"Don't be overwise; fling yourself straight into life, without deliberation; don't be afraid - the flood will bear you to the bank and set you safe on your feet again."
― Fyodor Dostoevsky,
I got the hang of it eventually and he finally stopped laughing like freaking Scooby-Doo. Man, and I thought I had a weird laugh.
"*sigh* So why are you here? I told my story." I ask, genuinely curious.
"It's boring as hell but, as you said. My friend is younger than me and has strict parents, so he just left on the last bus. I was kinda just wondering what to do for the night." He shrugs.
"I see. How old are you and your friend?"
"Detective now huh?" He Snickers. "I'm sixteen, my friend Kisaki is thirteen."
"THIRTEEN!!!! WHAT! I thought like within a year that's three! The fuck?"
"Quick maths!!" He exclaims sarcastically. "Friends are hard to find, I'll take what I can get ok? ...HEY DON'T PITY ME!"
"Sorry sorry!" I put my hands up as if he were a police officer.
"It's fine."
"Hey, the rain is dying down." I observe.
"Yeah, it is... Hey! before you go." He asks as I stand up.
"Sup?"
"Could I get your number? You know so we don't completely lose contact? Like I said, friends are hard to find." He awkwardly explains.
"Sure, here is my number." I told him as he put it in his phone.
"Here's mine." He gives his to me and I put him in my contacts as, bench guy.
"Cool, see you." I wave and start my journey back to my house.
"It was nice talking! Oh and! Don't forget to discard that cig before you get home. I know your parents don't allow it, little guy!" He yells.
"I AM NOT LITTLE!" I yell back laughing.
—home—
As soon as I'm home I'm welcomed by my first text from him.
[bench guy]: my name is Shuji Hanma by the way.
[Me]: cool. Mines y/n l/n
I'm actually quite surprised he texted me first. I set my phone down on my desk and sit down on my bed. The walk home sucked; it felt like my joints were made of a stiff metal that hadn't been oiled in decades. The cold from the rain didn't help either. It was pleasant, not one bit.
Asides from that, I made a friend! Someone who listened and, for the most part, didn't judge. I can tell he isn't a good influence, but even while I was sitting by him in the most quiet and boring setting, it felt like sparks enveloped my body.
I hope we can cross paths again.
-morning-
I still ache, but I can deal with it. I go down the hall to the kitchen and have a small breakfast. I'm not usually hungry in the morning but my mom has most recently started to blame my lack of energy on no breakfast. So to prove her wrong, I've started to try and eat breakfast.
Once I've finished eating I grab my things and step out the door. The smell of a morning after rain hugs my body like a whisper from the earth that today is going to be good. It's about a twenty minute walk to school, just me and nature, along with the occasional car driving down the road. To make that time go by I love to listen to music, but only with one earbud, I can't trust myself two.
As I approach the school building my mood deteriorates, it's exam week. I have two tests today, social and science. Neither I studied for, as per lack of time and motivation... Perhaps I could stop at the gas station to treat myself after school.
And with that I go my first class. The teacher talks blankly and this annoying student in front of me would not stop tapping their pencil out of beat. Man, if only I could listen to some music and work. I have trouble focusing when a teacher only talks and doesn't give us material to work on. After a grueling 70 minutes of lecturing the class ends and I go to the second period, social. Shit! My test is this period, dear whatever is up there please spare me. I want to pass this year!!
I walk into the classroom and sit at my desk waiting for the test to be handed out. Then I hear my phone buzz, a text message. I wonder what it could be, I pick it up and-
"Ok everyone! Phones away, it's time for the test!"
God damn it.
I have no idea what to expect for that test, I was distracted by that mysterious text the whole time. As soon as that devil test was over I scrambled out of the classroom to check my phone.
"Hey y/n slow down!" My friend, Leaf, yells trying to catch up.
"NOT NOW!" I snatch my phone up from my bag and flip it open to check the message.
[bench guy]: yo.
[me]: BRUH. YOU MADE ME FAIL MY TEST FOR A SIMPLE, YO?!!?
"Oh my gosh? Y/n you're fuming? What the fuck?" Leaf gasps.
"Stupid text message stupid test!!" I yell.
"Mmhm yes, ok, I see... To be honest, actually I dont. y/n can you translate for me?"
"Look!" I shoved the phone in their face.
"Who's bench guy?"
"The person who made me fail this goddamn test, that's who!"
I calm down through the day and then the last period comes along. The teacher sits us down for our science test, and because whatever being up or down there hates me, because my phone buzzes.
You have to be fucking kidding me.
I am less distracted this time because this test is insanely hard. What the hell is a direct circuit and what does it have to do with this round scribble? I'm gonna pass away. Anyway, even if I didn't get that text, I still would've failed. I casually open the texting app.
