Didn't Even Notice {JJBA Avpol}

CHAPTER SEVEN

      He gave me his room number. I bit my lip nervously, suddenly feeling like I was going too fast. We just fought earlier that day after all. Speaking of which, I didn't take into account that he laid a blanket over me after the fight. On the other hand it could've been Kakyoin.
     I'd have to determine when to go over. I didn't just want to immediately meet him, an invite over would be easier to accept. If I did get an invite I'd procrastinate and avoid him. My excuses like having to clear my schedule or that I'm busy wouldn't work here. I've spent a little over a week inside, I wasn't doing anything. Setting my phone off to the side I moved to the kitchen, I put my dirty bowl in the sink. I grabbed my blanket from the couch and moved to my room. Cocooning myself in the fabric, my stomach churned. It felt odd that I broke down in front of him. My unnecessary rage turned to guilt so fast. When it happened he got off me immediately when it happened and pulled me up. He let me sob and have my moment of weakness. He comforted me, it lifted the overbearing guilt off my back. I didn't feel stubborn thinking about him anymore. More than anything else I felt nervous.
     When Kakyoin got back from class, we discussed the grade we got back from our assignment. It was one of the best, surprisingly. Kakyoin also brought up how I should go back to class when the weekends over.
     "For the most part it looks like you've recovered," he saw me recoil with a frown. "I know that the start of college has been rough. Your first day consisted of you getting hit in the goddamn head with a textbook then knocked out in gym."
     I rubbed my nose as a reminder.
     "You're right, I don't want to go back but I have to, on a different topic, I got Avdol's dorm number. He invited me over to make stew."
     Kakyoin's nose perked at the change. I saw his expression shift.
     "Already going over to his dorm? Buy him dinner first you animal!" He laughed as I punched his shoulder.
     "It's not like that, besides you're one to talk. You had Jotaro over after the first day!"
     "Well we were doing group work! This is a personal invite we're talking about!! What did you say?" He beckoned for my phone. I showed him the texts and his beaming smile widened.
     "You actually talked to him! He invited you over too!!" Giving me my phone back my lip curled anxiously.
     "What if I'm going too fast? I wanna accept his friendship, I just feel uncomfortable in most situations."
     Kakyoin put his hand on my shoulder and stared at me.
     "Relax, you're talking as if you two are dating. If you can talk to him over text, you can do it here too." I sighed falling back on my bed, letting out an exaggerated sigh.
     "Why is talking so hard," lifting my head I looked at Kakyoin. "You make it seem so easy"
     Kakyoin started laughing uncontrollably, it confused me. When I asked what was funny he replied.
     "You actually think I was always good at talking? You were the one you approached me when we first met and didn't leave my side."

                           *    *    *

     When I was around ten I had to move from France to Japan. It was a stressful experience and when I transferred schools no one wanted to approach me. Kakyoin was the first individual who was like me. Neither of us had friends or a group to stay in. Without a care in the world I came to him with the question of friendship. I remember he was frightened by me when I asked. He had a look on his face that told me:"what do I do?" Soon he accepted my offer and we became inseparable. Both of us would appear at each others houses, our parents having coffee while we played on each others consoles or rough housing.
     A year after we became friends and that's when it happened. It was early winter and both of us were excited for festivals and celebrations coming up. Out of no where we were hit with one of the worst blizzards in history. My mother offered to let Kakyoin's mother and him stay the night, saying it was dangerous to go out on the road at this hour. She kindly denied the offer and walked out the front door.
     Two hours later when I was in bed I woke to my mother's distressed voice. I heard her scramble from the kitchen to the front door, knocking things down in the process. When I got up and looked to the front door I saw her on the phone with her back turned. She was looking through her purse, checking if she had everything. She turned around to me and froze in horror. Her cheeks were lined by a thin line of tears that shone like pearls. I asked her what was wrong, she only looked away and sprinted out the door. I followed her to the car, she argued for me to get back inside and go to bed. Shaking my head I climbed inside, refusing to budge. Shakingly she turned the engine on and we drove off into the night. Her sniffles and gasps were concerning.
     It was almost an hour before we got to where she was driving. My heart dropped as we pulled up to a hospital. I looked to the front entrance than my mom who's lips were trembling. She apologized to me as we both got out of the now parked car. Holding my hand she rushed into the hospital and panicked at the front desk. She told staff that she needed to know where Kakyoin's mother was. When we both went down the hallway, we heard a familiar voice screaming. It caused my mother to run ahead of me, turning into another room. When I caught up I saw my mother hugging a bandaged woman with several  Kakyoin's mother had several parts of her body bandaged. She had cuts, scrapes, and bruises running along her face, shoulders and arms. Walking up I pulled on her hospital gown asking where Kakyoin was. She looked down and started sobbing even harder than before as she collapsed to her knees. She pulled me into one of the tightest embraces I've ever been in. I was terrified and confused, I didn't know where my friend was and if he was okay. Trembling I started crying and sobbing shortly afterwards. We shared our pain and grief but soon a doctor pulled my mom and I aside to explain the situation.
     They crashed their car on their way home because of the formed ice on the road. Kakyoin's mother hit her head on the steering wheel and was torn open by the shattered windshield. Kakyoin suffered a much more grusome injury. He was thrown from the passenger seat, out the wind shield, and was impaled on a traffic sign. Explaining that the pole had gone through his navel. It barely missed his spinal cord because it was on an angle. They told us that he shouldn't have made it. He was in critical condition on life support due to his stomach and pancreas being punctured. He could've gone blind too from the shattered glass cutting his eyes. In the morning we found Kakyoin's condition improved but he was comatose.
     Fifty days would pass before he would gain consciousness. During that time I'd stay in his room when I was allowed and even pass sometimes. I would speak to him, told him how scared I was. I'm still scared now.

