A Cold Snap
14.
He's back with a glass of water. And an ice pack.
I just stare at them as he offers them. I kind of want to ask why but the word won't come.
Finally, he sighs and slaps the ice pack on my jaw.
It's sudden and cold.
It's a shock.
Yeah, all change is a shock.
'Shinya's not a bad kid,' the boy says. 'He just doesn't know when not to push, you know.'
Shinya pushed and pushed and pushed until he was pushed.
'I mean, it's karma in a sense. He pushed until someone pushed him back – but still, you're not supposed to do it literally.'
What even is this guy trying to say?
'What I'm trying to say is…' He runs a hand through his hair. 'I'm pissed. Really, I'm pissed. But you look so pathetic right now…' He shakes his head again. 'But you're not getting anywhere. You're pushing walls instead of the door.'