STUTTER

Chapter 3

I clicked my pen while staring at an unfinished sketch in my notebook, earning a foot gently nudging the side of my own. I looked over and saw none other than Mai sitting beside me with a smile on her face.

I saw her lips move but I was so focused on her face that I didn't realize what she said. "I'm sorry- what?"

"You're fidgeting kinda loudly.", she laughed a bit. "Here." She pulled a pencil from her bag and set it on my desk. "It's a bendy one. It'll keep the teacher from getting upset with you."

I picked it up and bent it with both hands. As promised, it didn't break and seemingly stretched harmlessly.

I was diagnosed with adhd at a very young age and it had only gotten worse as I grew older. I had a lot of sensory troubles and items to fidget with really helped with that. I could focus on what I was touching or playing with rather than the world around me.

Appalled that the pencil could bend, I bent it a few more times just to make sure it really wouldn't break."Thank you..."

When I looked back at her, I noticed she was smiling at me. "You can have it."

I didn't see her for a while after that class, but I spent the rest of my school day bending that pencil and doodling with it. Most of my drawings were of characters I saw on the kids channel that morning. Due to my sisters daughter, that's about all that was ever on.

"What're you drawing dude?"

I looked up from my notebook in study hall, seeing a short boy with dyed blonde hair standing in front of me. "Who are you?"

"I'm Scott!"

The exchange student. He's shorter in person.

"....my name is Masaki. I'm drawing a talking cat."

My name is Masaki Keiji. I suppose I forgot to mention that. My sister calls me Kei. My friends probably would too if I had any.

"Can I see?" He sat beside me and leaned over my shoulder. "Does it have a name?"

"Why would I name a drawing?"

"For fun!" He said with a bright smile. "I name everything."

"Even your book bag?"

"His name is Carter.", he kicked the tips of his shoes together, seemingly unable to sit still.

"Shoes?"

"Cindy and Brenda."

"....I'll name him Akemi."

I'd tried to make friends before but nobody had ever come to me. This was a whole new ballgame.

"That's the spirit!" He hung an arm around my shoulders, which made me flinch due to the uncomfortable fabric of his jacket. "We should be friends man, I like you."

"Can you really just say that? You can just ask to be friends?"

"Of course you can."

"You're kinda weird.", I bit the inside of my cheek. "But I'll be your friend."

"Hell yeah!", he pulled out a pen and scribbled his phone number into the top corner of my doodle covered page. "We're gonna be close."

"How can you know that?"

"Oh don't worry so much, come eat lunch with me."

This part was shorter bc my inspiration just flew out the window