..... | NaJ! Paperfresh [ON HIATUS]

Broomie's In The Closet (Part 4)

| PJ

I actually did have an idea of what to ask Fresh. But before I could say anything, Fresh spoke, 'Your...eyes are really pretty.'

I stared at him in disbelief, feeling a strange warmth make its way to my cheekbones.

Oh shit. Was I blushing!?

Holy mother of-- I am blushing! Oh god, no, no, no. Face, please don't betray me now--

'Oh my gosh,' I heard the nerd gasp, as though he literally just realized what he had said. 'I am so sorry, PJ! I swear, I didn't mean to say it out loud--'

'Wait, doesn't that mean you were thinking about it?' I interrupted him, raising a faux-brow even as my cheekbones continued to burn. No one had ever complimented my eyes before...I mean, I've gotten plenty of praises for my basketball skills and stuff like that, but my eyes? Yeah, that was new. (Also, was that a faint blue-tinted blush I saw on the nerd's skull--)

'Um, can we talk about something else?' Fresh sounded flustered. I shrugged even though I knew he couldn't see it, my blush thankfully dying down. 'Fine by me.' I wanted to ask him why he had decided to come to this school, but figured maybe I should ask that later.

'So...' I ventured to ask, 'why don't you tell me something about yourself?'

'Huh? What do you mean?' 

I rolled my eye-lights. 'It can be anything. Your favourite colour or whatever. It's not like we have much else to talk about. So ya tell me something about yourself, and I'll tell you some stuff about me. Deal?'

'Okay...' he sounded nervous.  I thought I could see a faint glow from his eye-lights as I waited for him to start.

'Uh, I guess I'll start with my favourite stuff. I like the colour blue, and I like to read manga...' Fresh began, until I interrupted him again. Yes, I know that's a bad habit, but I'm the kind of person who acts on impulse.

'You read manga?' I was more curious than weirded out. And why would I be weirded out, you ask? That's because I tried to read one of Undyne's copies, and immediately regretted it, because it contained the freakiest shit I'd ever seen. I mean, I know Japan has a strange imagination, but that was just--jeez. 

'Do you have a problem with that?' he sounded insulted. Oh, great. The Sarcastic Skeleton strikes again.

'Uh, no?' I sighed. 'I don't even know what a manga is supposed to be like.'

'Manga is amazing!' Fresh said, still sounding insulted. 'You should read it sometime. I have a few copies, you can borrow them if you want,' he suddenly offered. And as I was digesting the shocking fact that this socially awkward nerd whom I declared to be my friend just a few days ago had offered to lend his manga to me, he added, 'Anyway, as I was saying, I like blue, manga...and I also like, um, singing? It's more of a hobby, really. What about you? Do you have any hobbies?'

I stared at him (somehow, considering that it was so dark in there). Just a while ago, this nerd was having a panic attack in this closet, and now--what the hell...?

Anyway, my favourite stuff was kinda...Should I lie?

Eh, whatever. My gang already knew, and they were okay with it.

'I like...pink...' I muttered, embarrassed. If he laughed at me, I swear--