* ˚ ✦ sidelines then skateparks (sk8 the infinity x male oc) * ˚ ✦

passionate dancing night !

Ayaka stood against the sterile hospital wall, along with Miya and Shadow, all of them waiting for the news of Reki's condition. With each passing moment, Ayaka's anxiety grew, and he couldn't help but fidget with his hands.

Cracking his knuckles, he let out a deep sigh before running his fingers through his hair in frustration, then pulled on his fingers, trying to ease the tension that had been building up inside him.

He heard a door slide open, and he looked up. The door slid close, and Reki walked into his view. He had a bandage on his head and a cast on his arm, but other than that, he seemed fine.

"I've got two weeks for a full recovery." Reki said, looking down at his arm. "But there's no brain damage!"

Feeling the weight of exhaustion and relief bearing down, Ayaka leaned back against the wall and let out a shaky sigh. He slid down to the ground, his legs unable to support him any longer. And he wasn't even the one who was hurt.

"Glad it wasn't anything more." Miya said, closing his eyes while he slumped onto the bench. "Hope you know you're lucky."

"I'm so sorry, Miya." Reki says, walking toward the middle-schooler. "I didn't mean to let you down."

"Oh, I'm not surprised at all." Miya said, getting up. "I told you, no slime can beat the final boss." He walked around Reki. "But, whatever. At least it's not my fault you looked like a fool out there."

"What'd you say?" Reki asked, a bit of amusement in his voice.

"He said you looked cool out there." Ayaka muttered, not looking from the ground.

Miya backed up slowly, crouching down to Ayaka's height. "I didn't say anything like that!" he whisper-shouted.

"Are—you sure?"

"I hate to break up a cat fight, but your boy here is next up against Adam. You've got work to do." Shadow says.

"I'm the worse," Reki mumbled. "I should've never pulled you into this." he said, looking down at Ayaka. Ayaka started to get up from the floor. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, Reki. It's not your fault."

Ayaka stopped suddenly, pressing his hands against the wall, looking at the ground with a slightly agape mouth.

Woah, what was that?

Reki looked at Ayaka. "You sure?"

————

The class seemed to drag on even slower than usual that day, with each minute feeling like an eternity. Ayaka let out a long, exaggerated yawn as he rested his head on his fist, his eyes fixed on the teacher as she wrote some incomprehensible notes on the board.

Despite his best efforts to pay attention, Ayaka found himself struggling to understand anything that was being said. Every word went in one ear and out the other, leaving him feeling lost and disconnected from the lesson.

"AYAKAA!"

Ayaka let out a harsh gasp, causing his body to flinch involuntarily in his seat. In his panic, he sat up straight, accidentally knocking his desk and causing him to topple backwards onto the floor.

Quickly regaining his composure, Ayaka scrambled to his feet, feeling the weight of everyone's gaze on him. He cowered, and quickly flipped his desk back up again.

————

"What was that?" Ayaka asked, watching Reki sit down beside him for lunch. He didn't even feel hungry anymore. "I heard you from my class. Why'd you yell?"