Waiting [Akaashi Short Story]

Chapter Three

As much as I wanted Scar to come over my house, it would probably end up with us being a crying mess. When I dropped her off, she told me bye and she would see me tomorrow at the party. She lives just the down the road from me, I pass her house anytime I need to get out of the neighborhood. So when I drop her off, it's not out of the way even if it was, I would still take her home. I knew she wanted to help me pack or spend at least one more day besides tomorrow with me.

I pulled into my small yet empty driveway, not surprised I was the only one home. Typically, because of their jobs, mom and dad are almost never home. I get lonely but, it was almost always like this, I had my friends from school who were basically my second family. When I open the front door, I'm greeted with a nearly bare house that has a few boxes where the couch used to be. Those weren't there before, I wonder who came home and dropped off the boxes.

Inside my room, there were three more small-ish boxes waiting for me to fill them up with items. The pale purple room was so bare, it was like I didn't live in here for the past two years. There was a sleeping bag and blankets and a pillow, not much besides a lamp, dresser, phone charger dresser  and a few scattered articles of clothing on the floor. I take one of the boxes and sit in front of my dresser. In the dresser were clothes I needed to back in my suitcase and ones that I had to give away. I saw no point in bringing clothes that I would probably never wear. The house was so bare, it was weird to walk around the place thinking a few weeks before, people were living in this place.

I hated this feeling, looking around to see such an empty house. But, it was worth it, honestly it was, I could finally meet Keiji again.

I felt my phone go off besides me, I turn it over to see who messaged me. When the name registered in my head, I felt the sadness and loneliness go away in an instant. Just by knowing he texted me back was enough to make me feel happy. To think a someone could have that effect on me was shocking. I glance at the time and calculated what time it would be there, it was nine in the morning. A normal time to just waking up. Since it was a normal time to be up, I couldn't tease him about getting up early to talk to me. 

Good afternoon, I assume practice was fun. We had a practice game yesterday and before you ask my sleep was dreamless.

Keiji didn't know I was moving back to Japan. Just thinking about what I had planned makes excitement bubble in my stomach. I know that he will be happy with this surprise. He might not show any expression on his face but, in his eyes, that's where I will be able to tell what he's feeling.  Actually, the few friends I have in Japan don't know either, it was a surprise for all of them. I plan on meeting up with all of them as soon as I can. I remember when I first transferred to his middle school a few months before third year ended.

Keiji didn't have an inkling that I was moving back. Just thinking about going back was enough to have bubbles of excitement in my stomach. This surprise will definitely be the best one. His eyes will tell me what he's feeling since he almost always has a blank face. I'm didn't tell my former team that I was going back either. Maybe I could meet up with a few of them. I haven't seen them since the last few months of middle school before I had transferred to Keiji's school.

Morning~! I did, I had a ton of fun at practice today! Now, it's your job to have fun at your practice!  I forget, do you have a summer training camp soon? Oooh, another question do you remember how we first met?

"Come on, Emi-chan! We need to go to hurry up before sensei yells at us." My friend, Yumi, said to me.

"Yeah, yeah. Give me a minute, these shoes aren't the easiest to get on." I tell her trying to get my basketball shoes on my feet. The black and white shoes were worn and a tiny bit small, making it difficult to get them on.  "Ack, stupid things."

I manage to get them on within the time I had left before I would be counted late for class. Yumi and I sprint out of the girls changing room and stand behind the group of people.

"Alright! Get into two teams! Everyone will be playing!"

It took around ten minutes for both teams to be even. Then for team captains to choose the first five players. I was one of those five, the whole class knew I was a good player and on the basketball team.

Soon everyone got into positions after grabbing a red or blue jersey. I faced the blue team's jumper, Juro. The eight other players ready to spring into action once Juro or I take the ball. He was slightly taller than me, but that didn't make a difference. I knew how to jump for the ball, he didn't.

"Both teams ready?" Everyone nods. Sensei, then blows the whistle and tosses the basketball into the air.

I jump into the air hitting the ball to one of my teammates, Haru. Haru  caught the ball and started to dribble, everyone else got into the offense or defensive positions. I make eye contact Haru signaling to pass it to me when I shake off my defender. Deciding that making a fake would be the easiest and fast way to shake off.

Luckily the defender was left confused and I ran towards the wing to receive the ball. Haru passed me the ball, as soon as I got it I wanted to shoot but I couldn't. I was being blocked once more. Sighing in irritation, I looked at my other teammates to see who was open and who wasn't. Kaori was on the opposite side of the basket, came closer to me so I could pass it to her. Seeing the split second opening, I had passed the ball.

Except, it didn't reach Kaori.

Instead it had hit someone in the face. Immediately, the game paused and I rushed over to the young teen that had fallen. I must have put a lot more force than I intended to use. His whole face was red from where the ball has hit his face, he had unkempt black hair and grey eyes.

"Akaashi-san, are you okay?" The teacher asked.

"I'm a little dizzy."

"A-ah, Sensei, I'll take him to the nurse!" I had volunteered. Akaashi, was now standing up looking at me with a blank expression.

"Please do."

I had broken out of the circle of people that gathered around Akaashi. For most of the way to the Nurse, there was an awkward silence. I mean what do you say to someone when you hit them with a basketball and you don't know them?

"I-I'm sorry for hitting you with a basketball." I mumbled, doubting he even heard me.

"You didn't do it on purpose. It's fine."

"No! Because I know how much it can hurt! It's happened so many times to me!" He just stared at me. Probably thinks I'm all weird. "Um, I'm Arisato Emiko."

"Akaashi Keiji."