This World
"There are three things in this world I want more than anything. I'll tell you the first two, but I'll never tell you the third."
-Barry Lyga, The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl
There are only three things that Near wants in this world. The first was the advanced puzzle video game Matt received for his birthday last year – it wasn't a very good gift for Matt, since Matt wasn't one for puzzles, but it would make an excellent gift for Near. Matt let him read the back of the box – the game was made up of a series of very complex mazes, in which your character had to solve anagrams and crosswords to pass through each stage. It was a special "genius" edition, Matt had said, created for only the very best in the video game puzzle-solving community.
"Not exactly the kind of community I'm a part of," Matt had laughed. "I like those senseless violence fighting games, you know, Near?"
Matt would have given the game to Near, if Mello hadn't instantly requested it.
It had seemed so promising, too – sometimes, even Near got bored of doing the same thing over and over again.
The second thing he wanted was for Mello to grow some common sense. It was quite obvious that no one could ever beat Near—well, except maybe Matt, but only at certain junior-level video games—so why does he keep getting so frustrated? It was a waste, Near thought. Mello should be using all that energy for something more useful instead of channeling it into raw anger. Mello was too hotheaded, and needed to just sit down and clear his mind.
Near hated being around ignorant and foolish people.
Matt wasn't ignorant or foolish. He actually was quite intelligent, despite his grades. Near only talked to Matt a handful of times, but he enjoyed their conversations. They talked about the only two things they had in common—games, and Mello.
Most of the time, it was games. Most of the time, Near just sat back and let Matt rant about whatever fighting game he'd recently acquired, what the people on the forums were saying about it, and how the company only made a limited number and he had to fight his way through millions of internet buyers to get it. Near didn't mind, though, because he liked seeing Matt so alive with passion. It was a different kind of passion than the kind he saw in L or Mello—Matt truly loves what he does.
Matt didn't like talking about Mello.
"Near, you know he's my best friend…I really…can't say anything about him."
"Has he told you secrets?"
Matt paused and absently stroked the side of his Game Boy with his thumb. He bit his lip for a split second, then replied, "…Yeah. Yeah, he told me secrets."
Near felt a pang of something; an emotion he did not recognize. It was a mystery, a puzzle, and like all mysteries and puzzles the pieces must be found and it must be completed.
Matt saved his game and shut the console off. He stood up, looked over at Near, and saluted, smiling.
"Sorry, Near—I gotta go. Maybe I can try and swipe that one puzzle game you wanted from Mello, all right…?"
Near almost choked on his next words; by the time he finished coughing, Matt had already left with the door neatly closed behind him.
"There are three things in this world I want more than anything. I've told you the first two, but I'll never tell you the third."
-Barry Lyga, The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl