Didn't Even Notice {JJBA Avpol}

CHAPTER THREE

     I looked at the paper he held in front of me. Then looked back at him.
     "Why are you giving this to me? We just met yesterday." I backed up in intimidation. Kakyoin was my only friend for some long years. I wasn't ready for another one just yet.
    "While you were in the bathroom Dio told us to exchange phone numbers with classmates we were sitting with, we're starting a project with anyone we sat with." He explained. My eye contact slipped to the side as my hand rose to grab the small slip of paper. I took the paper carefully, like a wild animal feeding from someone's hand. Rapidly I stuffed the paper into the pocket of my jeans as I turned around for my next class.
     "The dreads look nice by the way." The words toppled from my mouth. I don't know where it came from. Maybe my conscience was telling me to balance the scale. Either way I walked off to my next class without another word. I felt a warm smile on my back.
     Strolling through the door I sat down behind a lab table. Besides my my main major I still had to choose three other courses for credits, science was one of those three. The energy had certainly changed from inky and calamitous to a more calm energy. A familiar brunette placed textbooks softly in front of us. He headed to the front of the class to stand next to a towering blonde.
     "My name is Caesar Zeppili and this is my husband Joseph Joestar. This semester will be focusing on chemistry. We will work with dangerous materials so pay attention." His voice was stern with an Italian accent. He seemed to be a polar opposite of his partner.
     His partner took over for the rest of class. He cracked jokes with us when he introduced comments and debated with students in a playful manor. I felt at ease in the more friendly environment. Throughout the class I rubbed my bruised nose until Joseph pointed it out.
     "Did you get into a fight on the first day? You look pretty bruised up." He leaned back on a desk placed up front. Caesar turned toward him with a glare and scowl.
     "Joseph-"
     "Relax, I'm just curious Caesarino." They both faced me. I paused for a minute before sighing. I honestly didn't see the point in lying. What excuse would I make up anyways?
     "A textbook spine caused this. The teacher down the hall, Dio Brando, threw it at me. I made a comment that made him blow up." Pushing myself up to sit straight, I saw them look to each other and cringe.
     "That banana has always had anger issues. I wouldn't let his painted nails fool you." He cut the conversation there to keep teaching the class. Even though it was abrupt I liked his attitude. Notes were easy to take and he was easy to understand.
     Class went by and at the end I slid my textbook into my growing heavy bag. I threw it over my shoulder as I headed out. It was finally lunch hour. I met up with Kakyoin who told me about his art teacher as we shoved our way outside the building.
     "His name is Rohan Kishibe," I froze for a minute before cutting him off.
     "Like, that Rohan Kishibe, the manga artist?" Kakyoin eyebrows furrowed.
     "Yes that Rohan but anyways, that guy is really peculiar. He stabbed a spider with an x-acto knife, then looked what kind of spider it was in a  book he had before slobbering all over it," he shivered. "It was unappealing to say the least."
     "Well eating spiders isn't normal Kak. We have an hour before we have to get to our next course where are we going."
     "I would say a place where we can get you something cool, y'know for your purple forehead"
     "Wouldn't it have been smarter to go to the nurses office then? For ice?"
     "Yeah but that'll waste time. We can substitute ice for a cool can or something like that." I sighed as he dragged me around campus.
     We grabbed food and settled down into the blades of grass. I laid flat on my back as I rested a cold can across my face. The metal felt weird against my eyelids. We ate and made small talk but I didn't move from my position.
     "So what's our next course? I remember third period we have each other." I asked.
     "It says gym, let's hope you can sit out." I lifted the can from my face to look at him.
     "I'm not concussed or anything, I can still participate." He coiled back and looked away.
     "Are you sure? I know you're tough n' all but we don't know how rowdy our gym teachers are. They could make us play something overexerting."
     "I'm sure, I doubt I'll get knocked out." I went back to closing my eyes, letting the can slip from my fingers. I listened to the light rustling of leaves and footsteps on the pavement nearby. I laid there for a while.
     The peaceful moment passed. I sat up from the earth. A deep exhale fell out of me as I looked to Kakyoin.
     "He gave me his number y'know. I barely know the bastard." I laughed.
     "It was for assignment right? He gave me his number too. It looks like we're a group now."
     "I can't say I'm the most happy about that, though." He raised his eyebrows at me.
     "And why's that?"
     "Because we've known each other for our entire lives basically. I don't know if I can just let some stranger in." I saw him crease his eyebrows and smile.
     "You aren't going to be replaced, Polnareff. It's about time we made a group instead of being alone all the time," I felt like denying his statement, before I could interject I saw Avdol approaching. "So that's why I invited him to lunch with us today. There's only like twenty minutes left anyways."
