Perseverance

Chapter Two: So, What's Up?

"Hey!" I called out to my very first friend since I came to this crappy town. He waved me over and I made my way to him. This dweeb and I bonded over nothing really, but somehow became friends since the whole "first day" fiasco. We'd meet up in the forest about 12 minutes from my house to talk about literally nothing and just hang out.

It was fun, honestly. Enjoying this stranger's company felt kinda familiar to me. I caught up to him by just a few feet when I tripped on a tree branch and threw the drink I'd bought him towards his dick. So much for my friendly gesture.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" I cried as I picked myself up from the ground.

"I'm okay." he replied, though his strained voice would imply otherwise.

"You sure, you're okay?" I asked again in a much softer tone.

"Its okay, [ ]. Accidents happen." Masky groaned as he sat down on a stump. Feeling helpless and rude, I knelt next to him and pat his back. It was the best I could do, seriously. How the fuck do you comfort a dude who's been hit in the dick with an Arizona tea can? That shit probably hurts like hell.

He laughed a little as he picked up the can of tea with a weak and shaky hand, "How dare you best me."

We both laughed and began making jokes.

"Hey, while we're on the topic of actually talking to one another, I've got a question for you." I managed to push out a sentence.

"Shoot."

"So, what's your name? Maybe just a nickname or something." I pouted.

He was silent while he stared at me. The white mask with blacked-out eyes grew to be unnerving.

"I'm so sorry. I was being insensitive, wasn't I?" shaking my head, I stood up and was ready to walk away when he tuddged at the back of my shirt.

"You still haven't answered the riddle." he murmured and tapped the edge of the mask again, "I'll give you another hint. Masquerade! Paper faces on display."

I could tell he was trying to lighten the situation by making me laugh, but I still felt like a jackass for putting pressure on him. He must be wearing that mask for a certain reason. Maybe he's masking his past like that- holy gosh wait a minute.

I looked into the mask's dark eyes and squinted, "Are you Gerard Butler?"

He began laughing at me, "Oh my God, you're such a dunce you're just too cute. The nickname's Masky."

I was taken aback at being called "cute". "Cute" is what you call chipmunks, llamas, and that one character who's your absolute fave. Me? Cute? No. Seriously what kinda drug is this guy on?

Choosing to ignore him calling me "cute", I pulled a bag of chips from my backpack and derailed the train back to his mask enshrouding him.

"So, this whole mask business," I started as I waved my hand over his mask, "did you commit murder, or something? Is that why you have that mask and live in the forest like a drifter?" I asked him, offering him some of my chips.

"Don't know when to give up, huh, [ ]?"

I shook my head in cocky agreement and crossed my arms.

We ate the chips without any words between us. The only noises that could hear were those of our crunchings and the wind blowing through trees. Not even the animals were out because it was pretty damn hot. After a while I leaned against a tree and took a long swig of the tea that Masky politely turned down and handed back to me.

"I spy, with my little eye, something green." I started.

"The foliage."Masky replied unenthusiastic. I shook my head.

"Grass? A bug? The moss?"

"Shit."

"The moss? You were looking at the moss, really?" he sarcastically guffawed at me.

"Fuck you." I muttered under my breath with an eye roll.

"My turn!" Masky chirpped up, "I spy with my little eye, something violet."

I looked around and pointed at the only color amongst the greens and brown that made up the forest. "That flower!" I exclaimed.

"Damn it."

"I spy, with my little eye, something yellow."

"That bird on that tree branch?"

I huffed, "Maybe..."

He laughed again, "I spy, with my little eye, a very attractive aura."

Pretending that didn't sound as if he were trying to hit on me, I suggested, "That bird? Tree? Bug? Flower? Shiny yet dull rock? Wait! That doesn't even count, oh I'm stupid."

"Clearly you don't see it, but I do. Right now, a very attractive aura is in the forest at the moment." he smiled slyly before his voice sounded hollow and sad, "but it'll leave me soon again."

With his left hand, he took my right cheek into his hand, "I'll give you a hint. I'm looking at the attractive hint at the very moment."

My cheeks burned to a deep red.

"Whaaaaaa, no!"