The Completely Random Adventures of August and Lena

August and Lena Meet

I mind my business. My mom says the world would be a lot easier of a place to live in if everyone minded their business. I agree with her, and so I'm coloring, and not talking to the other kids, because coloring is my business. Other kids seem to think I'm their business. I'm not.

"Hi, Lena, I'm August. My mom says she hates your mom." He mispronounces my name as he reads it off my name tag, because it actually sounds like it should be spelled "Leena."

"Lot's of people hate my mom. And don't mispronounce my name, stupid. It's Lee-na." I scowl at him.

"Well, my name's dumb, too." August lisps. His two front teeth are gone. I try to tell him my name isn't dumb, but he continues. "Whenever people hear my name they say 'Like the month?' and that's happened so many times they just sound stupid when they ask now. I wouldn't have to 'politely smile and tell them yeah' like Mom says if she had just named me Noah. My dad wanted to name me Noah."

"You don't look like a Noah." I tell him and he frowns at the ground. I wasn't trying to be mean, though, so I put more effort into being nice. "I like August, anyways." I try to smile at him, even though my mom always says my smile looks like I'm in pain.

 "You look like you're in pain!" August busts out laughing. His laugh is horribly loud and obnoxious, and I stare at my coloring book, wishing he'd go talk to some other kid.

Eventually he stops laughing and looks at me sideways. "I like you a lot, Lee-na. I hope we're friends now."

I stop scowling when he pronounces my name right, and he smiles, revealing three more missing teeth.

"Okay boys and girls, class is starting now." Our teacher, Mrs. Kerslake, says while we all go to our desk groups. "But first we have a new student! Mr. Dalian, stand up and introduce yourself to the class, please."

August, who sits right next to me in our desk group, stands up and starts talking to everyone. "Hi, I'm August Dalian, I'm 7 years old--"

"Wait, your name's August? Like the month?" Taylor C. interrupts, snickering. Everyone else starts giggling, too.

August forces a smile and starts to respond, but I stand up first. "No. August like the color, twinkie-muncher." I yell at Taylor C. "Of course August like the month, you dumb ass." 

"Lena Cohrs, you sit down in your seat right now!" Mrs. Kerslake yells at me while the whole class erupts into laughter. Taylor and I scowl at each other as I sit back down, and our teacher continues scolding me. "Your mother will be hearing about this one, Lena."

Taylor makes a face at me and I stick my tongue out at him.

"So, August where did you move from?" Mrs. Kerslake asks August after getting the class under control.

"Well, all my family lives here in Madison but I was born in Franklin. We moved back here cause my mom wanted me to go to school where she went to school." Then August starts telling us about his life in Franklin and stories about him and his friends. The way he talks, it's like you have to pay attention. He's so...easy. Like he already knows everyone and we've known him for years.

When he's done talking he says thank you to us, like we didn't want to listen to him talk. 

Ms. Kerslake, smiles and tells him she's happy he's in our class, and then starts real school.

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"LENA." I hear a boy yelling from behind me. Before I can turn around, I hear running footsteps and suddenly August is right next to me.

I stop while he takes a few breaths, and then is suddenly talking full speed again. "Wanna come over to my house?" 

"I thought your mom hated my mom?" I say defensively. Obviously he's just going to say it was a joke if I say yes.

"She doesn't hate you, though. You're not your mom." He smiles at me. "C'mon, it'll be so fun."

August waves to someone in front of us and I turn to see a woman who's probably his mom. She doesn't seem angry. Actually, she looks really nice. Like she bakes chocolate chip cookies.

"Okay." I say before biting the inside of my cheek.

"Yes! Okay, cool. Do you need to call your mom?" August flips out what looks like a brand new flip phone.

"No, it's fine my mom doesn't care and she'd get mad if I called her at work." I say. "That's so cool that you have a phone, though. My mom says not till I'm twelve."

"That's crazy, this is my third cause they keep snapping."

"You must be rich." I said in awe following him to his house.