"I don't understand why you dragged me to this place straight after school, Ariya." Nathaniel looks around skeptically, "This neighbourhood doesn't exactly look very safe."
"I'm getting those ear piercings you recommended." I announce with a determined grin, as I place my hands on my waist and look up at the dusty neon board above the tattoo and piercing store, "And this is the only place I can afford at the moment. It's safe though. Maddison Wu from Advanced Chemistry said so and she has three piercings on each ear."
Nathaniel shrugs.
"If the cost was the only problem, you could have asked me. I have a lot of money to spare from the emergency fund allotted to me and the valuation of the Uranic dollar is seven times that of the normal dollar." Nathaniel suggests, "I don't like the look of this place."
I roll my eyes in response.
"And you wonder why people in high school hate you." I mutter under my breath.
"I believe that's a genuine concern." Nathaniel debates. I almost forgot about his advanced hearing for a moment.
"I'm helpful and understanding. I treat everyone respectfully and never put others down. Yet I have students strictly maintaining at least ten feet distance when they are not making fun of my appearance or spilling various liquids on my clothes." He continues.
"Maybe if you were less patronizing all the time, everyone would like you better." I reply impatiently, scanning the magazine sheets with printed tattoo designs stuck on the glass door of the piercing and tattoo store.
"I believe in being the bigger person." He states diplomatically.
Nathaniel has been getting bullied and teased almost everyday since we joined Wolfrock Secondary six days ago. But he seems unperturbed by it. He thinks the others are simply jealous of his handsome outfits from Italy and Paris, and remarkably deep knowledge of every subject he's opted for in the senior year, and that it'll stop soon if he decides to be the bigger person.
He sighs in defeat and motions for me to enter first before following me into the small store.
I had almost scoffed inwardly with disbelief when he explained why he wouldn't let me have a word with his bullies. His ignorance is surprisingly entertaining but that was only because the bullying and teasing hasn't taken a physical turn yet. But that will never happen. Most of the boys who enjoyed picking on Nathaniel have been vying to be in my good books since the first day and since Nathaniel is always with me and they know better than to antagonize him too much.
"Yo guys!" a familiar face greets us.
"Hi!" I say with a bright grin before taking a brief pause, trying to put a name to the face, "Umm I'm sorry but I don't remember your name."
The dark boy's eyes glint playfully as he shrugs.
"It's been some five days since you arrived so no worries, babe." The boy chuckles, "I'm Truck by the way, I'm sure ya guys will be seeing me around a lot more often."
Truck is tall and has a lean build, and the sparkly white grin paired with mischievous eyes really works for him. His dark skin is sheathed with a healthy tan and despite finding him in the shadier part of town, he exudes an aura of friendliness and trust. He's younger than me, a junior I think, but it's not hard to tell why I haven't failed to notice him in school. He's undoubtedly a people pleaser.
"So, which one of you is having a rebellious streak?" he asks, rummaging through the stack of design books on the small counter.
Nathaniel nods in my direction subtly, before slinking away towards the design books and poring over the pictures inquisitively. He pushes his discomfort off his face, as he slips his hands into his pant pockets and says, "Some of these designs are so intricate and beautiful."
My mouth curls up in a smile. Etiquette is everything for Nathaniel, even if it was simply complimenting a stranger despite the discomfort he felt.
Truck acknowledges him with a polite smile before leaving him to look at the other pictures.
"Tattoo or piercing, Truck?" a girl's voice calls from behind the curtained door at the back.
Truck turns to me with raised eyebrows.
"Umm, I want my earlobes pierced." I answer determinedly.
He motions for me to sit down in a chair next to a table with all the piercing material arranged neatly on it, before disappearing behind the curtain into the store room behind. There's a small rack of studs to choose from beside the table.
"Is this your first time?" Truck asks from behind me, slipping on a pair of disposable gloves and testing the automated pincer.
I nod, gulping nervously as the small machine in his hands hums to life.
