Basically Strangers (revised)

[2 - Stranger With Your Lunch]

[2] Stranger with Your Lunch

You woke up to the feeling of someone poking your nose in tiny, light flicks with the pad of their finger. You groaned and turned over, snuggling into the warm embrace of the heavy blankets. There was a dip in the bed where the person was sitting.

“YN,” grunted a voice. “YN, wake up.”

“...no…” you moaned, trying to stay under the blankets.

“YN, if you’re not awake and out of my room on the count of five, I’m just going to get dressed in front of you, alright?”

“...whatever…” He sighed.

“5…” You didn’t budge. “...4…” You snuggled deeper into the pillows. “...3…” You ignored him, just wanting to sleep. “...2…...1…” No way in hell you were leaving that bed. “You asked for it. Just enjoy the view.” You felt the dip in the bed lift as the person stood up. You yawned and began sitting up, making the sound of a pterodactyl. You opened your eyes and saw…

Your cheeks went red. Arkin was standing at the foot of the bed, removing his shirt. His pale chest wasn’t too muscular, but not flabby. His torso looked young, but had littered scars and small indents. You jumped out of the bed and fell to the floor. You heard Arkin laugh out loud with a hearty chuckle.

“What?” you spat at him.

“So, pizza underpants?” You looked up, still tired and trying to understand what he was saying. Your face went red as you saw your bare legs and pizza underpants. You grabbed your pants and ran, feeling like you were about to scream from embarrassment. He grabbed your shoulder, stopping you in the door frame. “C’mon, kiddo. I’m not letting you go naked. Do you have school?” You nodded, holding your bag and clothes over your pizza pants. “What time do you have to be there?”

“I’ll catch the bus,” you said in a rushed voice. He could tell you were uncomfy. He bit his lip and went through his closet. He tossed a pair of big black sweatpants to you, along with a long sleeve hoodie. You rushed to the bathroom to get dressed in the clothes he offered. The hoodie was massive, hanging off of you comfortably. The sweatpants hung off your hips, so you tied a loose knot with the strings.

You rushed out the bathroom door and into the hallway, pulling on your shoes that you left by the door. You felt Arkin put a hand on your shoulder, suddenly turning you around. You didn’t know what was happening until he was suddenly on his knees in front of you, eye level with your hips. You gasped at the sudden motion. With a hand on your thigh, he grabbed the string that would tie the strings of the sweatpants. He tied them tight, pulling the hem of the sweatpants to your waist so they wouldn’t fall down. He folded the legs of the sweatpants up for you, then stood up. You were frozen, partially in fear. He patted your shoulder with a big, friendly smile.

“Have a nice day at school, kiddo,” he said playfully. You ran from the apartment. Arkin chuckled to himself. “Maybe you went a little too far there, Arkin.”

You raced out of the apartment building, past your apartment where you could hear Dad and Starla screeching at each other and the sound of a vase being thrown at a wall, and out the front door of the building. You raced for the public bus stop, barely missing it and paying for the ride with my bus pass which was hidden in my bookbag. You plopped into a seat on the bus, carrying your backpack close to your chest.

You rode the bus to the high school, being met with the view of the school doors. You jumped off the bus and ran for the doors, being dragged into a horde of uncontrolled hormones and raging sex drives. High school.

The bell for the first hour rang as you got inside, so you skipped your locker and went straight to your class on the second floor. Your first hour was English. The bubbling and shouting kids didn’t even notice your entrance as you slunk into your seat. You sat next to the window, which overlooked the parking lot.