! That same reason explains why it was Han waiting for me at the gate?!" he yelled out of anger making all our classmates watch us.

"Are you okay," I honestly wondered.

"What?" he asked confused about my sincerity.

"You almost fall from your wheelchair," I explained.

"Ah yes."

As he affirmed it, he let go of my arms after finally noticing he still has a grip on it. He additionally ordered me to meet him after school. I try to explain to him I couldn't that day but he firmly imposed that I find the time or else he'll go to my house. After a few seconds of thinking, I couldn't let that happen, it's way too dangerous, I capitulated and said I will find the time before excusing myself for the moment. I got up and held my arm before letting it go not wanting to be too suspicious. I had to check if the stitches were okay. So I went away but at the class' back entrance I bumped into someone, I moaned in pain and again held my arm. Like fate, it was Han who asked if I was okay, so for another time I let go of my arm and affirmed he didn't need to worry with a smile. At the end of the school day, I sent a text to Dewei to tell him I was going to meet him later at a cafe.

Later at that cafe, I easily spotted Dewei. "Liu!" he shouted, apparently he saw me too. I went to him. "You came," he said. What other choice did I have? I simply replied with a short "yes". It's the first time I saw him in his civil clothes... I like what I am seeing. Wait... I am not at it again!? "Liu", Dewei called me. He was as serious as ever. It was promising to not be pleasant for me. "Yes?" I asked. "Do you love me?" he asked, I almost spilt my coffee. "Uh?" ... "What should I answer?" I thought out loud because he answered: "The truth, I prefer". I honestly responded I didn't know. He seemed to reflect for a second before asking: "are you sure you don't know". I wanted to ask him what did he mean but, after I pronounced the first word of my question, he put his hand on my stool between my legs. He gets closer. I had difficulty breathing, I gulped. His face was closer and closer he started to ask "What if..." and I locked my gaze with him while I grabbed his hand to make sure he wasn't going to do a wrong move. "... I kiss you right now?" he finally finished his question. I also got closer, then with my confidence and my dark vibe I advised him: "you shouldn't do that". He unbent so I let go of his hand as I myself regain my position. "You.. sure, know how to flirt" he declared. It was not the purpose though. I titled my head. While I thought about how can I make him back off me, he asked "what?". I told him nothing. After that, he offered to go take a walk. I didn't reply right away.

"Dewei..." I started.

"Take a walk with me," he interrupted.

I will leave, he shouldn't care about me. I can offer him that as my goodbyes? "Okay". He got up. Wait a minute? He was also seated on a stool. Where is his wheelchair? "Wait!" I grabbed his arm. "What?" he asked. I analyzed him, he was wearing a knee toggle. "Let's go Liu," he said but I disagree:

"You shouldn't walk. It's not good for your knee."

"I am all grown up" he replied.

"I don't want though."

"Wh-what?" he stuttered.

"You can lose the capacity of walking if you force on your knee," I outlined.

He then asked how did I know that, so he was aware of it? I handled it by saying I knew it that's all. "Anyway, walk me home in that case". He can not defend himself... "You know it exists something called a taxi or even a bus?" I said ironically. "Let's go" he stated before starting walking. I watched him at first, but he was limping. Wait, his arm, it misses a cast now that I am thinking of it. I joined him by speeding. "Wait for me, let me help". I took his arm behind my neck, he took it back. "You're doing too much," he told.

"Your knee is important, okay?"

"If it hurts I will tell you" he tried to escape.

"It's already hurting you," I pointed.

"I confess. If it hurts too much I warn you".

He is stubborn! I had to agree but I made sure we walk slowly. I was peeking at every detail to be sure he was okay. We made a pause in a park. It was hot outside. We sat on the grass. "What happened to your arm?" he questioned. After I asked him half confused "what", he explained he noticed it that morning. I looked away. Now he was playing the detective. Since when was he as observant as he is. I had to reply:

"That's nothing to worry about."

"Then show me."

I disagreed. Unexpectedly, he took my arm and unbuttoned my sleeve. I took his hands off. I warned him to stop that. He wasn't wrong on the sleeve though. He then kept going, I tried to stop him but he has already removed half of my sleeve. My tattoo was apparent. While I still try to interrupt him we both fall lying in the grass as we were sitting before. He was now on my torso, I was holding both of his wrists with my hands. He looked at my arm. "You have a tattoo" he half stated, half wondered. I pushed him back before standing up. I put back my sleeve. I watched him laying on the floor, himself observing me. I held out my hand to help him get up. He smiled before taking it. He thanked me adding he wouldn't have achieved to get up without my help. He stated I was mad after I said "let's go", I confirmed it: "Yes, I am". He whispered: "you even respond to that" but I heard him. So he realized that was proving to him I was mad? He is smart and clever.

We were already walking for ten minutes now. "Wait, Liu." I turned around and saw he was tired... he was not tired! His knee was probably painful! "I told you, you shouldn't walk," I remarked. "Liu, it hurts a lot. My knee hurts," he said in despair. I walked to him. I probably walk faster than him, and faster than what I wanted...

"I should not have walked that fast... I didn't mean to."

"That's not your fault."

He was about to sit on the floor, I yelled "No!". He looked at me stunned so I explained: "I will carry you". He explicitly said no way but as I replied he didn't have a choice. He asked why. The reason is simple: "You can't walk and buses don't come this way". He recognized I was right. Accordingly, I solicited him to climb on my back and squatted in front of him. He cautioned he was heavy... "Probably not that much. Now climb. I want to take you home safely," I said in almost one breath. He climbed, and without difficulty, I stood up. He wasn't heavy... "You should eat more." he was astonished so I taught him: "You're light. So if you want me to find you heavy then eat more". Before walking to his house, I rolled up both of my sleeves, making him convinced of his previous idea: "See I am heavy, you're hot because I climbed on your back". As if...

"No. I simply disliked doing sports with long sleeves."

"But at school..."

"I cover my tattoos in school."

He noted the plural I used so informed him there were three of them. He asked for the one he saw earlier causing me to ask at my turn if we could talk about something else, only for him to bring about the location of my other two. I sighed before finally answering:

"It is called Mechanic of time and space."

"Does it have a meaning? It has, no? If it has a name..." he reflected.

"It reminds me of no matter when or where time flies as well. It's also my reminder for standing up in every situation."

"Such a deep meaning".

I whispered: "for a deep wound", not knowing he would hear.