     I panicked. Anything I said to Kak was disregarded and thrown out the window. My brain was telling me to run but my legs were frozen.
     He sat down beside Kakyoin, we were now a triangle. We locked eyes, I stared awkwardly.
     "How's your nose? Is it feeling better?" My brain was processing, I couldn't reply. Concerned, Avdol leaned over to Kakyoin and whispered.
     "Is he okay..? He's staring." Kakyoin looked up at me. Hearing my name being called out several times, I snapped out of it. I readjusted my posture and eye contact.
     "Yeah what?" I answered confused.
     "Avdol just asked how your face was, you were in space again."
     "Oh yeah, sorry," I paused, thinking about how many times I've zoned out today. "It feels better than before, that's for sure. Then again it still stings when anything comes in contact with it."
     "That's good, I'm glad you're feeling better."
     I gulped while trying to keep small talk. I wasn't comfortable, finally Kakyoin picked up on that. He led the conversations until lunch ended.
     I thought it was over when lunch ended. I was proven wrong when I saw him in gym class. My eyes rolled to the back of my head, this day would never end.
     We were greeted by two people. One a tall fit woman with long silky hair, the other was a giant man with messy purple hair. They told us to split into two groups. Then they introduced themselves as Lisa Lisa and Kars. When I was listening to them I didn't realize that Kakyoin and Avdol were on the opposite side of the gym. I was split from them.
     "Because your gym uniforms come in tomorrow we will be playing dodgeball," Lisa Lisa spoke as Kars threw a bag full of rubber balls down. My heart fell to the floor. "The rules are basic, don't hit each other in the face. Last team standing wins."
     Kars lined balls up across the gym. My view from before changed. When the whistle blew and the screaming off rabid college students started I scrambled for the teachers. I told them what happened and asked if I could stay out for today. They inspected me for a minute, then shoved me out into the game saying I'd be fine. Like a deer in headlights I ducked to hide behind other players. I took deep breaths to recuperate.
     A ball rolled by my feet. I decided to swallow my shrieking fear as I picked up the ball. Closing my eyes I chucked the ball with all my might at nothing, or what I thought was nothing. When I opened my eyes again this short kid with spiky silver hair was on the floor. He was dragged off to the side as someone with a pompadour beside me laughed.
     "You fucking destroyed Koichi man, hit him square in the chest!" I bit my tongue. I obliterated someone the size of a kindergartner with a ball bigger than his own head. Strangely, I felt my confidence grow but I laughed it off as nothing, moving to grab another ball. I bent down and felt a ball brush over my now messy bun. I stood up and it was the guy from the restaurant, I knew it was him who I saw earlier today. He was looking for revenge. I saw someone pass him a ball. Like the idiot I am I threw my ball first, he dodged it with no sweat. The entire time he held eye contact. He pulled his arm back and with the strength Dio had he threw it. I learned from the textbook. I bent back with the ball flying over my head. Looking back at him I grinned.
     "You missed me by a hair, sorry!" I turned and picked up another ball. So did he, we locked eye contact again. I clenched the ball tightly in anticipation. This time he changed his stance, he turned to his side. He made himself smaller. Shaking my head I threw the ball, missing by a long shot. I scanned the floor for balls. There weren't any in good distance. While I was distracted he took the chance and whipped the ball at me. Without time to block or dodge I got hit face first. I fell back as my vision started to fade. Maybe it was the shock, maybe it was the pain. I heard a couple students run over before I was out.
     When I awoke everything was blurry and my head hurt like hell. I groaned and sat up, my face stung.
     "So much for not getting knocked out." Kakyoin sounded relieved. As my eyes adjusted to the room I saw four people. Kakyoin, Avdol, that asshole who knocked me out and a short woman. Seeing the guy made angry but I was in too much pain to yell at him.
     "You've been out for a while, almost thirty minutes now," the woman spoke. "How do you feel?"
     "In pain, my forehead and nose sting. I was already hit once today with a textbook," I looked around the room dazed.
     "If you're still in pain I recommend you lay down and stay here for a while." She gave basic nurse advice, I listened and laid back down. She left shortly after. Then I turned to my side to look at the guy.
     "You. Why are you here." I saw him grow a bigger frown than what he had on.
     "Good grief, I came to apologize. I wasn't planning on it but your redhead friend here dragged my ass over."
     "Well thank you for your half-assed sorry, if you can knock me out, then can I have your name?" Rolling his eyes he gave it. Jotaro Kugo. Turns out he was there when Dio threw the textbook at me. I turned onto my back thanking him. Then I blacked out again.