When You're by my Side...

Winter Festival

"Hey, Add, how are you liking 10th grade here? Isn't Ruben High actually a pretty nice place?"

"I guess."

"Hey, won't this be your first school festival you'll be celebrating here?"

"I guess."

"Will you always be answering my questions with 'I guess'?"

"I guess."

"Are you emo?"

"I gue- Oi!"

The purple-haired teen stumbled back in surprise. I smirked to myself.

"Serves you right~" I walked ahead of Add, showing off my victory pose, which was me tilting my head with one hand on my cheek, giving Add looks of pity, while the other hand was on my hip.

"Stop looking at me like that already. Jeez."

"I'm not the one who fell into the trap~"

"You're so weird."

"Okay...emo-man~"

"Ugh, could seriously not call me that?"

"Only if you say the magic word~"

"F*ck off."

The two of us bickered like an old couple, receiving attention from others nearby. People pointed at us, giggling as they whispered to themselves.

"Let's just get out of here," said Add, looking around us. I sighed.

"Yeah...it's starting to get crowded here. I don't like it...feels uncomfortable."

We walked side-by-side down the empty road, unsure of where we were going. The atmosphere was awkward and felt a little bit tense.

Conversation starters...ummm, let me think for a moment.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Add stated.

I stared up at the clouds, wondering if the sun would ever come out.

"Oi. You there?" Add poked my cheeks.

Do I enjoy spending time with Add...? O-Of course I do! He's only a friend, right?

"Earth to Eveli-" Add was cut off shortly after I heard him begin to say my full name. I swiftly slapped him, making sure I left a mark.

"Don't you ever call me that, y-you! You! You- ugh!" I stormed off, pissed he had called me that stupid name.

But he was the one who called me that. Shouldn't it be okay?

Add chased after me, not far behind. Suddenly, I stop running and halted right in front of him.

"Hey," I asked without turning around.

"Hm?" I knew Add was looking at me strangely. I began to clench my fists then release them out of habit.

"W-Who do y-y-y-" I kept stuttering over and over.

What the hell is wrong with me.

How uncool.

"Speak up...I don't have a hearing-aid you know," he sarcastically commented.

I felt my cheeks burn.

How uncool. How uncool. How uncool.

I opened my mouth wide, about to say something, but I bit my lip back instead.

Calm down. Why am I reacting like this over such a simple and little question?

"Oi, are you okay? Eve? Eve! What'a wrong?" Add began to shake my shoulders, but I didn't turn around to face him.

This is stupid. This is so stupid. This is beyond stupid now.

"Stop touching me, you creep!" I smacked Add straight on the cheeks, putting my emotionless face back on. "Don't touch me! I'd like to keep clean, as the future owner of the Nasod Machinery Co."

Add rolled his eyes at me.

"Whatever princess. Would you like some hand sanitizer along with that as well?" He snickered at that last remark.

"I should dump you into a bucket loaded with hand sanitizer. Oh wait, that still won't be enough to cleanse you of your dirtiness and improper manners."

"Yeah yeah yeah. Lets go already." Add grab my hand, surprising me, and began to run. I was forced to run along with him.

"I want to go to the mask stall..." I mumbled, grumpy that I was being dragged along.

"Don't worry, m'lady. We'll go there next, but right after we go to this one attraction I've been wanting to go for a while..."

I sighed in defeat.

"Okay- but no weird stuff! Like that one last booth with the students in creepy fish costumes! What was their class theme anyways?"

We continued to pass one stall after another,
until we arrived at the school entrance, where more bigger attractions and activities awaited us inside.

"I don't know...don't ask me. That last one was unpleasant. I swear it's going to give me nightmares."

Finally, we arrived upon a classroom, where a short line of students were lined up.

"Besides," he added, his back turned to me, "I think you might enjoy this one."

.
.
.
.

I swore I could have seen a sliver of a smile on his face.

The dreams I had that night were pleasant and comforting...