Majida's fraternal grandmother told her once to be wary when things went too well. That's when the gods liked to play pranks. Her maternal grandmother always warned her about about trying to have it all too soon. And really, how else would she expla...
The last leg of her morning bike ride took Majida past a quiet residential area. For a mile she biked by rows of two story houses with neat front laws and wooden fences. One house in particular entranced her. The fence was covered with a bright blue flowering vine and the front lawn beyond it was full of flowers. More than that the older woman beyond the fence greeted Majida as she passed by. Most women her age would glance shyly and pretend Majida wasn't there. Furuse-san, or Fu-baasan as she prefered to be called, was a bolder sort. They chatted for a bit while Fu-baasan watered her plants, and since then Majida always slowed down in order to say hello.
Fu-baasan wasn't watering her plants this morning; a skinny boy was. His large glasses reflected the sun into Majida's eyes making her squint. Once her sight was clear she realized that he was looking right at her. Majida skidded to a halt then shifted on her bike to brace herself with her feet. I'm a magnet, she thought. I'm a magnet for misfits.
Seconds stretched on as neither of them spoke. The idea that he was waiting for her was paranoid but this week had been full of paranoia inspiring incidents. He confirmed her suspicions as he put down the watering can and began to walk towards the bike lane. She watched him warily, realizing then that she didn't even know his name.
"You," he started quietly, his head turned down. He cleared his throat before speaking louder. "What do I have to do to make sure you won't tell anyone about yesterday?"
"You're...."
"Furuse. Haruto Furuse."
"How about this Furuse-kun. You move out of the way so I can make it to school on time, and we'll call it a deal," she offered.
He was silent for a moment before raising his head. "That's not a real deal. Tell me what you need. I can do your homework. Or be your gofer,or..."
Majida raised her hand to stop him. "Yeah, no. It's okay. Just chalk it up to me being a weird foreigner and let it go. Alright?"
"You don't understand-"
"No."
The boy flinched, making Majida feel like she was no better than the bullies yesterday. He adjusted the straps on his backpack and then shuffled back to his home. She waited a moment to be sure of his departure then resumed pedaling. As she moved forward paranoia gripped her once again. This confrontation resolved itself so easily, too easily. Some other wrongness was bound to take this triumphs place. Pushing the thought from her mind she peddled faster. After all it could also be a sign of good things to come.
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"You're doing it again," Hina whispered in Majida's ear. "Don't tell me that's your type?"
Majida blinked. She was supposed to be eating her lunch, but had found herself watching the glasses boy again. Furuse-kun was such a stereotypical target for bullying she wasn't sure he was real. Smart, quiet, and hypervigilant, he mostly kept to himself. Something that encouraged others to give him his space. Well, others that didn't appreciate an easy target anyway. Majida had discouraged a couple of boys in second period from throwing paper balls at his head by lobbing a few of her own. Their math teacher didn't notice the inciting incident just her retaliation. She responded to his scolding with a joke, followed by sinking a few balls into the trash can at the front of the class. The students laughed, the teacher was impressed, and she avoided being sent to stand in the hallway.
