im just gonna put fukin random shit for the pictures in the chapter. sorry.
also, im back from the dead
"Hey, Ash! Wanna hang out?"
Asher looked around nervously then said in a timid voice, "N-Now? At lunch?" Ara giggled in that adorable way he always did. "Yeah, Ash! Unless.. do you have anyone else you wanna hang out with?" Asher shook his head in response, taking steps forward over to me and Ara.
"Ori," He whispered to me, "Ash has friends other than us, right?" He must've been asking me because most of my classes were with Asher. But, to be honest, I never pay attention to anything in class except for the actual work. So, I didn't really talk to Asher, or anyone else for that matter, during class. I must've been thinking too long, because Ara whispered to me again. "Ori?"
I stomped my foot slightly. "My name is Conah." I've been getting sick of that stupid nickname. Especially since I hate my middle name. 'Orion'. I hate my parents for making that terrible decision. Well, I don't hate them. I mean, I didn't know them for long, so maybe there was a beautiful meaning behind my horrible middle name. Maybe.
Probably not. same
"Jeez, okay, Conah. But, Ori is a cute nickname! Just like you!" Ara smiled at me. What a stupid look.
"I'm not cute."
"Yes you are!"
I crossed my arms, not wanting to have a big argument; he seemed to always win every argument we had. So, I let it go for now and changed the subject, "Ara, I don't know if Asher has other friends. He's funny and nice, so I don't see why he wouldn't."
"You got a crush on him or something?"
I lightly punched his arm and gestured to Asher, who was still standing in front of us with a confused look plastered on his face. He darted his eyes from Aralim to me and I suddenly felt under pressure. His eyes were just so much more intimidating than they normally were. They usually made me feel more safe than anything, but now they just gave me an emotion that was almost indescribable. Like, fear, but mixed with denial, and comfort, all at once. Strange.
"So, come on and sit with us, Ash!"
"R-Really? Thanks!" Asher beamed and sat in between me and Ara. Which, for some odd reason, ticked me off just a bit. I tensed up when someone's arm slung across my shoulders, and I looked over to find that it was Asher's arm. I started feeling slightly uncomfortable, now. I barely even let Ara touch me, let alone put his arm around me. Yet, I didn't want to be rude, so I let it happen. I still complained in my head, though.
For the rest of lunch, Ara and Asher chatted while occasionally looking over at the book I was reading and grabbing my headphones to hear my music. It wasn't the best day.
"Hey," Asher whispered and tapped my shoulder from the desk behind me. I lifted my head and turned to him. He smiled softly saying, "Thanks for telling Aralim to let me hang out with you two."
I tilted my head a bit to the side. "What?"
"I heard you two 'whispering'. You're kinda loud—Well, Aralim is. Anyway, thanks."
"Eavesdropping isn't polite."
"I wasn't eavesdropping!"—he looked around the room anxiously for a moment—"I was right in front of you two."
"You have other friends, right?"
"Great way to change the subject, Conah."
"Just answer the question."
He paused and looked down to the floor, twirling a strand of his dark brown hair with his finger.
"You don't, do you?"
"N-No," He mumbled and avoided eye contact with me, "how'd ya know?"
"Eyes are everything. Plus, I don't see you with anyone else."
"'Eyes are everything'?" He looked back up at me. I noticed he also examined my own eyes, making me smile a bit. He's always been so ignorant with some things.
"It's quite easy to see a person's emotions or even their thoughts if you look to their eyes," I was about to explain more before the teacher called us out and I had to turn around.
***
Throughout the rest of middle school, me, Ara, and Asher stayed friends. Mine and Asher's relationship seemed to be some sort of a win-win situation; I would make sure he wouldn't get bullied, and he would.. well, he wouldn't do much, but he would occasionally give me the answers to homework. I dealt with the fact that I wasn't actually getting what I deserved in return, and that was alright.
The summer after our graduation was boring as sin. Occasionally, me and Aralim would meet up somewhere and go out to eat or do something entertaining, but other than that, there was nothing quite important that occurred.
Aralim, at one point, called me at 3 in the morning. He was spurting some crap about his parents, yet what really confused me was the fact that his parents were dead. Just like mine. I barely understood half of the shit he was saying, so I shrugged it off. He most likely just had a dream or something, and I was the first person he thought to call. He also occasionally mumbled, "...and I love you..." through the entire paragraph of randomness. Strange.
