Take a walk around my way. See the life I see, feel the air I feel and then maybe you'd understand why I love my city so much. It carried me on its back since I was born so I carry it in my blood.
"Whatcha reading?" She looked up to find Aiko peeping down at her curiously.
"Oh...it's just something I wrote when I was younger."
"Ah gotcha." Closing the book, she put it underneath her skirt.
"When you come up, I ain't even hear you." Aiko grinned.
"Girl, you gotta pay closer attention. I been here." She sucked her teeth.
"Nah, all that is is you need to announce yourself. You forget back home you catch a bullet for pulling that mess." Aiko laughed.
"Here is more home than there for me anyway so yeah I forgot."
"Right..."
"What's up with you today Rae? You seem out of it." She blinked, clearing up her vision and looked at Aiko.
"Nah, I'm good."
"Mm. No you're not." The desire to release rose up in her chest but she held it down.
"Okay I know Iwase is like your only friend here but you could have more. Open up Rae."
"Whatchu mean Iwase's my only friend? I got more than just him."
"Girl who Nakamura Tobu? Girl bye, that's two out of the whole school."
"Okay okay so I have no friends."
"But it don't have to been that way. You so closed off sometimes girl. It's like talkin to a wall." She looked at her.
"Aiko..."
"Well. Somebody gotta be real. I'm doin this cause I think you're a mad cool girl. And I really think we could be real tight. Open up a little bit... not just to Iwase. You got other people who care about you too!"
"I know....I know."
"I'm sorry if you feel I came for you Rae. I did't mean to-"
"Nah. You're fine Aiko. You're right. Thank you."
"That's what friends are for." She smiled and looked down at her manuscript on the paper.
"So... what made you write that?" She sighed and closed her eyes. The breeze hushed across her face.
"In these pages, I could let go and just release whatever I was feeling at the time. And it was a lot going on."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Back in New York.. in my town... things you saw were better off left unseen and kept quiet."
***
Tying his shoe laces, he stood up to stretch. A 5 mile run would kill his boredom and get his blood flowing. Normally, he planned his whole day but today he was going to play it by ear. Just go where the wind led him. He put in his head phones and plugged out of the world as he began to run.
***
His heart beat so fast in his chest it felt as though it would pump through his skin. Sweat dampened his hair and his face was pink with exertion. His legs led him to a small mart, his body burning with the intense desire for water. He walked into the mart and picked up two bottles of water. Casually scanning the snacks and other items, he made his way to the front when someone called out to him.
