Redamancy in Process

1- Want some Graham Cake?

To him, fun was cooking a new dish and then serving it to his family. To him, fun was playing basketball even though he sucks at shooting. To him, fun was dancing and freestyling with his friends, no matter how funny he looks.

Fun wasn't having to walk two blocks from school alone after table tennis training, carrying a heavy gym bag and his backpack. Fun wasn't walking towards the bus stop while clutching his student pass in one hand and a booklet in the other. Fun wasn't trying to memorize basic Mandarin phrases just by reading the booklet he carries.

Sarah can no longer pick him up, because she's flying back to New York. Serris is busy for the whole month due to her thesis papers. His parents are, as usual, busy. He had mentally rolled his eyes due to the old idea that- since he's seventeen years old, he would have to be responsible enough to travel alone.

It's hard, because every Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, he has training after school. He's struggling to keep up in Geometry. Dance classes are every Saturdays now. And even though this idea seems like a needle in a haystack, he could still notice with sharp eyes that he and his friends are slowly drifting apart. Gabe's focusing more on academic-related tasks; Kenneth is spending more time with Soni, the new famous girl; Josh and Will- they're both enthusiastic when it comes to hanging out with Julian, Gabe's cousin.

It almost seemed like the so-called Boy Squad were heading on their own separate ways. Being himself, he didn't like that idea.

Slumping down on the bench in the waiting shed, he leans back and reread the same phrase for five times.

"Ni hei shuo... putong hua? Er, putong hua ma?" He blinks numerously. "Ni hei shuo, putong hua ma?" His tone shook. Closing his eyes, he recalls the meaning of the phrase. "Ni... means you. shuo means speak...? or talk? So... can you speak..."

It took a few seconds before he opens his eyes and sneaks a peek in the booklet.

putong hua- Mandarin

"Can you speak Mandarin?"

He groans. A simple phrase and yet, he couldn't remember that. Back when he was still a freshman, he could talk  enough of Mandarin. Now, it's like every Mandarin lessons he took when he was a kid, was thrown in a trash can. The question was even ironic.

He closes the booklet and yawned. All the hard work was making him a little dizzy. At least it wasn't hot out. Since it was just a cold November, the cool breeze aided his warm body.

He took the time to reflect by himself, then thought of the things he would have to do when he comes home. The girls in the family won't be home, except for his mother, who will be home when the clock strikes nine o' clock. His father though, will probably be a lot earlier than usual. He would have to prepare dinner for two.

Kenneth said he wouldn't be able to make it to their usual Wednesday movie-after-school time. Neither would be Josh because he had some family-related matters to do after school. Gabe has to create a scaffold with his group mates in the English subject.

Earlier that day, before Will could speak, Sean had forced Will to go with him. He was full of glee when Will agreed out of his free will to watch with him for tomorrow. Even though they're only the two of them, he was still glad that the Wednesday movie-after-school time continues.

He still has some Geometry problems to answer, and he has to study for the Economics test tomorrow. Pulling out his Geometry hand-out, he begins to read and analyze a figure with a heavy sigh.

Five minutes haven't passed.

The bus hasn't arrived yet.

A stranger joins him in the waiting shed, plopping down the seat a meter away from him. He glanced quickly at her way, before his focus came back to the hand-out.

For some reason, the girl seemed familiar.

If he had to guess, she might be just seventeen years old like him. Her hair was a dark shade of brown with blonde highlights and tied up in a low ponytail, the end reaching past her arm. A black cap rested on her crown. A black-and-white plaid covered her black top. black leggings hugged her legs, and she wore a pair of (surprisingly clean) white vans.

Black and white... she has a colorless taste. She's clearly an Asian descent. He could tell by her eyes. 

He heard a zipper, then a sound of a plastic container being tapped on. There was a pop. And then, the sound of someone inhaling deeply through their nose.

"This smells delicious."

He heard the girl speak.

Well she's noisy.

His eyebrows slightly furrowed, trying to concentrate on the hand-out in front of him.

"Hey you."

He glanced back at her in a turtle's pace.

"Hm?"

"Yeah, you."

"Well duh, nobody else's around."

"Want some graham cake?"

...Well... that was unexpected. A complete stranger, asking him if he wants some graham cake. Seems innocent, but...

"No, thanks," he answers, sitting up straight.

"Are you worried its poisoned or something?" she asks, leaning a little closer. "Because if it is, I can assure you its safe."

"I don't really want to," he answers, slightly disturbed that a stranger was talking to him.

"Fine by me," she says, then starts eating her food. Before she takes a bite of her cake though, she spoke. "I'm kind of offended by the way."

Sean blinked, surprised, then turned his head to face her. "Excuse me?" His question came out like he's being accused of something bad, which, in this situation, is the case. But at the same time, he wanted to know what he did to make her say that.

"You're excused."

Then she didn't answer properly. How nice.

She swallows. "You really don't remember me?"

Sean's lips parted, but stayed that way. The bus was approaching.

The girl chuckles. "It's fine. Not your fault anyway."

Out of natural reaction, he stands up to head towards the bus, but looks over his shoulder to look at the girl. She didn't look up at him. She was busy enjoying her cake. With no more words to say, he gets inside the bus.

*_*_*_*_*

Author's Note:

So, I've had many ideas about this ship I'm really into (Seailey). My original idea was something that belonged to the friendship category so the story won't revolve around two people, but many more. The 'message' of that story is that there's a reason why you lose people in your life, and... something more deep that would awaken something within the mind of teenagers. But I decided that would be made when I have lots of time on my hands.

So, in this story, I've made conditions and promises so it won't be a typical, predictable, full-of-cliches fanfiction. Some of the conditions may seem... unbelievable and would probably make you lose interest, but, I do hope this keeps you reading and waiting for the next chapter.

CONDITIONS:

1) One of the characters have to have one of my characteristics and mental traits.

2) DANCING must not be mentioned often. I don't know how that would happen, but it's still a condition.

3) No swear words. If I have to put it in, then it would be censored... that seems dirty, huh ;)

4) Speaking of dirty, I mustn't include... explicit content. I have my limits too, you know.

5) Maximum word count: 1,500 words. If I cross the limit, then... I'll punish myself.

SO! Those are some of my conditions. I'll be posting the next chapter whenever I want to. The personalities were decided with a randomizer, actually. So, you wouldn't believe Person A is like this, and Person B is like that, then so on and so forth. It's a fanfiction! I do hope I get comments and see what you think about this.

Have a good day genociders!