Didn't Even Notice {JJBA Avpol}

CHAPTER ONE

     "Kakyoin are we almost there yet," I groaned. "We've been on the road for almost three and a half hours now, my back is killing me." I stroked the back of my neck while getting a vexed reply.
     "Are we almost there yet," he mocked. "If we decided on a college in our city we wouldn't be having this problem."
     "This one had more options and courses, we both agreed it would be better to go here! I just didn't expect it to take this long."
     The conversation ended there. Both of us weren't in a good mood from the long trip. We were definitely tired too due to leaving early. I let my head rest against the cracked window, letting the air brush against my forehead.
      We arrived in the city shortly after twelve, four hours away from home. Kakyoin stopped the car in front of the dorm building. I could see his hands gripping the wheel as he looked forward. We were both nervous. Pausing for a minute or two we sat in the car silent. Unbuckling my seat belt I opened the car door getting out. He followed me. Popping the the trunk I asked if he had our key cards to get in. He said yes, wandering to the back of the minivan. Looking at all the stacked boxes I exhaled bitterly.
     "Do you think it would be a good idea to ask someone to help with all of our luggage?"
     "We don't know anyone here yet. It's a better idea to just use something to hold the door open."
     I wanted to double check and ask again but I didn't. Taking my key card from Kakyoin I unlocked the glass door, swinging it open to let him in with his arms full. We switched back and forth for who held the door. Eventually the mountain of boxes in the minivan were unpacked. Closing the trunk I picked up the last of the boxes. My back arched as I stumbled with them falling onto me. Not being able to see what's in front of me I collided with someone. I lost the grip on the boxes as they fell, I heard something shatter. Just looking up from the pavement I scolded the stranger.
     "Watch where you're going asshole! Something in that box just broke!" I pointed to the box with the unknown item. With no expression the man picked up the boxes, handed them to me, and left without a single word. It felt insulting but I brushed it off for the time being. Kakyoin pushed the door open, only when we got to our dorm and started unpacking is when he questioned me.
     "So what was that outside just now?" He looked at me with raised eyebrows. It took me a minute to catch onto what he was asking.
     "Oh, some asshole walked into me and made me drop my shit. When I called him out for it he didn't say anything. Helped me and then ran off without a word." I scoffed going through boxes.
      "Polnareff it doesn't sound like he was being an asshole. What did he look like?"
      "Well, uh, he was about an inch shorter than me. He was black and wore a ponytail. He also had these weird scars that ran down his face? That's all I really saw, he ran off quickl- you've gotta be kidding." My eyebrows narrowed in grief and spite. Shattered glass sat at the bottom of the box as I pulled out a broken picture frame. It was a photo of my sister, Sherry. There was a short pause. I lowered the frame back into the box, sighing.
      "I'll have to get it fixed when I learn this area better." Closing the box I put it to the side. Rubbing one of my temples I continued to unpack.
      When we were done we had a stack of flat boxes in the corner and it was evening. The dorms were surprisingly spacious for the low cost. I crashed down on my bed, exhausted. I held my eyes my shut until I felt someone watching me. Kakyoin was looking over me jingling his car keys.
      "I'm not even down for a minute and you're telling me you want to go out?" I sat up, yawning.
      "I'm hungry and we haven't eaten all day. Now do you want to come along or stay in bed." He stood up straight and crossed his arms, waiting for my reply.
      "I'll go along, you'd probably mess up my order," I pushed myself out of bed and towards the door. "Where are we even gonna go? It's our first day in this city, I don't think we'll find a place in under an hour without using our phones."
      Kakyoin laughed before sliding an emerald overcoat over his shoulders.
      "It's a college campus Polnareff, they're bound to have a grocery store or fast food place near here. They practicality thrive on students." He threw the door open and leaned on the frame. I let out a deep exhale. My only excuse to stay here had a loop hole.
      "You take pride in being a smartass, huh." He nodded with a cheeky grin. We strolled down the hallway, down the elevator and out the main door. I sat in the passenger seat while Kakyoin fumbled with his phone trying to find where to go. He brought up a couple places which sounded unappetizing.
      "There's a waffle house two blocks away from here, would you wanna go there?" He looked up from his phone at me.
      "Yeah that sounds good to me out of everything else, if it's two blocks away why don't we just walk? It's still bright out," I pointed outside, the sun just looming over the three story college building. "It looks like it'll still be up for a couple more hours."
      I saw him pause for a minute. He looked unsure of if we should go or not. Eventually he nodded and we both got out of the minivan. The evening air felt fresh and nice, surprising for a city. We exited the campus grounds and navigated through the unknown streets until we came across the waffle house. On the way in we saw other students littered around the place.
     "Seems this place is popular for dinner, usually college kids prefer fast food chains." Kakyoin pointed to the people scattered around the joint. I shrugged as we looked around. It was nice, ivory walls with green accents.
     "So are you two just going to stand there or do you want a table," Both of our heads swerved to a counter where a tall jacked stranger stood. His hair was messy and black. He glared at us coldly with electric blue eyes and a frown. We both paused and stared. "Good grief, do I have to repeat myself for you two?"
