Akina's Reflection

III

Aubrey wasn't there when I got my supplies. I didn't really notice, however, until around after I got to class. I was late, on my first day, and my professor looks terrifying.

Somehow, I just knew this day will not work out for me.

I was feeling really down as I walked across the street of downtown Indigo Creek. I was going to get lunch somewhere, maybe a restaurant around here. Some other college students must have had the same idea as me, for they were all around.

I walked past an ice cream shop, paused, and then went inside. I'm not living with my parents anymore, I could do what I want. If I want ice cream for lunch, then ice cream I will have.

The clerk watched me as I gazed through the window at the tubs of colourful ice cream and sherbert. When I made my decision, I told him what I wanted. The clerk ran the register, and I sat down at a little table with a strawberry ice cream. As I ate, I looked around the shop. No one else was here. Almost no one was here. There was someone sitting by the window of the shop, gazing out at the people on the street. I craned my neck to get a better look.

It was Aubrey. He just, stared out the window, watching everyone as they passed by, while writing something down. I also noticed he had a computer case beside him, for that laptop I saw on his desk before.

A younger, female clerk walked over to me. She looked at me, and said,

"It's normal. Aubrey always comes here, sits down, and stares at pedestrians. Are you new to Indigo Creek?"

I nod my head, and she smiled. She looked only a little older than Paul.

"Ah, I see. eventually you'll come to know everybody around here, it's not a really big town, y'know. For starts, I'm Cherry, and he's Sam."

She pointed to the guy behind the counter, who had served me. Another customer came, and so Cherry left me. I continued watching Aubrey for a while, then I got the nerve to get up, and sit down next to him.

When I sat down, Aubrey looked startled for a second, before returning to his default expression.

"Oh, just you." He said, not even looking at me.

"Hi Aubrey." I said, just to be nice.

Aubrey did not reply. He just continued writing in his notepad, and looking out the window.

"So..." I said, trying to break the awkward silence. "What are you writing, Aubrey?"

Aubrey suddenly became self conscious. He covered his paper up.

"Just.... stuff." He said vaguely, getting that suspicious tone of voice again.

"Can I read?" I asked.

"No." He replied quickly, and a little harshly. "No..."

"Why? Is it personal? Writing a love note?" I asked, teasing.

"NO!" He shouted, standing. "Just, just mind your own business, Sayoki!"

Then he stormed out of the room. People were staring at me, so I finished eating without another word, and walked out of the shop.

What was his problem? People don't normally just lash out at people, but, but Aubrey did. I was angry at him, more than I've ever been at anyone else. But at the same time, I was suddenly more curious about him. People don't lash out without warning, but he did. Aubrey is not normal.

I remembered, all of a sudden, what Mr. Alstein said. He said Aubrey has been though a lot. What has he done in his past life?

The rest of my day was pretty similar to the first half of my day: Being late for classes, scary professors, and even a group of other students who were particularly racist. They were messing with me, because I came from Japan, but I did not look Asian. Really, just because I lived in Japan, does not mean I'm fully Japanese. Actually, my grandparents are the only people I remember from my family who really look Asian, the rest were English people who moved to Japan for a reason I don't know.