Spoilers! (Mavi)

Chapter 27: Unwanted

Just like I'd expected, I felt like I'd failed everything. I had just finished taking my last test and Avi was waiting for me at the train station with a big bouquet of roses and coffee.

"How'd it go, Mochi?"

"Well, I'll probably be moving home next semester..."

"I'm sure it didn't go that bad! You've been working really hard." He leaned over and kissed me. I had taken a few days off from the shop to study, and I knew Avi was working in both our positions. He must have been working hard too. I would have to work overtime this week to make up for the days I'd missed if I wanted to move forwards towards my goal, which meant I'd have to cut my sleep schedule for another week or two to make sure I still had time to study and work on my original music. Avi was gonna be pissed.

Kirstie found us waiting for the train and sat down with us.

"How was your test?"

"Me? Totally aced it." She flashed her signature peace sign and side smile. How was she always so confident? "How about you? You don't look so hot."

"I think I tanked it, Babyface."

She gasped and pressed her hand against her chest. "Are you sure?"

"He's overreacting, I'm sure." Avi rubbed my back with the palm of his hand and took the flowers from my lap. "Maybe you're still getting over your cold? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." I stood up just as the train pulled up and lead the other two inside.

The full train pulled forwards and I ended up clinging to Avi, since all the handles were taken. Kirstie held on to his arm, since she couldn't reach them in the first place.

"Esther misses you two."

"Does she?" Kirstie's face lit up. She'd loved working with Esther since day one.

"Yeah! Something about me being half the worker of one of you on a lazy day or something."

"That sounds about right," I joked. "She did kind of raise up to her specifications."

"You make is sound like she's your mother."

"She might as well be," Kirstie and I groaned in unison. Avi laughed a little and pulled Kirstie in front of him and away from one of the creepy looking older men that had gotten on the train right behind her. At the next stop the same guy leaned back against Avi and did something that made him jump and whip around. I had never seen Avi look so angry. The man played dumb and just kind of shrugged towards Avi.

"Sorry, man."

"You'd better be." He was using his deep voice as an advantage, which was horrifying to say the lease. The train moved forwards and there was a silence. Avi was keeping an eye on that same man while Kirstie engaged me in conversation so the guy wouldn't get suspicious. The train stopped again and events repeated.

"Stop touching me!"

"I'm not touching you! The trains just shifting."

"Right, because the train stopping is somehow magnetically pulling your hand towards my ass?"

"On, come on, now. Don't be ridiculous." The man looked Avi up and down in a way that made me sick to my stomach. I had seen men look at Kirstie that way before, but usually Scott was around to throw his height around. I couldn't be sure this wouldn't get violent. I moved between the two of them and turned to face the guy. He was nowhere near aesthetically pleasing and the gross look he'd given Avi was amplified when he undressed me with his sickening eyes.

"Moch-"

"It's alright. One more stop." I had been in this kind of situation on far too many trains. Being the thin, "obviously gay" man I was, I was picked on all the time, but there was a specific stop that always played to my advantage. The train paused again and the guy took the chance to fondle me, right before several police officers climbed on the train in full uniform, along with one of Scott's choir classmates, Officer Bram. I caught his attention and didn't have to say a word before the man behind me was escorted off the train and cuffed for sexual assault. Thank God the shop was closed for it's monthly restocking.

Avi and Kirstie walked me home and stayed around for a few hours before falling asleep on my couch. The idiots.