Let's Be Friends

14:

      I decided to walk home from school with Finn because now that I knew where he lived, I realized it was pretty much right between my house and school, except it was a couple blocks down. But that was good too, I could avoid Kaya, who didn't know he lived so close to our street. The two of us made small talk but also kind of knew when to shut up and just enjoy the scenery without it being weird.

      That's what I realized about Finn, he was different from people like Kaya because he knew when and how to be quiet. He didn't seem scared to let a silence hang there for a bit, he wasn't afraid of being quiet. Kaya made noise because she was too scared to be soundless, she felt the need to fill the space. Finn knew the space remained unfilled for a reason, and he left it that way.

      I considered that to be a good trait- fearlessness of one's self. I glanced over at him and then told him that and he looked at me like he didn't get it.

      "Never mind." I said and he shrugged.

      "I just don't get why you of all people are praising me for being quiet."

      "Not for being quiet. For knowing how, and not being afraid to do it."

      "Pff- same thing." Finn rolled his eyes.

      "Okay- whatever." I searched for something else to talk about but ended up settling into the silence when a suitable topic could not be located.

      Finn's phone made a chirping sound and he retrieved it from his pocket, replying quickly to whoever it was that had texted him and sliding his phone into his back pocket again.

      "Who was that?" I asked.

      "What? Oh- my friend who lives in North Carolina."

      "That sounds like a lie. North Carolina?"

      "Would it sound real if I said South  Carolina?"

      "No."

      "There's no way to win with you is there?"

      "Nope. Have fun trying." His phone chirped again and he pulled it out and texted his 'friend who lived in North Carolina'.

      "So, ask him how North Carolina is." I said sarcastically.

      "Jesus, what do you think- nobody lives in North Carolina?"

      "Nobody you'd talk to."

      "You're correct. This is actually my boyfriend." He said and I for several seconds doubted whether he was serious or not.

      "Are you sure? Isn't that kind of pedophilia for someone to date a 7 year-old?" I tried.

      "Only if they have sex and he lives in North Carolina so that's not happening."

      "I somehow don't believe you."

      "About not having a boyfriend or about not having sex?"

      "No, the North Carolina thing."

      "Holy frick. What is wrong with you? What prejudice do you have against North Carolina people?"

     "North Carolina people? "

      "Shut up."

      "I think you might be the one with a prejudice. I mean- North Carolina people. Doesn't that sound like a hateful slurr to you?"

      "It's like you feed off of people's mistakes."

      "I kind of do."

      Finn's phone chirped a third time and I managed to get a look at his phone screen.