Weekend.
It was very unusual to stand up and not see or hear anyone in the house. My mother is away until next week. She wrote to me recently that it would take her a little longer. I know she works in a research team, but for several days and without telling me what she's doing there is kind of strange. She often tells me that she must stick to confidentiality so as not to lose her job. But I can also understand that she knows that I can't keep things to myself for long. I went down to the kitchen to make myself some coffee. As I'm waiting for my coffee, I get a call from Haruka. "Morning Ace!". "Morning, why are you calling so early?" I asked him. "I was thinking about whether we could meet up sometime, just to chill, you know." "I'm alone at home right now, how about you come over and we can chill at my place." "Sounds great! Should I ask Casy too?" "I can call her, you don't need to." "All right, when should I come?" "Whenever you want, actually." "Boy, are you tiring… at 11 o'clock?" "Yes, 11 o'clock is fine." "Okay then, we'll see each other, you just have to give me your address and I'll be there!". I hung up. I had never had anyone visit me. Yes, ok, my aunt, uncle and grandparents but they don't count. Others had never been my guests. I took my coffee and sat on the couch in the empty living room. It's weird sitting alone or in the house. I'm an only child, but even though only my mother is away, everything here feels empty. I dialed Casy's number. She gave it to me on Wednesday. I waited and waited, but she didn't answer. Just as I was about to hang up, she finally answered. "Morning" she said it in a very tired and deep voice. "Eh... Hey Casy... uhm... morning...". I stuttered. "Did I wake you?". "Of course, you have". "Oh... sorry... I didn't mean to..." "Oh, it's not that bad, what's up?" "Oh, uhm so…". I couldn't form a fucking word. "I wanted to ask you if you would like to… maybe come to… me… Haruka is here too". "Hmmm." She is thinking. It felt like an eternity when an answer finally came out of her. "I still have something to do at lunchtime, but I can come over then." "Oh, so Haruka is coming at 11." "Yes, I'll come at 2 p.m. or so. Let's see, maybe I can even make it at 1 p.m. or 12 p.m." "Don't stress about it so much, you don't have to come." "Yeah, don't worry, I can do it." Okay, so I'm spending Saturday with them both. "But I have to hang up now, I have to get ready, then send me your address". "Yes, that's fine, we'll see each other today." "Yo, we hear each other." She hangs up. I sat in the chair and looked at the wall. Never in my life have I ever invited a girl to my house. I should clean everything up immediately before Haruka shows up, he's the first to come. I'll call Haruka back. "Hey Haruka, she's coming too". "Yes!" Haruka called through his cell phone. "What are you so excited about?" I asked him. "I know you like her or not?" "Haruka, shut up ok we are just friends". "Mhm, you can't tell that you're nervous in her presence." "N-No, I n-not". "Bro, you don't have to hide it from me". "Augh… Yes, you are happy". Sometimes he's really trying... "Yes, I knew that." "But don't tell her, don't you understand?" "Yeah, I won't, don't worry." "Woe betide you do that." "Yes, calm down, I won't do that." "Okay, I'll hang up then. I have to buy something for today." "All right, could you get something for me too?" "Bro, don't you have any money?". "Ace, you have enough money, your mother left you extra money so use it too". "Yeah, okay, I'll get you something." "Thanks, we will see us". Haruka hangs up. Just because my mother is away for a "few days" and left me money doesn't mean that I'm going to spend it all straight away. I got ready and cleaned up the house a little. I put on my shoes and headed to the store. It´s not that far away. When I arrived at the store, I noticed a girl being chased by a slightly older man. She probably looks the same age as me, purple hair... I've never seen anyone with purple hair. The man stalking her must be in his mid-30s. I could see she was uncomfortable. He runs after her and every time she stops, he also stops and looks at something nearby. I followed the two of them unobtrusively through the store. When the girl wanted to take something from the top shelf, the guy took out his cell phone and tried to take a picture under her skirt. I saw it and couldn't take it anymore. I gathered my courage and intervened. "Hey, you!" I called to him as I ran towards the two of them. "What do you want?" the man hisses at me. The girl turned to me and hid behind my back. "It would make sense to get away, understand?" I told him. "Why, what should I have done?" "Are you kidding me? I saw how you wanted to take a picture of her, and under her skirt too." He looked at me threateningly. I sensed a threatening atmosphere around him. But before he did anything, he said, "Next time it will be different" and ran away. As he ran away, I