2. "Whatever, Bedhead."

SumirexKoko

Sore throats and spring are an interesting time. Sumire with a sore throat makes Koko's day even better.

"Say it."

Sumire resisted the urge to scowl at the mind reader with every fiber or her being. He'd been bothering her about this for the past two weeks, and she was near tearing her hair out. They could've been talking about anything, absolutely anything, and somehow it'd always get back to this. She refused to respond to those words. In the beginning, she would put up a strong fight and protest with all the yelling she could muster, but after repeating it almost fourteen times her throat felt like sandpaper.

"Come on, Sumire. Just say it."

Her eyes instantly narrowed and she threw him a death glare. 'Just say it.' It wasn't that simple. She couldn't 'Just say it.' That was like telling someone: 'Just try not to drown in the deep end, even though you can't swim.' There always seemed to be a smile attached to his face. Even when she threw rocks at him in her thoughts. It didn't help her become unpissed. Especially now. She couldn't 'Just say it' when he's smiling like an idiot.

The boy beside her let out a long sigh and rested his hands behind his nape. "You know, I have no problem admitting it at all. I don't know why you just can't tell me out loud."

She snuck a glance at him. His smile, his eyes, they both appeared less bright. It was as if his whole face was fading into a big, ugly frown. The deep, ocean blue irises and pitch-black pupils met her large emerald green orbs. As they carefully watched each other he gradually perked up, and his face became the usual blinding light bulb that it always was. She was one of the few people who could actually detect his change in expression. She'd known him for quite a few years and had seen every possible emotion he had.

'I can't tell you out loud because my throat feels like a cactus, okay? You can read my thoughts anyway. I'm positive you've heard the exact sentence you want me to say in my head about three hundred times now,' She thought, her eyes narrowing into slits of anger all over again. She was really tired of this.

"I don't mind if it sounds a little scratchy. I want to hear it. In words. Please."

'Koko! It's not that flippin' simple! Thinking it is one thing, and saying it is something completely different! Man, I hate you!' He wasn't just rocking the boat. He was holding boulders and jumping up and down on it like a kangaroo.

"You don't hate me. That's not a very nice thing to say right now. Tomorrow's graduation. For you, anyways." He crossed his arms over his chest. It was a bit cold outside. Spring was barely popping its head out, yet she would be graduating to the Junior Division the next day. She had always had that two-year advantage on Koko, but it had never really been a problem before. Yet they would soon be in entirely different buildings in entirely different parts of the school.

'Duh.' That's all she had the patience to think to him.

"Sumire! Can you just say it? Just once! We're definitely not going to see each other as much, and I've already told you it at least twenty times! Just say it!" He was getting kind of frustrated with her too, but above all, she was the most frustrated one of the two. He dropped his arms to his sides and his smile wavered for a moment.

"You're a moron," She said bitterly. It was like she swallowed nails every time she spoke. The actual sound of her voice wasn't as bad as she predicted. It was indeed a bit scratchy, but not terribly rough.

"That's not what I meant. And name-calling is not very nice, Curly. I guess we just won't talk to each other for a good two years." Sure, name-calling wasn't very nice, but would it be acceptable if she threw a big wad of slushy snow at his face? She didn't know what she hated more at that moment. Koko, the idea of never talking to Koko again, or the realization that she'll have to 'Just say it' to Koko eventually.

A sigh.

She gave in.

"I'll miss you," She whispered.

His smile grew and cockiness formed in his eyes. Of course she noticed this and wanted to rip those eyes out right away, but that wouldn't be very nice either. He put a hand up to his ear. "What was that? I didn't quite catch it."

"I'll miss you." This time the volume of her voice was raised, and the porcupine in her throat emerged yet again.

"…One more time…"

"I'll miss you, you idiot!" She cried, as loud as she could at the time being, and tightly crossed her arms over her stomach. She pouted at the sidewalk below them.

He chuckled and wiped away his crocodile tears of laughter. "You see, it wasn't that hard, was it?"

She ruffled her hand through his spiky dirty-blonde hair, not making much of a difference but still making the mind reader jump back in a ninja move. She was surprised it was pretty soft for looking like a field of spears. "Hey, hey! Don't ruin the masterpiece! You don't see me coming at you with a straightening iron, Curly!"

Her previous anger dissolved and she let out a laugh. "Whatever, Bedhead."