Incidentally, I fell for you - Renga

Tounge Tied

"You do not get to talk about him like that." Langa spoke heavily, words like falling boulders.

"Excuse me?" Ema questioned, slowly rising from her seat on the couch.

"You don't get to speak about someone you barely know like he's nothing. Don't call him things behind his back." He said, shoulders shaky and tense. "I think you should leave, Ema."

Langa hastily ushered Ema to the door, barely giving her time to protest.

"But Langa-" She began, though, she was soon cut off by his front door being thrown in her face.

Langa huffed loudly, his head felt hot and his thoughts were scattered. He made his way toward at his bedroom, he let his body collapse on his soft bed once he arrived.

Langa's body prickled with heat as the warmth from his room transferred to his skin. This allowed him close his eyes, drifting into a tranquil state while taking in the satisfying temperature.

"I shouldn't have lashed out at her like that." Langa sighed. His response to Ema was almost automatic, which bothered him.

He shouldn't have jumped to using such harsh words against his girlfriend, that had smashed itself into his concise like glue. The overwhelming urge to defend Reki had taken over him, and that drove him absolutely crazy. It soon scraped away his morals, making him unable to tell who he was supposed to value more.

Once he had opened his eyes again, releasing himself from his complex thoughts, he realized that it was already 7:40.

'I have to go."

•••

"Welcome skaters! Are you ready for the first 'S' official challenge match of the season? Let me hear you!" Cheers and shouts of joy erupted from the crowd. 'S' was completely crowded, this was a night unlike any other. An electrifying aura saturated the air as the 'S' attendants stirred wildly with chatter.

"As you know, this match will be our amazing skater Snow and his friend!" A referee shouted above the overlapping voices, turning everyone's attention to the main event. Reki was noticeably disturbed by the lack of recognition he was already receiving.

"Starting positions!"

At that moment, the two boys were exact opposites of each other. Snow, a usually cool and level headed individual, was completely distraught. His legs shook violently, and when he first tried mounting his board he almost lost his balance.

Next to him was Reki, who was strangely nonchalant. Skateboarding was his passion. Holding any board he'd crafted made his heart flutter. Standing on a rough, sandpaper like cover and the smooth piece of wood it was plastered onto was one of his reasons for living.

Now, as Reki got ready to take part in the competition he had been anticipating since Snow's debut, it looked as if he couldn't care less.

Seemingly, a part of that love of boarding was gone.

•••

The boys put themselves in ready positions, awaiting the referee's call to let them start.

"Now, before we begin, please tell the crowd your wager." The referee asks, bringing the audience to silence once again. Nether of the boys had thought that far, this match was brought out mostly on impulse after all.

The atmosphere quickly became still as the two sat noiselessly.

"We don't usually have dispute matches without them. The winner could get to break the loser's board, get some money?"

"I have a wager." Reki annonced, kicking up his board and catching it in a swift motion.

The redhead rotated his body fully, so the crowd would see him fully.

He needed them to finally see him.

"If I win, I want my name to be disassociated from 'Snow'. Forever." He said, facing the attendees.

His words breezed through Langa like a blizzard's wind. Soon after, the spectators began murmuring quietly. Such a wager had never existed before, it was incredibly strange. The crowd believed that for the stance Reki had made his words were anticlimactic.

Though, that was unable to kill anyone's anticipation.

Reki, still unmoved by the situation, turned to Langa. The other boy started at him, at a total loss for words.

Reki had eyes that were heavily lidded, with the two corners of his mouth dipped down in displeasure. He soon spoke again.

"And, if I win, you will never speak to me again." Langa felt his heart sink like a pit in his stomach.

The unsuspecting boy had trouble believing any of this was real. Their friendship, one that had been perceived as unbreakable, was now caught in the jaws of fate. The outcome of this match would fecund everything for then.

Words bubbled up to Langa's lips, fizzing and threatening to spill over. He needed to say something, before it was too late.

'Reki, no.'

'You can't.'

Yet, nothing could make its way out.

"And if you loose?" The referee questioned.

"I won't return to 'S'." He murmured, throwing down his board and looking towards the track.

'Please, don't leave me.'

"Skaters ready!"

'Can't you reconsider?'

"Three!"

'I can't do this without you.'

"Two!"

'I need you.'

"One!"

'Don't go.'

Reki took an early lead in the competition, plunging onwards. Langa was left behind.