The Weirdo

10. Breaking the habit

The Shadow was standing in front of the mirror looking at himself. The white shirt clung to his body perfectly making his muscles even more visible, the black tie around his neck was giving him more mature look and the slack black pants were perfect for his long legs. According to me he looked gorgeous but in his head he was ridiculous. He felt like he was wearing an armor and that he cannot move and breathe properly, this clothes were so much different from his usual ones. He was craving his warn out jeans and t-shirts but it was only for a day so he can cope with it. Reaching inside his wardrobe to take his coat he noticed, tossed on the ground on the very back of it, a torn out black t-shirt, the one that was responsible for his dreams and probably his obsession, bending down and taking it into his hands, he smelled the faint aroma of the Weirdo, and for unknown reasons he took it with himself. Sitting down on one of the kitchen chairs he smacked the cloth on the table and cough his mother's attention. 

- Oh isn't that the t-shirt part of your experiment, it looks like crap! - her voice was calm and somehow full of joy, it was her only son's graduation day. 

- The experiment ended with a disaster about a month ago, mom... - he was defeated and was kind of afraid to tell her the truth but it was about time. 

- How come? You know that something like that will look good in your resume for the university and you need the scholarship, we can't afford it otherwise! - she finally stopped what she was doing at looked at him with concern in her eyes. 

- I know, but this whole thing was a mistake from the very beginning. 

- Not that it's pleasurable for me to say it but I told you so, messing with someone's head and using them as a laboratory rat is not a good thing, especially when you have no idea what are you doing.

-Yeah I found out the hard way.

-Oh my dear boy you, like her don't you?

- I don't know mom! I better get going! - he said dismissing the conversation. Bypassing the little kitchen table he towered over his mother and kissed her on the forehead. She gently touched his cheek and the tears in her eyes were very much visible. 

- I am so sorry that I won't be able to attend, my dear boy! - she said and her voice cracked at the end, she was really ready to cry. 

- I know mom, don't worry! - one final look at her and he was ready to cry himself, because the woman in front of him gave him everything and gave her heart and health for him to be OK. 

The Shadow was scanning the crowd for a certain redhead but he never managed to sport her there, the stupid t-shirt that was tucked in his belt was so uncomfortable that he looked like a freak always trying to find a suitable place for sitting. It was almost time for him to be called out on the stage and he was dreading that moment for some reason and when he heard his name he jumped in his seat ready to run for his life. The moment he headed towards the stage to collect his diploma he finally spotted her standing in the back of the room with her parents, he assumed, on both of her sides, she was watching everyone and no one in particular and was surely nervous. 

- Come on man, faster! We want this to be over soon! - one of his friends said with annoyance in his voice. 

He was startled by that and strode with his long legs towards the stage taking his documents ready to jump from the stage in that very second but as a honorable student he had to stay there for 5 minutes to listen how people should take him as a good example from now on. When he was finally free to go he ran towards the restrooms and did the only thing that crossed his mind. He removed the coat and loosened the tie that was suffocating him, than removed the white shirt and put the black cloth that was torn here and there and big portions of his skin were visible for the world. Probably this wasn't his best idea but at the moment he didn't have another one.