"Almost Green"

"King Kunta"

Dum.

Dum.

Dum.

Beat after beat, his heart kept pumping fuel through the machine. Drop after drop, slithering through the tiny tunnels riddling his skin, meat and bones. What was it?

Excitement?

Fear?

Simple nervousness? The kind a child feels right before a life-changing exam?

As if he'd know how that feels.

All he ever knew was the nervous tingle running up and down his spine before pulling the trigger, mind focused on the bullet, eyes locked on the devil in front of his scope.

School, though? Not in his tale.

His feet tapped nervously against the cushy, wooden floor. Lemuel turned away from a wall filled entirely with hanging vinyls made of many different precious metals, her eyes quickly latching onto his. There, she had him again. Completely disarmed, as her smile filled his vision in its entirety.

"What, nervous?" She chirped, casually strolling over to his side. Andy took notice of each individual strand of hair swaying with her movements, as she cut the distance.

"Kind of...? He's your boss, after all."

"I told you, dummy, he's more of a friend than a boss! Really, you... You really didn't need to wear a tie, you know~?" Her teasing voice fled her lips, as Andy's gaze shot downwards, sliding along the soft fabric of his newly purchased, messily wrapped tie. As his face tilted, Lem immediately flicked his nose, making him flinch.

"Ow?" He was more confused than anything, now grasping and examining his cheap neckwear. "First of all, screw you." He began, to which Lemuel responded by sticking out her tongue, "Second of all, why not? Isn't he some bigshot celebrity?"

"He IS a bigshot celebrity, but a really cool one!" Her excitement rang in his ears, as she almost jumped atop him, bringing her orange doe-eyes right up to his. "He's really... Chill. That's what he says, he's really chill~! Laid back. Uh... Like, calm and..."

"I know what chill means, thanks." He murmured, not bothering in the slightest to push her away.

"I know you do~! I, uh..." She fumbled over her words, raising her fingers to scratch her chin. "... Just... You know, I always imagined they spoke a bit differently in Kazdel, so... Just wanted to fill you in~!... Yeah."

They stared at each other for an awkward moment. All that was missing was for a cricket to start chirping away.

"... Thanks." The quick word broke the uncomfortable silence, as she beamed at him again, the warmth and radiance returning at once.

"Mmmmm... He has an interesting style to him, alright? You might get a bit weirded out. I was, the first time we met." She took a few steps closer, eyes digging deep into his neck. "... And I dunno if that tie's gonna work on him. Maybe not... Definitely not if you're gonna leave it looking like THAT." Her fingers grasped the soft surface, sliding along the river of pure tar cascading down the snowy white fields of his dress shirt.