Now we're on our way to the dance, and I ended up in a dress after all. I guess I don't completely hate it, the white lace and khaki color underneath is kind of pretty. And wearing the white hoodie over it makes me feel comfortable too. Unlike the angel wings sitting between my shoulder blades, which feel like someone keeps tapping me on my back with every step I take.
"You really think this costume looks okay?" My anxiety was starting to act up already. Knowing I was going to be in a room with a large amount of people was enough to do that on a normal day. But now I get to add the additional fact that I'm in costume as well, so I was really nervous as we got closer to school.
"You look beautiful Seraphim. Just like any angel I'd expect to see." His words sounded sincere, almost serious. And he called me beautiful... Of all the possible descriptions for how I looked, I wasn't expecting to hear that one. It made me wonder...
"Kaz, can I ask you something? Was it really just my name that gave you the angel costume idea?" He stopped walking then and looked up at the sky. The sun was setting and the borderline between the end of day and beginning of night was clear. He took his lucky bat off his shoulder and put the end on the ground, and leaned against the top.
"Well... It's kind of a long story, I don't think now is the right time to tell it though. Come on, we don't want to be late."
"Nuh-uh pal. If there's some other motive for me dressing up like this, I want to know about it. You have an angel fetish or something?"
"WHA... NO?! Geez, you're really going to push the issue, huh." he sighed heavily before continuing. "This is going to come off sounding crazy, but you remind me of someone... that became an angel."
"Huh?"
"My older sister, she died a few years before you moved here. I know I don't speak of her, and for that I'm rather ashamed. It's just that... you remind me of her."
I didn't know what to say to that. It's true, I didn't know he had an older sister. I never saw any family photos where anyone other than his parents and him were in them.
"How do I...? What is it about me that reminds you of her?" I managed to ask.
He looked up at the sky again, then he looked back at me. Tears were welling up in his eyes, he tried to blink them away but doing so only caused them to roll down his cheeks.
"She was such a sweet, innocent girl. She was overweight, and her fellow students used that to ridicule and bully her constantly. My sister, who would never hurt anyone the same way she was being hurt, began to change. She lost interest in the activities she had once loved. I only saw her at meals or when she was leaving the house for school or coming back. Eventually she stopped coming out of her room for those things as well. One day, we went to her room when she didn't answer or come out..." His voice wavered there, his emotions had risen up to choke the words he was saying.
"Kaz..." I said as I reached out and put my hand on his shoulder.
"She died by her own hand, the pain that she had kept to herself overwhelmed her. I loved my sister dearly, but when she needed help the most I couldn't... I couldn't save her." His face reflected the regret and sadness, the tears still flowing although his voice was stronger than earlier. "My parents were ashamed of how she died, so their solution was to remove anything about her through our house. They never speak of her, and sadly I began to do the same."
"Shh...Shh... I'm sorry, I never should have asked. I had no idea, I'm so sorry Kazuto." I said, pulling him close and patting him on the back. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a close embrace. I did the same and we just stood there holding each other. He coughed to clear his throat as he let me go, and wiped the tears from his face with the sleeve of his baseball jersey. He took a deep breath and continued speaking.
"No, don't ever be sorry. I do feel a little guilty sometimes. See, that first day I saw you walking to school was the first time I was reminded of my sister again. I had pushed those feelings away for so long, that when I saw you, they all came rushing back. I didn't know what to do, but I realized something. Either I could ignore you and avoid feeling that pain, or I could try to be your friend, and if something like what happened to my sister happened to you, I could be there to help you the way I wish I could've helped her. I hope that doesn't make you think less of me, Sera."
"Of course I don't. Whatever reasons you had, I'm just glad that we are friends. Honestly, I had no idea why a guy as cool and popular as you would want to spend time with someone like me. And that day when you stopped those bullies... I had no idea that you had such a... noble reason for helping me like that. I think your sister would be very proud of you."
He finally smiled again and looked back up at the sky. The night had won its battle against the sun once again and the stars had revealed themselves. "Yeah, I think she is. So you aren't offended to be wearing that now that you know why I suggested it?"
"Nah, like you said, I can be anyone I want to be tonight. I think I can deal with being your angel for a day." I said as I nudged him, the both of us began to laugh a little.
"Yeah, well I guess I won't get to show off my very own angel if we don't get going. Shall we?" He picked up his lucky bat with one hand and pointed it towards the school and offered his other arm to me. I felt my cheeks grow hot as I wrapped my arm around his and proceeded to walk the rest of the way to the dance arm-in-arm. Was I dreaming? This has to be some kind of illusion or something. As happy as I was to be this close to him, I was afraid that our happy little friendship bubble was about to pop.
