Reaper

Mini Skull

"Hello, Raven." Jasik said as he approached me.

"Why are you following me?" I asked.

"I wasn't trying to follow you." He stopped a few feet away from me.

"Then what are you doing out here?"

"I was walking home."

"You live in the woods?"

He nodded.

I thought for a second. "Wait... do you live in that old Victorian house?"

"Yes, I do."

A crow cawed.

A number of questions ran through my head, but I couldn't form any of them into spoken words.

He gave me a look. "Is something wrong?"

Out of nowhere, and without thinking, I blurted out, "What's your family like?" I was taken aback by my own question, not expecting that to have come out of my mouth, and he seemed equally surprised.

After a moment of awkward silence, he finally spoke up. "I have no idea what that has to do with anything, but they're... average, I suppose."

In my own awkwardness, still confused as to why I had asked that question, I didn't respond.

After a shorter moment of silence, Jasik spoke again. "Would you like to meet them?" he asked slowly.

"Isn't it a little early for that?"

"You were the one who asked about them."

"Well, yeah, but..." I trailed off.

"I just thought it would be polite to offer since you asked."

"I know,"

He raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

"Maybe another time,"

The way he looked at me now almost made me want to change my answer.

Almost.

That look didn't last for more than a few seconds, anyway.

"Another time it is. I suppose you don't want me to walk you home, then?" he said.

I furrowed my brow. "You weren't acting like a gentleman back at school, but you almost are now. Why?"

"I'll take that as a no, then. I know you a little better now than I did this morning. If you will give me the chance to know you more, I will be more of a gentleman to you."

"Why?"

"I was raised to be a gentleman to women, especially once I knew them well."

"Your parents must be super strict."

"Not necessarily,"

I glanced at his clothes. "Aren't you afraid of getting your suit dirty or damaged? The path to your house isn't exactly 'safe' for that kind of clothing."

"I managed it this morning. Now shouldn't be any different."

"But what if it does get damaged?"

"Are you implying that I can't manage myself among trees and undergrowth?"

"Maybe,"

He gave me a look of skepticism, and I knew what he was going to say...if he said anything related to that. Instead, he glanced down, opened his messenger bag, took something out, closed the bag, then looked back up at me.

"Catch," he said as he tossed something small towards me.

With how awful I am at catching, I was surprised that I had even caught the small object. I opened my hand to reveal a miniature ceramic skull, then looked back up to find that he was gone. I looked all around me, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I glanced back down at the little skull for a second, put it in my jacket pocket, then walked home, confused.