Red was never good at social interaction. In fact, he was so bad at it that he could count, on one hand, how many people had heard his voice. One was his mother. One was the kind lady that lives next door named Daisy, and the other was her younger brother, Green, who used to be his best (and only) friend. However, they got older, and Green is very charismatic and made lots of friends that Red can't compete with. So he stopped talking, and Green stopped replying.
They don't talk anymore, but the familiarity is there.
They don't talk anymore, but Red still listens.
On a weekend in spring, when all the flowers were coming into bloom and the trees began bearing fruit, Green and some other boy were out at the lake, near the jetty.
Red was reading under one of the surrounding trees. It's his favourite spot at the lake, and his mother's as well. Although, it was just him today. Usually they would sit together, but his mother was busy and Red preferred to keep out of her way. It's easier that way.
Green and his friend sat near the jetty, just within earshot. Red paid no mind to them. It's a public place, he thought. They are allowed to sit and disturb someone quietly reading.
It was only after he heard his own name mentioned several times that he began eavesdropping.
"How can you say something like that? He never talks to anyone, and barely interacts anyway. It's not like –
Looking up from his book, which was getting boring anyway, Red looks over to glance at what cut him off.
The boy is sitting with his back to him, and Green is sitting across from the other boy with a disappointed look on his face.
That's a new one.
Green reaches for the other boy's shoulder. "You've never talked to him, so you don't know what he's like." Pausing, Green kneads his hands in the grass, fiddling with the blades. "He's really nice. You just have to let him open up, that's all."
The other boy looks on in disbelief.
Red snickers and looks back at his book. He looked gobsmacked to me, and I can't even see his whole face.
The other boy shakes his head, and begins waving his arms exasperatedly. "Why would you care about Red anyway? He stopped talking to you! That's not what the person you just described would do."
Red flinched at the mention of his name. There was no way Green would want to spend time with him now when he has so many other better people to talk to, especially given they actually talk to others.
The other boy runs off after Green says something that was out of earshot. He's glad it was out of earshot.
Definitely glad.
Turning his attention fully back to his book, Red resumes his previous position, turned away from where Green and the other boy were sitting.
It's better this way.
Soft footsteps make their way over to Red. It's most likely his mother, so he doesn't move. He just pats the ground next to him as a gesture to sit. The owner of the footsteps does sit, but it's not his mother.
It's Green.
Sitting next to him, Green looks over at the book. "That's a good one, but haven't you already read it?"
Red stares at him.
Green looks blankly, until he begins to smile. "I missed your awkward moments."
"Y-You, you missed me?" Red splutters. "Seriously?"
Green just looks towards the lake and nods.
Wow.
Red smiles. "Then stop being such a people magnet. People are weird."
"Yes, they are. And you, Red, are the weirdest of them all." Green stands up, offering a hand. "Let's go. Daisy's at home making lunch. For three."
~FIN~