      Kakyoin's face lighted up with a smile as he approached the counter. He shook his head, asking for a table while subtly flirting. The stranger completly ignored him as he led us to our booth table. We sat down when the stranger threw down the menus and left for his counter.
      "How friendly, he threw them right at us." Sarcastically I opened the menu, it was a quick decision. Vanilla waffles, a classic. Kakyoin giggled, his eyes going through the menu while keeping up conversation.
      "I don't mind, he's kind of cute y'know?"
      "At this point you'll go for anyone, are you gonna try and leave your number somewhere for him to pick it up?" I fluttered my eyes with more sarcasm.
      "I wasn't thinking of that but thanks for the idea Polnareff! You're such a good friend." He smiled as a man approached our table. I looked up from the menu and immediately felt rage. It was the same man from the dorm building. The one that made me break my damn sisters picture frame. I slammed my menu down and pushed myself up from the table. Kakyoin in shock quickly put down his menu.
      "You're the asshole who made me drop my shi-" I immediately fell over and hit my face on the polished oak table as Kakyoin awkwardly laughed. He had kicked me in my knees under the table.
      "Sorry about my friend there! He's a little tired from the long trip away from home. We'll have two cokes with ice, he'll get vanilla waffles with extra whipped cream and I'll get the cherry crepes, thank you." He smiled at the waiter who smiled back at him.
      "I'll get your order right away sir, don't worry about your friend, it's not the worst thing that's happened here." He then disappeared into the kitchen. I sat up my face stinging.
      "Was kicking my knees the best option you had dickhead?! You already know they aren't good!" I grunted in pain as he rolled his eyes.
      "It was the fastest option. Listen Polnareff I may flirt everyone because I'm lonely but you got some wicked anger issues. It was an accident from what you told me, let it go."
      I was about to start arguing with him but then we heard pots and pans falling in the kitchen. Then there was yelling.
      "HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO WASH YOUR HANDS HIGASHIKATA?! IT'S THE NUMBER ONE RULE IN THE KITCHEN AND EVEN YOU CAN'T FOLLOW IT?!"
      "I SWEAR TONIO I WASHED MY HANDS AFTER LAST TIME!"
      "THEN WHY IS THE SOAP DRY!?"
      "IF THE SOAP IS DRY THAT MEANS YOU DIDN'T WASH YOUR HANDS EITHER!"
      There was a short pause before more clanging and screaming was heard. We could assume that "Higashikata" got his ass whooped while trying to run away. Kakyoin looked down at the table before having a moment of realization.
      "So that's what he meant by it's not the worst thing that's happened." He folded his menu and put it to the side.
      "Telling how no one looks shocked or surprised I think it's a common reoccurrence." I leaned back into my seat, listening to background conversations as we waited.
      We waited for around fifteen minutes before the waiter came out with our drinks and dishes. He told us to enjoy our meal as he wandered off. I cut into my waffle and I took a bite. Pure bliss, I was enjoying my meal until Kakyoin started eating. He picked a cherry off from the side of the dish and put it in his mouth.
      "Rerorerorerorerorerorerorero." I cringed as the cherry danced on his tongue. I dropped my fork on the plate as he continued to make the god awful noise.
      "Kakyoin do you not know how to eat a cherry normally? Like do you HAVE to eat cherries like that?" I asked irritated. He swallowed the cherry and snickered.
      "Well you don't have to grow and style your hair like that but you still do, let me eat my cherries in peace Frenchie." He picked up the second cherry that was on the plate, stared at me dead in the eyes, and repeated the action. I sighed and mumbled under my breath.
      It didn't take us long to finish. The waiter came back with the bill, we decided to split it half and half. Kakyoin pulled out a napkin and pen out of his overcoat, he wrote his number on it.
      "Please tell me you're not taking my advice seriously, it was a joke."
      "I said thank you for the idea, why would I not use it?" He reasoned with me as he folded the napkin between the bill.
      "If it's folded between the bill won't it just get thrown out? It's also kind of creepy, even for you."
      "I'll take my chances. Besides he'll have to check if we paid fully."
      He slipped the counted yen over the bill. We got up and paid at the front counter, without waiting for the guy to double check the bill we were already outside the building. The clouds had begun to turn pink as the day began to end. The walk home started quietly.
      "The waiters name was Avdol by the way," He looked at me for second then turned back. "Just thought I should let you know that. I saw his name tag when you got a face full of table."
      "Why does it matter what his name is? Are we gonna be going to that screaming waffle house often?"
      "Not just because that, if he bumped into you at the dorm building it means he's probably a student too. It's good to get along with your possible classmates."
      "Even though it's a possibility I doubt he'll be in the same class as us, we'll probably just see each other in the same building once and a while."
      "Whatever you say Polnareff, but if you two do get placed together don't say I didn't warn you.
      "Yeah yeah I know," I rolled my eyes as I pulled out my key card. I pressed it against the scanner and threw the door open. "I'm exhausted so when we go upstairs I want quiet, got it?"
      "You sound like my mom." We moved up the elevator then to the dorms where I collapsed on my bed. I rolled onto my back and shoved a pillow under my head. I fell asleep at 7:27pm, fifteen minutes after we got back.