Pretty Boy

Chapter 14

When my alarm went off for class, I shut it off and pulled blankets over my face. I heard Adam hop down from the top bunk,  standing in place beside my bed.

"I can feel you staring at me." I mumbled.

"You should get up."

I closed my eyes tightly. "I'm not going to class today."

"Shuji." He says on the edge of my bed and pulled the blanket down so he could see my face. I didn't open my eyes and just turned away from him. He rested a hand on my shoulder. "Please get up."

"No."

"Are you still upset about last night?"

"No."

"Liar."

"Why ask if you know the answer?" I scoffed.

"To see if you'll be honest with me."

"I told you, I'm not an honest person."

He gently rubbed his thumb against my shoulder. "You usually study so hard and never miss a class. You don't smile much but this just...this feels different."

"Cut the shit. I'm not going."

"Then neither am I." He laid beside me and closed his eyes. My eyes shot open, body sitting up and turning to him.

"What? Why?!"

"I'm not leaving you alone while you're depressed. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. But I'll stay."

"You jerk." I sighed and stood up, walking to the closet and grabbing a clean shirt. "Get dressed."

"You're going?" He sat up and opened his eyes.

"I'm not letting you miss class because of me." I pulled the shirt over my arms and began to button it. "So get up."

"I'm just worried about you. After what you said last night I-...I don't want to see you so sad."

"I want to be happy!"

I shook the memory from my head and clenched my fists. "Don't waste your time on me. I can take care of myself."

"If it weren't for what I just did, you wouldn't have gotten out of bed today."

"I'm okay. Really. So cut it out."

"You're depressed, Shuji."

I don't like that word. Depression sounds so medical. "I'm not depressed."

"You cried....a guy like you cried."

"A guy like me?"

"You seem so reserved and well-spoken. I never thought I'd see you cry."

Neither did I.

"Shut up." My voice sounds deadpan and bored but I try not to think about it. "I'm done talking about this."

I quickly finished getting dressed and pulled on my coat, heading out the door before he could catch up with me. Before I made it too far down to the elevator, he ran after me and grabbed my hand. "Don't you want to eat something? You'll be early if you go to class so soon."

"Not hungry."

"Oh no no no." He dragged me back to our door and locked the door behind us, guarding it with his body. "I can allow you to bottle up your little sad emotions but I won't allow you to skip breakfast!"

"Move."

"No! You won't skip meals!"

"If you keep forcing me to eat so much, I'll gain weight. I told you I wasn't hungry."

"You work out all the time, you won't gain anything."

"I'm not arguing with you while you're still in your underwear."

"Shuji, stay. I'm gonna cook for you."

I groaned softly and sat down, watching him run into the kitchen and begin cooking. When he was done, he brought me the food and a cup of tea. "...thanks." He smiled at me, bubbles of joy nearly floating around his flushed face. "What's got you so happy?"

He laughed softly to himself, watching me eat. "You have such a soft spot for good food."

"...Your cooking sucks." Thats a lie. He's an amazing cook, which is why I eat whatever he makes me.

"No matter how much you try to avoid it, I know you like food! You always look so happy eating!"

Most wouldn't know what I look like when I'm happy. My face always has the same unamused expression. But I guess Adam can tell somehow because it's true.

No matter how much I try to stay away from it, I really like the taste of food in my mouth. It's comforting. Maybe that's why I was overeating so much as a kid. Food was just a coping mechanism for everything I was going through at the time.

"You're annoying. Stop staring at me."

"Cute..."

"What?"

"Ah- Did I seriously say that out loud?!" His face turned bright red and he covered his mouth, eyes wide.

I couldn't help but laugh, which only made him even redder. "You klutz."

I did go to class, and actually focused more so than usual. Since I'd forgotten my pen, I asked to borrow one from the girl next to me.

"Sure!" She happily handed me her pencil bag. "I don't have black so just choose a color."

I chose dark green and the notes I took that day stood out for the rest of the year.

When my lunch break came, I sat in the cafe by myself. I was studying my notes as I ate, the girl sitting beside me in first class joining me after a few minutes. "You're the boy from my class, aren't you?"

I nodded.

"Don't talk much huh?"

She has grown out pink hair with black roots, eyes brown like Adam's. She also wore all black clothing. "No. I don't. You know a guy named Adam?"

"The cute British boy? Of course I do!"

"Figured. You look alike."

"He's my best friend!"

I sighed. They look so much alike. I glanced down her body. Well....she has more weight on her chest. "He's my roommate."

"I know. And soon to be boyfriend, am I right?"

"You wouldn't happen to be the girl he kissed, would you?"

"Guilty as charged. Sorry about that by the way, it wasn't anything more than platonic so don't consider me your competition."

"I never did. Adam's a raging bisexual and I think you're pretty far from his type."

"And you, however, are definitely his type.  He's only ever dated closed off introverts like yourself. Mean looking ones too."

"Do I really look that mean?"

"You look intimidating but well dressed."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Of course! You're super sexy!"

"....thanks."