[bench guy]: oh sorry lol.
I feel anger.
School finally ends leaving me defeated and tired. Regardless I still promised myself I'd go to the gas station with my aforementioned friend, Leaf. Candy, monster, and one bag of chips, a worthy prize for this noble quest called, 'high school'.
"Ok so other than the guy making you stay back a grade, how else do you know that dude?" Leaf asks curiously as we walk out the store.
"I'm not sure exactly how we connected so well, but I met him last night while taking shelter from the rain." I shrug while opening my drink.
"Ooo soo... is he, you know, handsome???" Leaf pesters.
"You literally do this every single time I meet anyone new." I sigh.
"You're avoiding the question~" they lean closer like a cat giggling.
"Hmmmm, I guess so? He accepted my gender without judging, I find that attractive." I chuckle.
"But like ... any physical features?? Describe him to me, quick, quick."
"He had quite a deep voice, super tall.."
"And....." they question further.
"He had an undercut with the top part of his hair kinda standing up, like a Mohawk but not really. To be honest would look much better if he just let it be but that's fine" I laugh to myself. "He had an earring that complimented his jaw nicely along with gold eyes and big brown eyebrows. I think that's about it."
"You should go into like the police or something that's a crazy detailed description." Leaf smirks as they plop down on a bench we had found as we were walking.
"Only because you asked." I sigh and sit next to them.
Once Lesf is done bugging me, talk about anything and everything, tv shows, gay stuff, stupid homophobes, ur mom jokes. You know, the usual. I quite like talking one on one with people especially when the conversation isn't dry as hell. That's one of the things I love about Leaf, they always manage to keep a conversation alive.
"Oh my god. Wait. I think that's our guy! He matches your description PERFECTLY!!!" Leaf suddenly yells, turning heads around us.
Sure enough it is him. He is wearing a white bomber jacket that matches his two, what I could only suspect, friends. He is talking animatedly with his hands swinging and making punching motions, it is quite cute from afar. His two friends look, well, just as unordinary as him.
One is about half his height, he has a similar hairstyle to Hanma except it is an off gold-ish yellow. The dude is in desperate need of some toner for that color god damn. He has eyebrows that were so on point they almost looked drawn on, most likely by Hanma. Oh! And he wears really chunky rectangular red and gold glasses.
The second is a bit taller than the first, with a yellow and black mullet. Man, both of them, no, all three of them could benefit from some toner. His eyes are open and alert, like nothing could pass by him. He wears an earring that jingles as he walks and I honestly love it. He also has a tattoo of a tiger on his neck. I have no idea how the hell you could manage to get a tattoo at that age unless you lived on like a freaking GTA server but, ok.
"We should go say hi!" Leaf grabs my wrist and drags me towards them.
"That's not a good idea! I don't know his friends and I left him on read!" I desperately complain, but we are already there before Leaf could even think about their own actions.
Hanma turns and his eyes catch ours. "Oh hey y/n! You left me on read." He bends over and smiles.
"Only because you made me fail two semester tests!" I retort looking straight up at him.
"You really think you failed?" Leaf laughs.
"Who's that?" Hanma points to Leaf.
"Leaf, my friend." I sigh.
"Very cool, very cool, well behold!! I have more friends than you!! Exactly..one, two, three, THREE more!" He brags.
I see his friend with glasses facepalm behind him and I burst out laughing.
"Whatcha laughing at?!" He stands up straight.
"Oh nothing sir!" I giggle.
"Wait, you only have one more friend than y/n?" Leaf questions, confused.
"I was including myself" he gestures dramatically.
"Pfffffff that's lame as fuck!" I laugh.
"Ok whatever you say I find great friendship within mys- OH WAIT IS THAT MONSTER LEMME HAVE SOME!"
"No! HEY!!" I bolt and he chases me.
"I let you borrow yesterday, comeee onnn pleaseeeee!!" He yells.
I stop in my tracks, we are fairly far away from everyone so it was safe. I grab his arm and yank him down so he has to look me in the eyes.
"You will tell no one that I smoked yesterday, got it?" I whisper sternly.
"Ok, ok, ok, geez why so serious?" He chuckles.
I squeeze his arm tighter. "If my friends find out, word will somehow spread, and get to my mom, I can guarantee it. If she finds out, I'll never see the light of day again. So please, Hanma, please. Don't tell." I force back tears, feeling overwhelmed.
"Oh, ok I see, I'll keep it. But you know it might strengthen my secret holding ability if you let me have some of your drink~~" he purrs.
"Ok sure, keep it." I let go and push the drink onto his chest.
"HEY WHAT U DOING OVER THERE!" Leaf yells.
"COMING MOM!" I yell back sarcastically.