Stars' Song: Clef

Chapter 11 : Outside Wants In

11-1

August 4. Saturday. 10:41 am. Pollux, my band, had a plan.

1. Meet at the school gate at 10:30 am. 

2. After everyone is there, we go to my house. 

3. Practice for the Battle of the Bands auditions.

A straightforward plan. Nothing to write home about. Ergo, it's relatively easy to follow, right?

It doesn't seem so. Here's what's happening now:

1. I'm currently at the school gate alongside Amber. We have been waiting for thirty minutes since we arrived early. The two of us have been standing around, mostly in silence. It was painful. I am in pain. I can't end my suffering because the others aren't here yet. 

2. We are not going to my house. Not at all. We are standing around doing nothing. We are staying in one place because the others aren't here yet. 

3. Practice? How? Should we start singing in the middle of the sidewalk like some kind of Disney movie? We can't practice because the others. Are. Not. Here. Yet.

"They sure are taking their time..." At this point, the irritation was suppressing the embarrassment.

"Maybe... Cyril woke up a little late?" Amber placed an index finger on her chin and looked up. Despite everything, there was no hint of disappointment on her mug.

"He's not the type to be behind schedule. It's more like a 'Ronin' thing." I kicked a pebble using the end of my shoe.

"Ahh... I see." Amber closed her eyes, remembering the useless info. "I assumed Cyril is the type to wake up late because of how laid-back he is... Well, he does have excellent grades, so it's unlikely for him to be careless..."

"Right? Even I'm confused about him." The sides of my lips perked up, finding the conversation about my friends pleasant. "Unlike Ronin... I'm fully aware of his quirks..."

Amber giggled at my comment. "I notice he likes to tease you a lot."

"You're right. I'm surprised I haven't punched him in the face at least once."

My words had no trouble escaping me, seeing as this was a topic I cherished.

"I-I hope that doesn't happen anytime soon..." Amber's voice trembled.

While for her, it was probably unknown territory. I guess I got a little too complacent about the flow of this discussion.

"A-ah, no! I don't actually intend to punch him! I-I was just joking around..." I waved my hands in the air to deny her initial thoughts. "That's just how he is, and I'm cool with it... I'm sure when you two get close, he'll make fun of you a lot... but he doesn't mean any harm by it..."

"O-okay...!" She vigorously nodded. "Then maybe we should make fun of him as payback...!" Despite the playful tone of the sentence, she seemed to be determined to follow through. Calm down, Amber! "Oh, does that mean his back and forth with Keith is just banter?"

"Yeah! D-don't take them too seriously... They do it a lot... T-that's just how boys work..."

It is kind of fascinating. We trash talk our friends, but we become nice to strangers. How weird. Wait, what am I, an alien? What's so interesting about the friendship of adolescent boys? Can someone please get rid of my cognition? I think too much.