𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃𝐒 .

17.

*mahi'ai's pov*

i look intently ahead at my phone, not paying any mind to the boy who sits next to me. to be honest, i wish he wouldn't. anybody should be able to tell by the way i look today that i'm not in much of a mood for anything, much less to be put in situations that come with an undoubtedly awkward air, but it seems like i just attract them. i can feel his eyes on me as i resort to playing a game nina introduced me to, looking over the little characters on my screen as i customize their outfit.

"you remember me?" he asks, slightly stifling my attention as the bell rings loudly, furthering my dim mood.
"mm. you was readin my classes fa me. you t'e touc'y one."
"touchy?" the boy repeats, letting out a chuckle. "whatchu mean? i jus like to get acquainted."
"ion even know yo name t'o. it was kinda weird."

"aight, you right." he admits, holding out a hand that i imagine to be a peace offering. i eye him hesitantly, somewhat surprised at the answer as i try to figure out what the point of his conversation is before i oblige, allowing him to shake my hand. i don't like to hold grudges against people, and i need friends anyways, so.. i guess i'll take who i can get, even though merely meeting his eyes makes my heart pound in my chest. sure, in hawaii i've seen beautiful men but they've always respected my grandmother too much to even think about approaching me. it's annoying , considering my grandmother has no reason to despise the idea of me being involved with my own gender, but my conscience won't let me accept that unfair penance against her. my mother getting pregnant at such a young age is primarily the reason why she was always determined to keep an eye on me- mahu or not. "you the one wit the guard dog righ?"
"a guard dog?" i giggle. "who?"
"that 'alf a white muhfucka."
" 'o, zayn?" i say, before slowly recalling the instance.
"yea." the boy hums, somewhat of a mug residing upon his plump lips. "yo lil boyfriend."

"my boyfrien?"
"mhm."
" 'e not my boyfrien." i admit, confused as to why anybody would get the impression that zayn is with me, or anything else of the sort. the notion is more appeasing than i'd like to admit; matter of fact, it took everything in me just to simply deny the assumption. even so, i know it would be selfish to leave it unresolved; i'm not sure about how zayn would feel it he was to hear something like that, and i don't need him to think of me any differently than he already does, which i'm sure id most likely have a whole lot of peace without knowing the conscious of. it demobilizes me for a second as i stare blankly over at him before realizing i was zoning, simply offering a smile. "jus my frien."
"good. that lil nigga crazy."
"w-"

"you single then?"

i blink over at him, wondering what to say as i scratch my head.

"you inter-rup'ed me." i say, looking over at him. "and yea." 
"oou, i'm sorry. you sassy, huh?" the boy asks dramatically, holding out the 'o' as if he had just gotten stung. i can't help but to giggle at his comical nature, unintentionally curious to the new figure who has appeared next to me. i can't say that i like all the questions he asks me since i don't know him, but in a way it's also intriguing. "i like that. i'm jordan."
" 'i jordan, i'm .. taryn." i say, though the words don't feel right coming out of my moth. i hate that name, but it's on all of the registration for my classes. it'd be stupid to say anything else, and not to mention, deliberately confusing.
"you sure?" he teases, causing me to giggle. i like him; he's funny and cute, and he seems much better than he did in the hallway.
"i dunno. it's only my second day out 'ere." i giggle.
"for real? where you from? i woulda known if i seen yo ass before."

" 'awaii."
"damn. fuck you doin here?"
"wit my dad."
"they need to put yo ass back on that island. yo ass can barely speak english."
"s'ut up." i huff, though i find myself more amused than i am upset, even a little bit interested in what it is he has to say next, though what he has said about zayn hasn't left my mind. why is everyone calling perhaps the quietest person i know crazy?
"im-"