The Annoying Dreamer and the Artistic Doubter

The Anigame Club Part 1: Targeted Counterattack

Camila got off the bus to Atlantic Terminal, trying not to get overwhelmed by the amount of fast moving apathetic citizens focused on their lives and hoping she'd get out of the way and go through trial and error over which doors were and weren't open.

It's like I keep opening trap doors, pulling out her sketchbook. She began constructing the image of a girl opening up the doors. She finished small glimpses of each one: concrete, a bottomless pit, the police, and a brand new car, pinching herself to focus. Compared to those scenarios, helping her dad seemed like an afterthought.

"Finally," spotting and following someone entering. Distracted by the store with the plushies and sulking at the lack of the money to afford more, she soon was compelled to by Sephora, wanting to try out another

Free sample? She took it with glee and no hesitation

Next time I get money, I need to come back here and buy more.

So Target should be, looking up, aha.

As she was about to reach the elevator, a trio of guys approached her, with quick tense breaths they tried hiding. The leader had stylish yellow hair and a leather jacket, immediately reaching at her chin.

"Hey, beautiful."

"Oh, hi." He's kinda flashy but gaudy. "You look tired," spotting his two friends in a blazer and plain shirt wiping the back of his jacket. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, just ran into some trouble. Don't worry about that. Anyway, our place isn't too far from her. Wanna come have some fun with us," delivering a warm smile briefly manifesting an echo of confidence.

Camila's instincts kicked a sense of uneasiness with them. "Thanks, but I'll pass."

"Come on, you'll definitely enjoy it," leaning down to her. "You could invite some friends too."

"My friends aren't really into stuff like that."

Come on, taking her hand. I insist.

Bad touch, quickly pinching the skin of the flesh. "I, my, can't do that to my boyfriend."

His friends. "It's okay, I don't see him around. We won't say anything if you don't."

"And what guy couldn't resist," trying to touch her hair, "keeping their hands off you."

All three stepped to her, walling her in. She noticed others around spotting, but at best, someone took out their phone. Only spotting the security guards airborne, she was about to head out when an object.

Their laughter fueled his raging fury, confronting them over the video. "What the hell is wrong with you all," with a chair up in his hands. "They were just on a harmless date and you're laughing some hood rat with no future decked them?"

"Yo relax, it's not that deep. We're saying the guy should've fought back!"

"So it's funny to get jumped out of the blue? How can he prep to fist up from a sneak attack? Yet when one of y'all wanna throw hands because of an unfunny joke, now it's," dropping the chair, "we went too far. Protect our own my gyat, one of y'all could get hit by a car and the rest of yall would still find it funny," storming out and slamming the door.

"What was his deal?"

Camila took a look at the video. "Wait, those were the same guys trying to force themselves on me," asking them to continue the video. She paused, zooming in to see Silas was the one throwing a basket at them, forcing them to run away.

She ran out after him, searching through the halls until finding him sulking in the opposite stairwell.

"That happened before you and security came over," watching him silently confirm it. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was asking them for advice on stuff and we were talking about games when they came out of nowhere. He got hurt pretty badly so she took him home," punching the wall. " I just didn't want them to get away with that."

"Or find another victim," joining him. "Still mad?"

"Annoyed. We can't just be happy, kind, peaceful or find love. Either we have to keep fighting, get in trouble for fighting, get mocked for not fighting, or die fighting. Even by our own people," sighing. "Those two treated me with more kindness in 10 minutes than those clowns in class for a whole year."

Visualizing the pain in his voice, she rested on his shoulder, tapping him once she finished her sketch: her and the couple on opposite ends of his shoulders, his head drawn with a fiery demonic force, and their attackers fleeing in terror with security chasing them.

He popped out of his aggression, trying to fight back a smile. "Fire's an overrated super power, you know."

She sucked her teeth. "Jerk!" He laughed.

"When they say draw inspiration from the heart, I didn't think they meant from someone else's," smiling. "It's imperfectly perfect. Thank you."

Recalling what Majesty told her before, she returned the favor. "Welcome, now cheer up. We could tell everyone the truth and you beat up someone older."

"Sure, I'd love to add it to the list of reasons they'll say I'll become a serial killer in the future," gaining a devilish smirk. "I mean if that's what they want."

"Silas!"

"I'm kidding," snickering. "If I kill them they don't have to suffer on this planet anymore while I have to go to jail for people who won't be alive to care."

"Well, that's one way to look at it. So why were you talking to that couple anyway?"

"Oh," rubbing underneath his chin, looking away. "They were cute. Hapkido classes had the only healthy irl couple I know but it cost too much."

"So that's how you know how to fight."

"Yup. They bonded over games and hobbies so I wanted that with someone too."

Who? "Why not start a gaming club?"

"I'd actually need something: friends willing to join."

"What about me?"

"You're not my friend."

"Hey!" Then what am I?

He leaned in, tenderly transitioning to a softer tone.

"A connection I never want to lose."

"Oh," rubbing her cheeks.

"Never mind, I only like white meat."

Wait is he saying he only likes white gir-

"I'm talking about chicken nuggets."

"Oh." I am never gonna get used to that.

"So we're going to McDonalds for lunch," as thanks for cheering me up, his face read. "Let's go back."