"How can you understand any of that?!" I asked in disbelief.
"It's just seaspeak, it's the common language in the ocean."
"Girl, it's just blah blah blah blo blo blo-" she slapped her hand over my mouth, the rest of my tirade muffled.
"You can't say that!" She hissed, looking around in caution. No one heard that, but students were starting to notice.
I pulled her hand away, "So what? I'm right, you know I'm right."
She glanced away, the floor suddenly more interesting.
"Junoooo~ I'm riiiiight~"
"Even if that's true…" she breathed, "what if someone heard that? Your reputation-"
"-can go to hell for all I care," I walked beside her, waving to my monkey bro on his way to a different class, "I'll take the blame, don't you worry," I resisted the urge to pet her, a doggy was still a doggy! And she was adorable at times.
She pouted in resignation, "If you say so…"
"Anyhow, you got the notes?"
"Seriously?" She deadpanned.
"Come ooooon, do me a favor, I'm a slow writer," I justified, my smile cheeky.
"... No."
We turned a corner, her class ahead. Mine was a bit farther, a minute away from hers.
"Please?"
"No," she reaffirmed, adjusting her bag.
"Pleeeease?"
"I said no-"
"Pretty pleeeeeease~?" I blinked innocently, quickly adding in her ear, "I'll tell you more human secrets…"
The dual triangles perked up in an instant, her tail wagging curiously, "That… is very tempting…"
"I'll tell you how America became independent."
Her hand slapped onto mine, shaking vigorously, "That's a deal! Meet me at the library after clubs!" She then let go, diverging from the path to her classroom.
"Arlight, see you later!"
"Byeeee~" She disappeared behind the door, leaving me on my own.
That wolf was the spitting image of an extrovert. Did I already realize that? When I thought I got the schematics, she pulled a new trick under me. She was just so… good.
Continuing towards my own class, a gloom settled overhead, created by my own two halves of a brain. Not only was she very popular and well-liked in all social circles, she was everything I aspired to be. And failed to be.
She was always nice to everybody, she was way more active than me, she was a golden student. She was the peak. Compared to her? I wasn't even a third. I didn't think getting back in the groove was so difficult. I managed but not to the extent of pre-stasis. I had gotten into a fight over something trivial and…
The only reason everyone liked me was for what I was. I was human. An alien in their world. It had become such an obvious part of my life that I started to believe I was somehow normal again. I was normal, but not to them.
Slowing down to a crawl, I felt angry at myself. Life was good, so why was I so negative? It wasn't like the world was out to get me; everyone loved me. I got everything I wanted, I had a truly loving friend; Miya. She was a real friend, maybe Juno too.
The rest weren't real. During breakfast, I eavesdropped on a nearby table. I shouldn't have. I should have listened to the wolf and cheetah babble about their girly things. I was a "brute." I was an "autist." I was "too far from the earth," I didn't know what it meant but it was surely another insult.
Yet, why should I take that seriously? Everyone suffered from gossip and lies. That was a sign I was one of them! A few bad apples in an orchard held no significance in the grand harvest of things. They were probably just like that loser fox; a minority of haters with stupid excuses.
And what if they weren't? A tiny voice nibbled, taunting. I hadn't ridden myself of that doubt. Perhaps Miya didn't fully eradicate it…
„No…" I couldn't do that to her, she should rest. I had to think logically, I was wrong! I wasn't the problem; they were. I had let them get to me, spending precious neurons on their existence, a bunch of squatters living rent-free in my head.
Rubbing my forehead, I swallowed, dread gripping my heart. I was homesick, that was it. Maybe I was imagining things, their voices naught but flickering winds. Maybe… maybe…
I needed a rest.
Bumping into someone, I swerved around them, quietly apologizing before raising my head. In front of me was a convenient bench, empty and close to my class. I sat down, my hands on my knees and back slightly bent forward, sweat threatening to break free.
I was overthinking it. Deep breath in, and out. I feared something, it had to be the source of the recent line of convoluted logic. It was a good thing I beat him up, that way the bullies wouldn't dare direct confrontation. Who cared if they talked behind my back? Saying nasty things I didn't get because of their slang and always fucking staring-
"Can I help you?" I looked up, squinting at the student before me.
Wearing the male uniform, a deer about my height stared me down, the green jacket in my closet on his person. Wasn't it hot under so many layers? Stylish, sure, but-
He cleared his throat, crossing his arms impatiently, "Yes, you can, human-san."
…
What kind of hookie dookie shit is that?
"Okay," I played along, "what is it you need?" His antlers intimated me, the impaling potential was crazy. How did the horned kind shower?
"Are you serious?" He laughed dryly, smirking. "Do you often collide with fellow students before running off?" Sarcasm dripped from his hostile tone, his left ear twitching.
"No?" I leaned away, both hands on the bench.
"Hmph. No mannerism at all," he tsked, crossing his arms while sending me a sideways glance.
I was getting mixed signals and I didn't like it one bit.
"What's the issue, man?" I scooted to the right, the classroom in view. Where the hell were… everybody?
"The issue," he spat, "is your self-absorption. Do you think your position gives you the right to disrespect us?"
I replied, genuinely baffled, "Who the- who is us? What are you talking about?"
"Don't act so oblivious, human-san, you know exactly what you're doing," he glared, making it difficult to look him in the eye.
"...How about you tell me what I did wrong… so I can make amends," I reasoned, my heartbeat increasing.
"If you don't realize your errors, it's your problem," he huffed, grinning with a hand behind his back.
"..."
I was about to crash out. I…
I took a deep silent breath before asking, "Who even are you?"
