Step. Step. Step.

Brown shoes clacked hurriedly down the empty hallway, their loud echos following behind a young raven haired man. With an exasperated sigh, Cheren adjusted his glasses and hastily opened his planner, quickening his pace.

[Tutoring appointment: 2:30pm]

"Great, I'm late," he muttered under his breath. "Of course Touya wanted to show me his new x-transceiver.. . because I so want to see that."

Step. Step. Step.

After passing the music room and gym room, Cheren would be at his meeting spot with his appointment: the library. After school sports sounded like it was just ending, a screeching whistle blared and squeaks of tennis shoes coming from the gym. Another sigh from Cheren. Late. Yes, people would want a tutor who was late.

"Ugh, what a both-"

-Wham!-

The gym door swung open suddenly, effectively cutting off Cheren's complaint with a slam to the face. After a sharp 'crunch!' and a dull thud, the ravenette clutched his face in pain and stifle back a slew of swears.

"Oh Arceus, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you!" A green haired teen peered his head from the door, concern on his face for the stranger and his face he just bashed in.

Cautiously, Cheren peeled his face from his hands, the bridge of his nose throbbing. No longer being pressed to its owner's face, his glasses fell to the ground with a clatter, broken and battered as the face it rested on. Only when he straightened up did Cheren notice the trickle of blood from his nose.

Fan-freaking-tastic. It was one thing to be late and another to show up to his appointment looking like he just got mugged. Cheren got nosebleeds all the time. He knew how to handle them. But it still was just another inconvenience after another and the blood had already started dripping onto his white button up shirt, leaving small scarlet stains. Bringing a sleeve to mop up the nosebleed (the shirt was already ruined. More stains weren't going to make a difference), the tutor glared at who opened the gym door.

Cheren's eyes widened slightly in recognition of the tea green haired male who was still apologizing profusely. Aaron Santicks. A year Cheren's junior, Aaron placed among the top four trainers in his grade. He was also one of the star players of the high school soccer team so it wasn't uncommon to hear his name whispered among the hallways of the school.

"It's fine," Cheren interjected tersely, cutting off Aaron's rampant apologies.

"You didn't see me. I get it. It's not your fault, Aaron. Now," he bent down and gathered up the loose papers from his planner, "if you will excuse me, I am late."

The young raven haired man rolled up his sleeves and went to adjust his glasses- his hands awkwardly hovering where his glasses used to be. Where did they go now? Dropping his hand to adjust his tie instead, the tutor glanced around trying to locate his glasses. But it was hard to look for something when you couldn't exactly see. Giving up the search, Cheren lifted his head to stare at the green blob in from of him.

Aaron gaped at him. He... knew his name? Aaron had only seen the black haired teen occasionally in the halls but had n idea what his name was let alone who he was really. Before he had a chance to respond, Cheren hastily brushed past the athlete, continuing on his way to the library.

"H-Hey wait!" But the tutor didn't respond to Aaron's plea, and turned the hallway corner, shoes once again echoing down the hallway, each footstep softer than the last.

"You... forgot your glasses," Aaron finished. In Cheren's haste, he left his red glasses on the ground, promptly broken in half and lens shattered. No use in leaving them here... Aaron bent down and quietly pocketed them, careful not to break them anymore. I'll give them to him tomorrow. And maybe apologize a few more times. And with that promise, Aaron continued on his way home, anxious for what tomorrow would bring.