Rocket Man: Chapter 1
Fly Me To The Moon
The day was going horribly, and looked to be getting shitty for one Taylor Hebert. Like most days in mid-fall, it was raining a near constant sheet that did an excellent job soaking anyone caught in its reach right to the bone. And just like another new constant in her life, a certain Trio had the wonderful idea of taking her umbrella before merrily leaving the school to go shopping, or coffee, or maybe harassing the poor, leaving her to sit around the front facing stoop of Winslow debating the risk of getting utterly drenched to reach the bus or try to call her dad and get a ride home.
...No, no that wasn't happening. That would send up a red flag and give him more trouble than he needed. Not right now, when he was trying to secure that new deal with that manufacturing company moving outside of town. Nobody really knew why, but if they agreed that meant a lot of new work for a lot of people. Much more important than one girl in the rain...
"Guess I'll just run for it..." Taylor muttered to herself, preparing to do exactly such.
"Oi, don't do that! You'll get a cold!" A voice called out directly behind her, making Taylor startle and give a small yelp she would fervently deny. She hadn't even heard someone come near her!
And as she spun around, she honestly wondered how the hell she missed this guy. For starters, he was looking her directly in the eyes, putting him somewhere around 6 feet and had dark brown eyes that seemed to just shine with enthusiasm and mischief like a giant puppy. Those were the only normal things about him.
He had deep black pants and white shoes covered with drawings and stickers of planets and stars, a jacket that looked a size too small on him pulled tight against a red shirt again coated with stars, and, to top the weirdness sundae, an actual pompadour on his head. People still had those?
Also he was Asian, which was a thing one sadly had to take note of when you lived in a town that had a gang called the 'Asian' Bad Boys.
Quickly though, she was quick to snap out of any possible thoughts and opinions based on race and clothing for a second, and made sure to put up the indifferent mask she had been forced to practice the last little while. Better to see what he wanted...
"I'm sorry, why should I listen to you?" Taylor spoke while inwardly wincing. That came off much bitchier than she intended.
The worry was founded it seemed, as the strange boy flinched for a moment, before regaining himself, scratching the back of his head as he gave a sheepish laugh.
"Ah haha, I guess no reason, I don't really know you yet, but you'd been eyeing the route to the bus stop for a little bit and I heard you muttering about running, and thought I'd stop you? We're going to the same place, so why not share an umbrella?" The guy explained a bit hesitantly to start, before becoming more confident with each word, punctuating his last sentence with a swing of an umbrella Taylor hadn't even noticed before, startling her again.
Like the rest of this guy, it seemed really spaced out. A pure black canvas folded up but still covered in rings and dots like a model universe.
Okay, she could give him that. It was weird that this guy was offering something like that to someone he had never met, but the alternative was getting soaking wet for no reason, and it wasn't like they would be going somewhere out of sight of other people...
"Okay, I guess. If it's big enough for too people..." Taylor decided after a moment of thinking it over.
The guy's face lit up like it was the best news in the world, making Taylor feel a little tingly but that was pushed down with long practice.
"Great! Then onward we go! To the great adventure beyond these faded doors!" He called out as he threw his arms in the air, sword high above like a guiding spear.
Taylor felt herself blushing in embarrassment as the few amount of people also loitering around the school turned to the two, but he remained unaffected, simply motioning her to walk with him, already opening the umbrella as the doors opened and wind blew in.
"Oh geez! I haven't even introduced myself yet! My names Gentaro Kisaragi! We're gonna be great friends!" Gentaro crowed out as he fully stepped out the doors, offering his hand for Taylor to follow.
For some reason, the image made Taylor want to smile...so she did.
END OF CHAPTER
A neat little beginning that takes place about a year after Taylor's bullying started. A few things have happened already, but this is before some of the really horrific stuff happened, so Taylor's a bit more trustful of people so far.
So why not introduce a True Friend to this lonely girl? Things can only go well.