He snapped towards me, caught in the headlights, heh, puns, "What?"
"Who. Are. You?" I repeated each word, carefully standing up. I was right; we were the same height.
"I am Louis," he finally introduced himself, "your senior. And as your senior, show some respect, others aren't as forgiving as I am."
I wanted to punch him in the face. Who the hell did he think he was?! Venison for dinne- no, stop it. That's too far.
He was trying to get a reaction, I smiled internally, having figured out his intentions. He was testing me! I didn't care if I met his criteria, but I shouldn't fall into the spider's web when I was aware of it.
"You're right," I raised my hands in surrender, "I should do that."
Smiling triumphantly, he relaxed, "I see you've come to your senses-"
"Unfortunately, I still don't know who you are, so does it really matter?" I stretched my lips a tad, revealing my teeth.
"I refuse to believe you don't know who I am!" He declared, "Do you live under a rock?!"
"Actually, I have, when I destroyed that city center last year~" I clicked, "If I knew where you live, I would've aimed for your house!"
He looked me right in the eye with unwavering seriousness, a breath away from my face, "Really?"
"Pff, nah," I laughed, "I was asleep at the time, and I don't have a pilot's license," I snickered, "What? Did I scare you~?"
He grabbed me by the shirt, "Listen here you little-"
"Oh my gosh! It's Louis-senpaiiii~" A female screamed, making him let go of me immediately. Pussy.
"And Johnny-kuuun~!" Five of them appeared around the corner, waltzing up to us.
In an instant, all evidence of a conflict was erased. He now carried himself as he usually would, a greeting smile for his admirers.
"Ooo, ooo! Can we take a picture? It'll definitely go viral!" Another female spoke, pulling out a phone of an older design than mine.
Louis hummed, I wanted to wipe that smug ass so bad, "Sure, go ahead. Unless Johnny-san minds," he eyed me, barely turning his head.
"Sure…"
"Great!" She counted down from ten, preparing to snap a picture of us.
Keeping his hands behind his back, the deer awaited their shoot. So, he was popular. So, he switched up on me. So, I had an idea.
Throwing an arm over his back at three, I pinched his side, causing him to jerk momentarily. Luckily for him, I did that too early for it to be eternalized.
"Thank you, senpai~!" Their leader yipped, zooming past us while giggling like the school girls they were.
Once they were out of sight, he pushed me away, clenching his fists, "You dare touch me?" He seethed, though solely in tone.
"It was an accident, sharp claws and all that," I examined my fingernails, I'd need to trim them next week.
"Liar. Humans have soft nails."
"Oh? So you watched the broadcast?" I smirked.
"Everyone has. If you do that again, I'll-"
"You'll what? Get me suspended? You… started this…" I no longer felt confident in my pointless conviction.
"...Is that a challenge?" I could swear I saw a glint in his eye.
With a sigh, I relented, "No…"
"If so- what?"
"Look…" I searched for the right words, "I'm sorry if I hurt your precious feelings," likely pride, "but I don't care enough to remember this interaction."
"Why are you apologizing all of a sudden?"
"I'm not."
"You're contradicting yourself."
"I didn't mean it. Dude," at that moment I decided to follow my doctrine, "I'll be honest with you. I don't give a fuck. I don't care if you're popular, I don't care if you got aaaaall the bitches in the world, no one will care after graduation."
"You say that without meaning as well, correct?" He scoffed, "It must be so easy to say that while having everything handed to you on a silver platter, without lifting a finger," he stuck out his pinkie.
I covered my face, whimpering, „Oh lord, you're a dumbass…"
"What was that?"
"Bro," I looked at him, determined, "I. Don't. Care. You think I asked to be here? Do you really think I get all this shit for free?" I laughed, once, "I paid a price, buddy. If you really watched the broadcast, you'd know. But you're doing this to get a rise out of me," I lost my breath, taking a step towards him.
"I-"
"You got a family?"
He blinked, insert deer joke here, "Yes, what does that have to do…" he stopped mid-sentence, blankly staring back.
"Yeah," closing the already small gap, I patted his shoulder, "Treasure them, because you don't know when it'll be the last."
Passing him, my hand slipped off, loyally returning to my side. Complex emotions swarmed my blood pump, a shell of confusion clouding a conclusion to what just happened. There could have been a better route, either way I was glad to have ended that bullshit.
I didn't dedicate any further thought to that… special individual. Reaching the door to my class, I still reflected on our conversation, opening the door. Something fell… off. The class was full, everyone had arrived before me, leaving only two available spots that were adjacent to each other.
It was forced. I picked the table closer to the middle of the room for a better view of the board. The way he talked, his gestures, it was all wrong. He definitely had something to hide, but didn't we all? That feeling originated from my gut, warning me to stay clear of that red deer. Or it was the food in the cafeteria, cheeseless pizza was a war crime.
Taking my seat, I occupied myself with the clock above the board. A minute before we started on more science. At least I had something to help me forget the past dozen minutes. He wasted my entire break, the bastard! I never wanted to see him again, that was optional, a week would do too.
Rummaging through my bag, I heard the door to the class open and close, the last student having arrived in the nick of time. Placing the notebook on the table without looking up, I also brought out a pencil case, half the volume pens and their accessories. It was better to flourish than thirst.
Putting the case beside the notebook, I intertwined my fingers, paying full attention to the teacher as a deer sat at the- wait, what?
Glancing to the side, it was him! He was my neighbor for the next two hours! The next… two… hours…
Taking a deep breath, I sighed, promising to ignore his presence for the duration of the lesson. It didn't make the experience any less awkward, though. Stupid red deer.