Counting Down

Chapter 5

Sitting at my desk the voice of Present Mic fills my thoughts as he goes over the newest assignment in English class. I write down his words keeping my letters close and neat for later. It's just an essay, nothing too hard about that besides the actual writing portion in English which I despise greatly. It's just an essay about how I admire most , which is an easy topic for most. I'm going to write mine of Crimson Riot since he is basically my hero, not that he knows that but he still is at least to me.

The bell rings and I gather all my stuff into my arms. I get to my feet and turn quickly and immediately bump into someone. My books, notes and pencils scatter onto the floor and I just let out a soft sigh. I crouch down and start picking it up.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," the enthusiastic voice of Mina fills the air. "I was totally not watching where I was going. I'm just excited for lunch, I'm literally so starved today."

She is suddenly next to me helping gather my supplies and she lightly places them in my hands. I'm pretty sure I ran into her but yet she's apologizing? I guess if neither of us were paying attention then it's no one's fault right? Or maybe it's both of ours?

"Don't worry about it," I mumble out as I get all my stuff gathered and look up at her. "It's equally my fault. I stood up fast and didn't look where I was going."

"I guess we were just in our own heads huh?" she says with a slight laugh and I can't help but smile a bit.

She's not mad? That's surprising, well, I guess not. She seems genuinely nice and actually interested in me as a person. I guess that stuff from Junior High really did damage how I view other people's kindness. She's not doing this to get at me or make fun of me or to even trick me. She just wants a friend and maybe I do too? Friendships have always been hard on me but looking back at the few I've had I'm definitely the issue. I'm too quick to blame. Too quick to assume the worst. Too quick to believe that any one would actually take an interest in getting to know me and to not use it against me or at the punch line to a joke.

"I suppose so," I say as we both finally get up off the ground back onto our feet.

I get all my stuff put away and start my way to the cafeteria and yet Mina is still here. She waits by the classroom door as I head that direction. She follows along to the cafeteria. Her shoe lightly clicks against the ground and her hair bouncing with each step as she keeps up with my stride. We round the corner to the cafeteria and she grabs onto my arm pulling me along.

"You have to sit at my table. It's so fun! Plus then you can meet Denki and Sero," she says as she pulls me to a far table with very few people at it. "They can be a bit much but they are my boys so I kinda have to love them y'know. I think you'll like them."

We get to the table and she pulls me to sit next to her across from two boys. They both look at me and smile.

"Finally you guys got here," the blonde one says. "You can help with this very important question."

"Is it one of your guys stupid would you rather questions again?" Mina asks with a laugh.

"Pfft, what? No," the blonde says as he smiles widely. "Would you rather-"

"Oh god," Mina says as she presses a palm to her face. "Denki does this all the time I swear."

"Would you rather eat your best friend or your pet cat?" the blonde, Denki, asks.

"Ew, Denks," Mina says with a look of disgust on her face. "Probably you though since then I'd never have to hear one of these absurd would you rather questions."

"Oh come on," Denki groans.

"Sorry, man. I'm gonna have to agree with Mina on this one," the other boy says who I'm assuming is Sero.