A Persona Story

Morgan Takanashi

Walking down the busy street of Las Vegas, I stop at the edge of a stoplight on Southern Highlands and Somerset Hills, and look up to the sky, seeing the bright blue sky. My name is-

"Hey Morgan!" I hear someone behind me, and I turn to see them.

"Elizabeth? What are you doing down here? Don't you have stuff to do at school?" I ask.

"I finished early, so I got to leave early. Need a ride? I can drive you home." The girl, Elizabeth, says to me in her Toyota Corolla.

"No thanks. I'm good." I say, and skate off downhill on my skateboard. I put my headphones back over my ears, and roll down through the streets of Southern Highlands.

As I was saying, my name is Morgan Takanashi. I always have a pair of headphones on me. I'm the typical skater boy, riding wheels, never walking even if rules say I can't. I also always am on something, like a skateboard, rollerblades, a bike. Whatever. I ride it. But not dicks. I don't ride those.

The girl that talked to me earlier was Elizabeth Byers. She's a friend of mine, but we're not super close. We share classes together, and do group projects together, but that's about it. We don't really talk much outside of school.

As I roll down the hills, I stop at the crosswalk on Valley View street and look to see another familiar face. Trace Blick, another person in my classes. Again, we're not super close. But we get along fine. "Hey Morgan." Trace says with a wave, and extends his hand.

I roll across the road, and slap his palm with my own. "Sup." I greet back, and shake his hand. "Why are you down here? Don't you live further up?" I ask.

"Yeah, I just wanted to go out and see around. I don't really go out that much, so this is a good opportunity. School just started, and I wanna be in shape for the ladies." He says.

"Yeah, okay." I nod.

"You?"

"I live here." I say.

"Damn. You live pretty far." He says.

"Yeah. It's a pain to ride up and down these hills on just a skateboard." I say, and turn to my place. "Wanna come by and eat something? My parents aren't home right now, so it'd just us." I offer.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I just ate. See you in school tomorrow." He says, and walks on his way.

"Yeah, shoots." I say, and skate off on my board, listening to "The Greatest Showman" soundtrack. As I ride by, I put my board into the garage, and enter my home. "Home sweet home..." I mutter to myself, and plop onto the couch.