Admissions

Episode 2: Welcome Week

Episode Two: Welcome Week

"Fuck this stupid television and everything it stands for!"

Akira looked up from where he was roughly whisking scrambled eggs in a bowl to where Skyler was standing in front of the television that fed them nothing, but crackling static. Skyler raked a hand through his long blonde hair in frustration, tying it back up again with the scrunchie on his wrist before he knelt down in front of it and gripped the sides of it.

"Come on, this isn't 1990, I shouldn't have to beat you up to make you work! It's 2018!" He groaned, giving the screen a shake. The static crackled, flickered, gave a brief glimpse of hope in the form of a news anchor, before it vanished back in the waters of black and white speckles. Skyler groaned and sank down on the floor, clenching his fists against the hardwood.

Akira smiled, amused by Skyler's desperation to get the thing work. He was good either way. His parents didn't let him watch too much television. Most of the shows and movies he watched were online, on his laptop, when he was pretending to study.

"Take a break," Akira encouraged, holding up the bowl when Skyler sat up in a slumped sitting position to pout over at him, "I'm making breakfast. You said you wanted to try something I eat in Japan, yes?" Skyler's eyes immediately brightened.

"Yeah! Show me something you can't get here in the States. I like to try new foods," he tacked on, popping up onto his feet and sauntering over to lean on the kitchen island. Akira smiled at that as he continued to whisk the eggs, dropping some soy sauce and mirin into the bowl. Skyler cocked his head as he glanced over at the clock on the stove, then sighed.

"Aw, man. It's almost noon. I got an email from Devondre. He'll be coming earlier than he expected. Something about his train ticket getting switched, or something. I don't know. Who even takes trains anymore?" He muttered, making Akira blink and look up.

"Wait, trains aren't used here?" He asked. Skyler looked at him.

"That's what cars are for."

"And if you have no car?"

"A bus, I guess. I dunno. When I lived with my mom, she just drove me everywhere, but that's because I went everywhere with her. Why? Do you guys use trains?"

"It is the most common form of transportation."

"You're shitting me. Dang," Skyler exclaimed, interested, "So, you must get to places pretty fast then, right? I've never been on a train before, never had a reason to. All I know is that they fly by crazy fast. And also one of my, uh, former classmates... well, he wasn't dealing with life too well." He averted his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck, remembering the news report that had come only a year after graduation from high school. He'd known the guy, but not well enough for it to create any personal pain. No, it was more like a haunting sensation. And an odd sense of empathy, because he knew what it felt like to be driven to that point.

But not wanting to delve too deeply into that, he just gave Akira a nervous smile, hoping it hadn't disturbed him too much, but Akira seemed all too understanding.

"I'm sorry. But yes, trains are quite convenient."

Akira went back to whisking the egg mixture and Skyler slid off the island counter, heading over to the television to try once more to get the thing to work when there was a knock at the front door, making Skyler frown. He peeked through the heavy dark curtains at the front door to see a couple of girls huddled together, laughing as they looked down at some pamphlets in their hands. He debated just ignoring them, but before he could hide somewhere in the house, Akira was heading for the door.