I answer the video call.
I then see Shaina's face.
...
The moment it appears on my screen, I immediately freeze in awe.
...
No, it's not that she's stunningly beautiful, but because her face is on the verge of laughing out loud.
Her eyes slightly closing and her teeth about to fully show.
I'm in awe because this is probably the first time I'll see Shaina laughing.
...
Then her camera shakes.
"HA!"
She lets out a shout, followed by a loud, mischievous laugh, making her nearly tear up.
"HAHAHAHAHA! OH, THE TIMING!" She laughs even more.
...
Look, I'm the one being laughed at here, but for some reason, I can't help but smile seeing her laugh like this.
...
This is actually new.
Like, really new.
I never saw her laugh like her body would flip inside-out.
I only saw cute giggles and menacing smirks. Seeing this kind of laugh brings a bit of joy.
...
After seconds of pure laughter, she cools down and wipes a tear on her face.
"Haah.. That was beautiful. I've never laughed this much, Josh. Good on you."
"I'm lost, Shaina. I can't see in any way how this is good for me."
"Ah too bad. I'm having way too much fun with this." Shaina laughs a bit more.
"So, what now?"
"I don't know. What do you think?"
"I want to leave this place, Shaina. Unfamiliar people are around me."
"It's not hard to say "help me", Josh."
"Fine. Yeah that. I mean that."-
"Oh wow, you can't even say it. You're a horrible person, Josh."
"Too bad."
"Fine. Since I can see a pink building behind you, you can head to the tall tower with a green roof. You can wait for a bus that goes to the way back. But then you'll have to walk back to the other side of the road, aaand wait for a bus again."
"Alright. I got it from there. Thanks."
"Oh?! Josh apologized? What era is this?!"
"Oh screw off." I move my hand to end the call.
She giggles "Alright. Take care, Josh. I'll actually go to practice now."
"Hm, yeah." I chuckled as I ended the call.
I looked at the pink building behind me.
Out of all the building around here, this is the only building that's isn't in any shade of white to black.
This one is colored.
...
Knowing that this building took my attention and got me thinking, it will most likely be a huge plot point in the future.
...
Who knows?
...
I follow what Shaina told me, and managed to get on the bus.
It took an hour of my life, but I did get to the stores that I wanted to go to.
...
I'm at the school supplies store, and picked up glue, papers, and other materials needed.
As I was about to get in line, I feel a chill in my spine.
...
Well, more like anger in my veins.
...
"Josh! What's poppin'?" Aira greets me in a quirky manner from behind.
I take a deep sigh.
"Yo. I'm the errand boy this year." I greet back.
"Oh? That's cool! At least I get to hang out with you most of the time. I'm also the one who buys stuff for the theater group."
...
So every time I get asked to buy stuff, I'll most likely be with Aira.
Oh, I don't know how long I'll be able to hold myself.
I might as well just shout and run away.
...
But it's not worth it.
...
We finish buying stuff, and we leave to store.
"Well, I assume you're going back to school now, so bye!" I separated from Aira.
"You're still going somewhere?"
"Ah, I just have more stuff to buy on another store."
"I'll just come along with you, it hasn't been too long since I left the school."
...
Sigh.
Why won't you just leave me alone?
...
"Fine. It's just on the other side of the road, so it shouldn't take long." I say with a straight face.
I'm just trying not to shout.
...
We walked to the other side of the road.
"Y'know, you did change a bit, Josh. Did I do something wrong?" Aira asks along the silent walk.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you were a bit "nicer" before. You always had a smile that shines together with mine."
"Well, life gets worse from time to time. You can't expect me to smile everyday."
"You were friendlier to me too. It's like the gentle breeze of summer left. Now it's just the harsh, cold air of winter."
"You're surprisingly poetic. Where'd that come from?"
"I got influenced a bit by Paul-- Wait, don't change the subject, answer me!" Aira hit me on my shoulder.
...
Ah, that brings back memories. Even though it was just a month or so.
...
"Why? It won't matter anyway." I ask.
"It does matter. I care about you!"
...
Ah, these words of lies. It's refreshing to hear them once again.
...
"Thanks. Must be easy to say those hollow words." I grab my bag tightly.
"What do you mean? I've been your friend for a majority of this school year. It may not be long, but I can say I had a good time!"
"Exactly, you treated me as a friend."
"I don't understand you. Don't you want friends? I can say that I do, which is the reason why I continued hanging out with you."
"How about Paul then? Did you also want to be his friend?"
"Yeah, of course! We've gotten a bit closer, so I can say we're more than friends. But what exactly is your issue here?"
"If you connect the dots, you'll get the answer. But you're an airhead anyways, so I doubt you'll understand it." I grab my bag even tighter.
"Josh?"
"Look. I can see Paul is happy with you, and I'm happy for him as well. But seeing him accomplish his goal for such a short time is something that I didn't like."
"His.. Goal?"
...
"Sigh. Do you know the reason why I just started talking to you for no reason?"
...
"Not really. I just thought you just wanted to be friends."
"The same thing happened with Paul, right? He talked to you out of nowhere."
"Where are you going with this?"
"Now, we both didn't have any connection with you, or any decent reason to approach you. We wanted to talk to you."
"..."
"We even tried flirting to some extent. You also flirted back at us. This leads us to believe you like us as well."
"..."
"Then we tried doing things just to make you like us, and you also kept on giving signs."
"Signs?"
"I was being nice to you. I did everything to help you out. But tell me, did this lead me to anywhere?!"
"..Josh?"
...
At this point, I feel like I'm fighting for a losing argument.
There's a part of me that believes what I'm saying right now just makes me look bad.
This isn't something that I should be fighting for.
But my pride does not allow it. A part of me does not accept this.
...
"After months of work, I still get the "friend-zone" treatment."
"..."
"I tried everything, Aira. I forced myself to watch swimming tournaments, I pushed myself to give you compliments every time, and I even helped you in every school project. I.. tried to be nice, Aira."
"..."
"But then I see Paul. A guy who I can mirror myself with. A guy who has the same goals and qualities as me, gain your heart in less than a month, and I had to see it in front of me!"
"..."
"I'm not jealous of your relationship, Aira. I'm bothered by how you liked Paul better than me, and faster even! What did he do that I didn't?! Did I do something wrong?! Please, I need to know!"
"..."
...
I may have let loose a bit too much.
I may have gotten a bit angry.
I may have shouted things that I shouldn't have said.
...
My words came out as me being jealous despite saying that I'm not.
At this point I don't even know what would happen next.
...
I did not manage to control myself.
...
I turned away, surprisingly having an enraged face.
It's rare for me to show this much emotion.
...
I don't even know if I'm jealous or not. It's more like I'm just mad at how things didn't go my way.
...
I don't know what will happen next.
My mind is filled with questions and things that I shout at myself.
I shouldn't have done this.
I shouldn't have felt this in the first place.
...
Aira lets out a pained, weak sigh.
...
I feel terrible.