Another day, another chapter.
It's actually a short chapter without Aomine, so maybe it won't be too interesting but I got something really nice planned in the next or the one after the next. Hope you'll like it Karen and of course the other readers. Big thanks once more go to...
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Once more, thank you for your lovely reviews, the follows and favorites. I hope you'll continue to enjoy this story. Especially you, Karen, I know you're reading it already. I told you I'd update it this early.
DAY SIX
"Lucky paradox."
These two words startled the orange-haired girl as she accidently pushed two buttons at the same time. The tiny figure on the television rolled forward instead of jumping towards the side which resulted into falling into a pit. A deafening cry of pain greeted her ears as the familiar words 'Game Over' appeared on the screen.
Mia groaned, she had been so close to beating that level, but now they had to start it again. Pouting, she lifted the controller in her hands into the air, giving the girl who lay on her bed the chance to grasp it. It only took a few seconds before the item left her hand, giving her the chance to draw her legs towards her chest. Mia had sat at the feet of her bed for a long time already; her limbs had fallen asleep and needed a bit movement.
"What do you mean?" She finally asked.
Nanami shifted slightly to get more comfortable, one finger pressing a button to start the game once more. The voice of her friend still sounded a bit funny, her cold was still clinging to her health. Although the fever had nearly disappeared completely - a great relief for both of them, Mia thought.
"You are." The black haired girl repeated; her eyes fixated on the television in front of them to not repeat the same mistake Mia had done. "A lucky paradox. I mean after what I heard about that Aomine, I was to one hundred percent sure he would kill you."
The girl who sat on the ground frowned. Both arms hugged her legs closer to her chest to seek the comfort Nanami obviously wasn't offering. Her dear friend had always been rather blunt. If not pessimistic. Painfully pessimistic.
"That's cruel, Nanami." Mia whined half-hearted.
"It's true." She insisted, her voice rising as she barely escaped an enemy in the game. "I heard that he's got some shady friends as well."
"Well, if he even got some." The orange-head sighed. "I only see him hanging around Sakurai-san. And I don't think that he's the bad influence."
"Mh...what about the girl?" Nanami mused, not once letting her gaze break the contact with the television.
Girl?
Mia had to rummage through her memories for a second until she remembered the face of a stranger. The girl with the bright long hair who had come and fetched the titan in the break as he had tried to squish her head...right, she could be his friend as well. Well, that meant he had two. It wasn't her place to judge though; she barely had a single one to lean on either.
"She doesn't look like a drug dealer to me." The girl explained right after her friend cursed beneath her breath.
An enemy had crushed the figure on the screen. Forcing the letters to return which spelled 'Game Over'. With a grumble of insults meant for the damn animated monster, she handed the controller back to Mia who was now given the chance to finally clear the level they had been stuck at the past twenty minutes.
But before she could've pressed the button, someone knocked onto her door. Both girls looked up, nearly calling out at the same time that the door was open. That invitation led an older woman to push the wooden barrier open. She smiled at the teenagers who she had seen in that situation already a handful of times, her one hand forcing a few stubborn hair strands to get out of her sight.
"There is a call for you, Mia."
A call?
The orange haired girl turned towards Nanami in confusion although her friend shrugged with her shoulders just as surprised as she was. After a second of hesitation, Mia handed the controller back to the black haired girl, standing up to obediently answer the unexpected caller.
"Thanks, Mum." Mia said while waving at the other girl. "You can try again without me."
"Alright." Nanami breathed, her attention slowly returning towards the screen.
The other one of them followed her mother down the stairs where their telephone was placed, the older woman smiled slightly at her daughter as she carried on towards the kitchen. The distinct scent of a meal which was cooked filled Mia's nostrils as her mind tried to guess what they would eat today. Something with meat, her inner voice hummed delightfully while her hand grasped the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Ah, Nidori-san, right?"
She didn't know that voice was Mia's first thought. It was definitely female. But none of her classmates had ever a reason up until now to call her at home. The orange haired girl furrowed her brow, adjusting her grip on the receiver as her gaze fell to the pad next to the telephone.
"Y...yeah. Can I help you with something?"
There was a breath of relief on the other side of the line accompanied by a giggle. "You probably won't remember me. But my name is Momoi Satsuki."
"Uh-huh?" She had no idea who that was. Surely no classmate, right?
"I just wanted to ask you something. It maybe sounds a bit weird but...have you become friends with Aomine-kun?"
Aomine?
If there weren't enough wrinkles on Mia's forehead yet then surely there were now. Who would want to know something like that? She couldn't imagine anyone out there care about the relationship she had with that guy. If someone could even call what little interaction they had over the past week a relationship of some sort.
"No." The orange-head replied honestly. "No, I don't think I have."
At first there was silence. No breath or word reached her ears until Mia actually glanced at the telephone to check if the stranger had already hung up. But if the display wasn't lying at her, and the girl was certain she had never done anything to their phone which could lead the object to do so, the call hadn't ended yet.
"Oh." Ah, finally a sign of life. A slightly disappointed one if she heard correctly. "Well, I really hope that you do become friends. I don't know if I'm wrong but Aomine-kun is doing better than before. Even if it's just a little bit."
What?
Mia fidgeted a bit on her feet, feeling suddenly a bit uncomfortable. What had exactly happened that changed her life so much? It was as if everything circled around that blue haired guy since she had dared to wake him up. If this was some show then he was something like the sleeping dragon and she the poor excuse of protagonist who pushed the wrong button with full force.
Or maybe a stupid comedy show on her behalf.
Her lips formed a few words she couldn't speak; she was at loss because how could she reply to such a request? It was weird to be asked something like that. They were high school students for god's sake and not little children...or weren't they?
"Uh..." Was the first thing she was able to utter before she cleared her throat. "...okay?"
"Thank you. Have a nice day!"
And just like that the stranger or better said, Momoi Satsuki, hung up on her. Mia blinked, still confused, at the telephone and then at the receiver as she let her hand fell from her ear. What was that about? Who was that? Why in the world would someone ask her something like this? And the request to...the girl frowned at her feet before she put the receiver back to its original place.
She shouldn't be surprised anymore. Her life had suddenly taken a turn to strange situations and events. Maybe she really was a paradox like Nanami said, although she couldn't vouch for the lucky part.
"Ah, Mia - dinner is ready in half an hour, alright? I made an extra salad without onions for Nanami-chan."
Her mother's voice reached her ears numbly before the meaning finally got through her head. Quickly the teenager nodded. Soon realizing that the woman couldn't see it while being in another room, she scoffed slightly at her own stupidity. She was too tired already. Approaching the staircase to return to her room, Mia parted her lips to reply loudly.
"Alright, thanks mum!"
The orange-head hurried up the stairs, rushing into her room without missing a heartbeat because in her own four walls she felt the safest. At her sudden entrance her friend stopped the game, tilting her head towards her in a confused manner. Nanami's expression was still as calm and collected as ever even though her voice carried her caginess perfectly.
"What's wrong? Who called?"
Mia slumped down in front of the bed once more, a deep sigh escaping her as she leaned against the bed.
"I don't even know anymore..."
At first Nanami lifted an eyebrow into the air, staring the girl down before she dared to start the game again. By a single glance Mia could tell that she was still stuck in the same level as they were before. A familiar silence filled the room. Only the clash of weapons and music from the television filled the air around them with some kind of noise. The orange-head watched her friend play a while longer until her mind had finally pieced the words together for the next question she wanted to ask.
"Who in the hell is Momoi Satsuki?"