                          *    *    *

     Gasping I bent down everything was fuzzy. Reliving that time even for a moment makes me feel sick. Kakyoin checked if I was alright, I brushed it off as zoning out. He sighs before continuing the conversation.
     "I should've told you, if you go to Avdol's today, there's a welcome party being thrown at one of the student's houses tomorrow," He gently nudged me with his elbow. "Jotaro and I are going so it would it would be cool to see you and Avdol there. Please it's a chance to get out of your shell!"
     "A party? Who's holding it? Where is it?" It intrigued me, I've never been to a party and neither has Kakyoin.
     "His name is Josuke Higashikata, he's in our gym class. We talked about it together today in the locker room," He scratched his chin. "He doesn't live in a dorm, he lives in a house nearby, his mom's out of town for nearly two weeks."
     "It sounds interesting but what if something goes wrong? I doubt it'll be anything like what you see in movies."
     "Even if that's the case Polnareff, it'll be nice chance to get out." He got off the couch and headed into the kitchen. I rubbed my arm awkwardly.
     "I guess you're right. If I feel up to it I'll ask."
     He looked over with a dumb smile on his face, like an overjoyed puppy.
     "You mean it?"
     "I mean it," Confirming my statement. Lifting my head up I let out a deep breath. "Speaking of which, I should probably head over to Avdol's right now. It's been a couple hours since his last text."
     I took my phone and started typing. I erased my sentences over and over until I decided on something simple;
     I don't mind coming over today in the next hour if that's cool with you.
     Kakyoin came back from the kitchen and checked my texts then patting me on the back.
     "Simple but straight to the point, you're getting comfortable with him." I let out a nervous laugh.
     "Well that's a good thing, yeah?"
     "It's a good with Polnareff, it seems you just need a push to get the ball rolling."
     Looking to Kakyoin then the floor I got up and headed to my small closet. Ripping the door open I rummaged around.
     "What are you doing?" He asked as I moved to the bathroom with clean clothes in my arms.
     "If I'm going to go over to a dorm that's not ours, I'm gonna change out of the clothes I've been marinating in," wandering into the bathroom I shut the door. "Also because I smell like swamp ass."
     I heard laughter from the other side of the door. I let my hair down and looked in the mirror. The roots were oily and the tips were dry. Sliding the glass door open I turned the water on. My clothes stunk when I removed them. I threw them in the corner before I grabbed my body wash.
     As I washed my body and hair as my phone go off. I suspected it was a text from Avdol, it could wait until I was done. The scalding water turned me into a lobster. I got out, steam gently seeping off my skin. With a towel wrapped around my waist I looked at myself again in the foggy mirror. I never noticed how smooth and hairless my body was. I dried myself off and picked my clean clothing up. A buttoned black shirt left a low v neck space on my chest. High waisted jeans sat on my hips. I pinned my hair up in a half up half down ponytail. Once I was dressed I checked my phone.
     Sounds great, I'll leave the door open for you, please don't knock.
     Don't knock, that put me off. Shrugging it off I exited the bathroom, entering my room. I made sure to grab my charger before I left.
     Room twenty seven was a story lower than mine. I took an elevator down and moved a couple feet until I stood at his door. Now that I was here it was more nerve racking than I thought. My hand moved to knock but quickly retreated. I opened his door gently and slide inside. When the door clicked shut, a voice invited me to the kitchen.