"So how long have you been working here?" I attempt to divert my attention, "I never expected to meet anyone from school in this part of the town."
Truck snorts at my comment, "This shithole belongs to my uncle and I help out whenever I can. A little extra pocket money never hurt anyone especially since it helps to pay for my surfing equipment and competitions."
"Wow, you surf?" I nod, impressed.
"It's weird if you don't in this town, with the tourism industry relying heavily on open sea water sports out here," Truck tells me, gently pushing my head against the headrest of the chair I'm sitting on, "Many of the folks from school have part time jobs at the sea side surf shacks or are professional surfers. It's like this town is fucking obsessed, but I honestly can't think of it being any other way."
"Sounds amazing." I laugh lightly, my eyes darting sideways to check what Nathaniel is up to.
He holds up the punching equipment and brings it near my ear slowly.
"Wait, Nathaniel?" I call out, making Truck pause for a moment.
He looks up slowly and asks, "Yes?"
"I umm..." I bite my lower lip, slightly embarrassed, "Can you please come and hold my hand? Like for moral support?"
Shaking his head, he smoothens down his pants before walking up to my side. He holds out his hand expectantly and I sheepishly clutch my fingers around it.
"Ready Ariya?" Truck asks, holding up the punching machine.
"Yes," I gulp, shutting my eyes tight, "The exact centre of my earlobes, ok. That's where my acupuncture points are...owww, fuck!"
The pain is sharp but fleeting. I take a deep breath and angle my face to the side, and brace myself for the second ear to be done.
Truck is quick and professional, he swiftly punches the machine though my other ear and cleans both of them with diluted spirit before gently pressing a plain pair of studs into the new holes in my earlobe.
"That's done." He announces, putting away the equipment and disposing his gloves, "Is that all?"
"Yes, I don't think I can torture my body any more today." I breathe, slowly opening my eyes, "Thank you."
Something warm moves against my right palm and I look down to find that I have my fingers wrapped around Nathaniel's hand in a deathly tight grip.
"Right." I instantly let go of his hand and flash him a quick grin as he massages the blood flow back into his wrist and fingertips.
Jumping off the rotating chair, I make my way to the cash counter beside the entrance.
"Don't rub your ears and keep the area clean until the skin around the hole heals." Truck advises as I make the payment in cash.
"Yes, I will. Thanks again." I nod quickly, before pushing open the glass door.
"It's later than I thought." Nathaniel says, looking around at the empty streets cautiously.
I glance at my watch, it's almost seven. Not very late per se but the sun has set and the street lights in this neighbourhood are yet to be switched on.
"Yes, let's go." I answer, switching on the maps application to find the shortest route to walk home.
We don't see anyone around except a couple of dockyard workers exiting a small bar that I hadn't noticed while coming, when we turn a corner.
"I suppose the evenings aren't the best time to lurk in this locality." I whisper quietly, holding my chin up as I walk confidently and avoid meeting the eyes of any stranger, "We should have planned better."
"Oh you mean, you should have planned better?" Nathaniel answers in a silent grunt, "Yes, I fully agree."
Huffing in response, I speed up my pace and Nathaniel does the same.
"You planted the idea of getting piercings in my head. So, you are entitled to fifty percent of the blame, ok."
In my hurry, I fail to notice the homeless man sitting in a crumpled heap near one end of the street. He rises, knees wobbling, when we're barely five feet away and throws himself forward.
I jump back, terrified, and the dirty, frail man frowns at my response.
"Mariam, is that you?" he drawls as he latches onto my hand, eyes looking past my shoulder in a delirious haze, "I'm sorry, love. Believe me I am."
"I am not Mariam." I state sternly, trying to stop my voice from quivering, "Let go of my hand!"
"Sir, please." Nathaniel says, calmly stepping forward and placing a light hand on the hand that is clutching me, "Let my friend go. She isn't the woman you're looking for."
