It was thirty minutes after school, usually you'd see me either on my way home after visiting the library or already at home watching another episode of Attack on titan.
However this afternoon was different from all the others. I found myself awkwardly walking to a nearby Starbucks not alone but with someone.....who wasn't my cousin.
"-and then I thought that's pretty cool, oh and I got my very first addiction of the series after watching it for the first time!"
This girl could really talk, not once have I opened my mouth to say a thing. I mean, she could hold a conversation all on her own, I swear.
"So yeah but I don't know. What do you think?"
She turned to me in question.
Wait she was asking for my opinion? But why now?
I'm totally lost, half of what she said was not heard and the other half sounded like another language to me.
Okay think back, she was discussing the book she was reading called....Uhm, Randal s-something, after she was on about an anime she watched for the first time.
What was it again? Oh no, I don't remember! What should I do?
She's gonna hate me for not paying attention then she's gonna ruin my quiet life at school all for revenge!
What should I d-
The sound of laughter broke my panic attack. I turned to the girl I was walking with and found her tear stained and audibly laughing.
"U-uhm."
This is where my social IQ failed me. As I said before I am not a very social person.
Focusing back to the girl who I had yet to find out the name of, I smiled lightly at her laughter.
"Wow, you should've seen your face. You were like all panicked and everything"
She exclaimed as she finally calmed down from her high.
"Anyway you don't really have to be so nervous around me. But I guess you have every right to be cautious of a total stranger who just up and asked to hang out with you."
"Y-yeah"
She gave me a small smile, her eyes glimmering as the light of the sun hit just at the right angle.
Even nature loves this girl!
"Oh, I guess I never properly introduced myself. My name's Nova."
She reached her hand towards me in greeting. It took me awhile to return the gesture. Stretching mine back in a shake I introduced myself
"Reign. Nice to meet you"
Her smile grew impossibly larger. She shined so impossibly bright it was like she outdid the sun itself.
Who was this girl, and why as she so warm and sparkly?
"Let's go in here."
She pointed to the nearby Starbucks as she walked into the store.
Closely following behind, I entered the caffeine store.
Immediately a waft of ready brewed coffee and freshly baked muffins hit me in the face.
The wonderful smell of chocolate, vanilla and velvet cake invaded my nostrils and my mouth began watering in anticipation.
Taking a seat at the far window, an awkward silence befell between the two of us.
Looking out to the busy workers I did my best to avoid eye contact.
I wasn't one for small talk and I often failed at making conversation, so the best thing for me to do was to stay silent.
"I'm gonna go order for us. Is there anything in particular you want?"
Nova asked with her signature blinding smile displayed for the whole world to gawk at.
"Uhm, I'll have a red, velvet cake and a large ice tea."
Nodding her head she made her way to the register, leaving me alone to my thoughts.
I still had no idea why this girl willingly talked to me or if she really was being genuine about being friends.
Honestly, I was still waiting for her to throw an ice cold drink over my head and laugh with her friends who sat two seats back, recording the whole thing.
It was a very alien feeling for me, who didn't really receive attention from anyone; parents included, and let's not even get started on my level of anxiety right now.....I swear with the amount of sweat accumulated from my armpits alone you could refill dry desserts.
Preoccupied by my thoughts, I jumped in surprise at the sudden action of plates being set on the table.
"Okay then, one ice tea, two red velvet cakes and a hot latte. Here you go"
She said while passing my order towards me.
"Uhm...thanks"
I whispered in a low voice, looking down at my very shaky hands
Giggling at my silly little antic she dove into her piece of the cake.
I looked down to my own. Picking up a fork I stuck it into the delicious looking sponge, took off a piece and brought it to my lips.
Opening wide for its entry, I slowly chewed and swallowed the delicious cake down.
And it was magnificent!
My eyes widened in absolute bliss as my salivary glands reveled in the pure taste of sweetness.
It felt as though my gate to a world of beauty had opened. The great, golden poles of heaven stood tall before me, streams of cream ran throughout the land, mountains of pastry laid past the heavenly gardens of sugar.
Never had I tasted such sweetness, such taste, such.....delicacy.
Truly the gods of Olympus have kept such a treasure hidden from the world, such a crime cannot be forgiven!
They must pay for their transgressions and burn in the ever burning pits of Hades' flames!
"Wow, that was...I mean I've heard pretty damn good references in my life but that.....that was by far the best I've ever heard."
"Wait, did I say all that out loud?"
My eyes widened in shock as my chest constricted. I felt the slow progression of anxiety building within my walls of solitude.
Was this to be my demise?
"Woah, chill. If anything I think it was cool."
"R-really?"
I asked, slightly nervous and skeptical. She nodded her head at me with a wide smile firmly displayed on.
"Yeah, I did say it was the best thing I've very heard didn't I?"
She smiled bringing a fork full of cake to her open mouth. Shyly smiling back at her I proceeded with my eating.
"Oh right!"
She loudly exclaimed, slamming her hands flat on the table. The action startled me, causing me to lose my hold on my fork.
Slightly leaning forward her chair now only standing on two of its hind legs, a wide smile graced her lips.
"I nearly forgot why I wanted to hang out with you today. I mean I did bring you here for a reason."
Wait, she brought me here for something specifically?
What is she going to do? Take the cake she bought me and smush it onto my face? Or is she going to pour clam juice on my shirt?...
I mean I don't know why I'm thinking clam juice, but it would totally make sense cause that stuff stinks!
She looked down to my only half-eaten velvet cake then went back to my eyes.
Wait, was that it? Did she possibly do something to the cake?
I mean she was the one who went to go and get them, she had plenty of time to pour some sort of weird concoction into it.
Was it possibly p-p-poison?
Holy heaven's socks and ghost liver, I'm gonna die!!
But I don't wanna die, I'm too young and beautiful....ok maybe not beautiful but I'm not too bad looking.
Guess I should say I'm too young and average looking to die...yeah!
Nova must have seen by look of panic because she just started right out laughing.
Confused and slightly uncomfortable I looked to the other tables as eyes turned to our table.
I grew small at the obvious looks we received from strangers. This was something I was foreign to.
I don't get attention from my parents, I'm hardly remembered by my own classmates. Even teachers get frightened when I suddenly speak.
I'm like a shadow, no shadows are atleast seen and noticed. I'm more like a ghost. Unnoticed, unknown, forever alone in eternal solitude.
"You looked like I was holding a gun to your forehead-"
"Wait you're gonna kill me!"
I basically shouted out without thinking. Once again heads turned to us and once again I shrunk at the attention.
"I-I mean...."
Giving me a small smile, her eyes softened as she drank down what was left of her latte.
Sighing out loud she turned to me with now a serious expression
Oh glob, oh glob, oh glob
"So here's the deal"
Placing her hands on the table in a "professional" manner, she slightly leaned in again.
"As I said before I brought you here for a reason"
She's definitely about to embarass me. What is it? Bucket of ice, scorpions on my head, a large tub of old ranch dressing?
Come on I can take it!
"Well, you see it's just that I noticed you were...different from the people I usually hang with"
Unholy Christmas cheers, she thinks I'm a weirdo, a complete freak! She's totally going to do something bizzare for being such a creep.
"Okay, I'm just gonna come out and say it."
Here it comes!
"I-I"
She's gonna do it. No I'm definitely not prepared for this.
Code red!
I repeat.
Code. Red!
"I"
Aaaahhhh!!!! Please make this quick and painless.
Salina my precious hamster that I accidentally flushed down the toilet, I'm coming!
Make space for my undead sou-
"I wanna talk to you more about boy's love!"
She finally got out in a not so suttle manner. This time the staff were eyeing us, giving us weird looks.
Wait, what? Hold on a second, she wants to do what now?
"U-uhm.....sorry could you repeat that?"
"It's just that, I've never met a fellow fan before. Whenever I talk about this with Barns she always rolls her eyes and tells me how weird I am"
Okay I didn't expect that at all, I really did not. But I guess I could see where it is she was coming from.
I mean I was constantly bullied in middle school for my little hobby and undying love of anime.
So I totally understand it. Being mocked by people can really get a person. And this Barns person sounds like a real asshole.
Scrunching my brows together in determination, I reached for her folded hands.
She looked down to our connected hands and then back to my eyes. With conviction I said the words I never thought would come out of my mouth....not in a billion years.
"Would you become my shipmate?"
I asked in all seriousness.
At first she seemed slightly confused, but once she saw the fire swimming in my eyes she was convinced
"You really mean it?"
I smiled lightly at her, pat her hand softly and gave a close eyed smile
"Yeah, of course."
Shifting in my seat a bit uncomfortable at my unusual character behaviour, I rubbed the back of my neck
"Well I guess it's cause I'd also like someone to share my interest and love for anime with. I mean, it makes sense that two people with a common interest stick together.....right?"
I asked in a nervous tone.
She remained quiet for a while and that only made me more nervous. Maybe she had a change of heart?
It would make sense that she was just lying and making fun of me or something.
I mean, come on!
How can a beauty like her; who looks like freaking snow white in real life, want to be friends with me?
I'm not even a side character, or a mob character. I'm the one person in a manga who the main character passes by and isn't even completely drawn in.
I shouldn't have said anything at all. Maybe I should go ho-
"I'd love to"
She loudly exclaimed.
"Wait what?"
I asked completely confused at the sudden burst of energy.
"I can't beleive this, I finally have an anime friend! This is the greatest day of my life."
Excited, she got up too fast from her chair.
The sudden action of her standing up that fast caused the seat to fall back, it then tripped an employee who went down with a tray full of ice cold water.
Not noticing the little accident she caused, Nova proceeded with her display of joy by holding her hands up.
But that only ended up smacking the back of her hand on a customer straight on the noise.
The sheer force of Nova's hand coming into contact with the poor customer caused her to get a very bad nose bleed; which I'm sure the nose will soon bruise up.
The force of impact caused the customer to lose her balance and somehow end up falling backwards on another table where she took off with the sheet and the rest of the food on it.
Nova paused then, and looked around at the utter destruction she was responsible for.
"U-u"
Mouth agape and shocked I looked to the raven haired beauty to which she responded to with an equal look.
"Oh shit"
Before I could even blink, she grabbed me by the hand and we bolted out of the doors before anyone could even ask us to wait.
Dragging me away at full speed, I was still slightly shocked at what had previously occured.
Isn't that something you see only in anime or movies? That was too well orchestrated.
Wouldn't that be something you call gap moe?
"I really need to get my bad luck fixed!"
No you don't, you're just extra clumsy which is the ultimate weapon of moe in anime.
It adds charm to your character!