The man regards him silently, a confused expression painting his gaunt face before fury overcomes him. He shakes Nathaniel's hand off roughly and barks, "Mariam will never love a hoity toity lad like you. Fuck off!"
With a surge of impulsiveness, I stamp down hard on the man's bare feet. He lets go of my arm and yelps, hurt covering his face now.
I scurry backwards, a tinge of guilt washing over me. I grab Nathaniel's arm and turn to run.
The homeless man opens his mouth to say something when a car honks behind us.
"Back off Remy! Go home and sober up." Truck shouts from inside, "And you two hop in."
I share a fleeting glance with Nathaniel before climbing into the front seat of Truck's Chevrolet.
"You guys should've told me that you didn't have a car. I would have dropped you home." Truck shakes his head with disapproval, driving out of the neighbourhood, "Not the safest place to be lurking around alone after sunset."
"Yes, I figured." I mutter quietly, crossing my arms in front of my chest after setting the address into the GPS on Truck's phone, "Can you please get us home now?"
The car rolls onto our street in less than ten minutes and Nathaniel thanks him for the ride before stepping out of the car.
"Thanks for driving us home." I lean forward and place a quick kiss on Truck's smooth cheek before getting out.
"See you in school. And at the surf turf, maybe." Truck grins boyishly, running his hand over his hair.
I raise my brow. I do hope he realises I'm two years older than him.
"We'll see. Bye." I smirk flippantly, pushing my hair behind my shoulder as I follow Nathaniel up the driveway.
Nathaniel is leaning against the foyer railing when I reach the front porch. His eyes follow me up the stairs of the foyer and to the front door.
"Sometimes, I wonder why everyone is so hospitable towards you. And you can be so rude and self centred sometimes." He muses aloud as I rummage through my purse for the house keys.
"I suppose I'm just likable." I chuckle, opening the door, "Maybe if you worked on your likability factor, you'd find it easier to survive through senior year."
"Being more like an average teenager you mean. Lazy and obnoxious." Nathaniel says in response.
"Oh my God! No!" I throw my hands in the air, "It's so much more than that. It includes the way you dress, your likes and dislikes, the way you tackle your issues and so many things I can't really remember now."
"Well, I'd like you to help me out with being more like...an average, likable eighteen year old." He prods on as we make our way towards the staircase.
I pause at the foot of the first flight of stairs and turn to look at him. The last time I checked, he was content being the bigger person in the equation.
"Why the sudden change in heart?" I ask, crossing my arms in front of my chest, "I've spent six days trying to get you to work on blending in and you finally decide that you want to. What's changed?"
"I've come to my decision based on a few observations I've made, actually." Nathaniel answer matter-of-factly, "The most recent being the perpetual ease with which Truck rushed to your help today. Your likability increases the chances of you receiving help and security when you need it, and I think that's something that would really work to my benefit."
I think for a few moments, biting my lip as I narrow my eyes.
"Okay." I nod slowly, "But that means we play by my rules, understand?"
"As long as I don't have to let go of my self respect, I'll do everything you propose." He nods solemnly.
I exhale deeply.
"Nathaniel Mirsalehi," I smile, a glint in my eyes, "Get ready to learn the art of unopulence."
"I don't think unopulence is an actual word." He frowns.
"I know," I shrug, too excited to correct myself, "But it fits perfectly in this context. So just roll with it."
"Right." He rolls his eyes as discreetly as possible.
"Well, be prepared for tomorrow buddy." I turn and start climbing the stairs, "Be ready by six."
"It's a Saturday, we don't have school." Nathaniel calls after me, "What do you want me for so early in the morning?"
"You'll see," I smile, mock saluting him, "Until then, comrade!"
•><•
So I'm sure many of you were wondering why I've used the word (un)opulence in the title. It's not a real word but as Ariya said, roll with it!
Please vote, comment, share and don't forget to spread the love! It means the world to me.
What do you think of piercings?
Personally, I like ear and lip piercings. Like, they are hot!