exhaled very deeply, as if I had been underwater. Only then did I feel the girl holding on to me tightly. I slowly turned to her and asked if everything was okay. She looked at me and without saying anything, she hugged me. "Oh, thank you very much" she said. "Hey, everything's okay now," I said to her to calm her down. "If you hadn't been here, then, then…". "Calm down, please". "Oh… eh…" she pushes me away from her. I fell a little against the shelf and was able to support myself. "OH! I am so sorry!". She grabbed me to sit up. "My name is Anna". "My name is Ace." "Ace... I've never heard a name like that before". "Yes, that's what everyone who knows my name says, but what interests me more." I looked at her hair. "Your hair…". "Yeah, what about them?" "Did you dye them or…". "No, my family and I don't know why, it just happened when I was 7." Getting purple hair just like that... sounds strange... But, I mean, my name is kind of strange too so I should keep my mouth shut. "Oh, I have to go, I have to get something quickly, thanks again." "No thanks," I said afterwards as she walked towards the checkout. I ran to the snack shops for some chips or sweets. I reached for the chips when my cell phone rang. It's Haruka. "Yo Ace." "What is?". "I'm standing here with Casy in front of your door." Shit... they're too early... I guess I wasn't paying attention to the time. "I'm just at the store, something... happened... I'll tell you what happened when I get home." "How much longer do you need?" I don't know exactly, I'll try to come as quickly as I can." "All right, Oh one more thing". "Yes?". "Get me the spicy chips please." "It will be done, does Casy want anything?" "Wait, I'll ask her briefly… She wants the sour cream, if that's not available, then just the classic ones." "OK will be done". "Ok, we hear each other." Haruka hangs up. I put the chips in my bag and made my way to the checkout. I paid and walked out of the store. When I was outside, I saw Anna on the stairs. She looked at me and walked towards me. "Hey," she said. "I want to give you something to thank you for earlier." "Oh no thanks, it's fine, you don't have to give it to me." "Oh ok…". "Were you waiting for me?" I asked her. "Yes… it's uncomfortable to say…". She crosses her arms and becomes more nervous. "I don't have a plan where to go right now… My roommate is a bit annoyed with me and locked me out of the room." "And your neighbors?" "They don't like me... that's why I wanted to ask... if I could go somewhere with you... and besides, I'm really paranoid about walking alone right now..." I thought for a moment. "You seriously want to go somewhere with me even though we only met a few minutes ago?" "Oh…". Her expression changed. "Ok then, bye…". "Hey, wait," I called to her. "You can come with me, we're not alone because I'm meeting two other friends." She turns around and smiles at me. So, she went with me to my place. I find it strange that she wants to go with me... But I can understand that she is afraid that something will happen again when she is alone. We chatted on the way. When we arrived, I saw Casy sitting on the stairs and Haruka standing against the wall. As we got closer, Haruka noticed me. He looked at me and I saw his eyes go to the right to Anna. "Hey," I said to the two of them. "Augh... you're finally here, we felt- Who is that?" Casy asked me. "Her name is Anna, it's, how should I put it... something happened." "Something happened?" said Haruka. "I'll tell you what happened when we get inside." I went to the door and opened it. "Feel like home". "Were there sour cream chips?" Casy asked me. "We haven't been at Ace's house for a second and you're already asking if he has it?" Haruka hissed at her. "Huh, do you have a problem with that?" "Oh forget it... So Ace, what happened?". As I tried to explain it to them, Anna interrupted me. "I'll tell them" she said to me. We sat down in the living room. Anna tells the two of them what happened. "Does this happen to you often?" Casy asked Anna. "No not really… it's my first time someone has tried something like that". "You were really lucky that Ace was there," Haruka replied. "Yes, I was. I'm also grateful that he was there." "One thing, Anna," Haruka says to Anna. "Yes?". "Why are you here with him?" "Oh eh…" she gets nervous. "It's that..." She told them the same thing she told me. "You shouldn't just talk to people like that with Anna." "I know... I just didn't want to go alone and besides I wanted to go with Ace...". "Haruka, shut up for a moment, okay?" "Casy you sh-". Casy punches Haruka's shoulders. "Anna, you can spend the day with us if you don't have a plan where to go." "Oh really?". "Ace, I don't kno-" Haruka said when Casy interrupted him again. "Could. You. SHUT THE FUCK UP HARU!" Casy screamed. "Yes, okay, its ok…". I laugh. "Oh, you don't know our names yet, my name is Cassidy Orlean, but you can call me Casy, this is Haruka Ishiki, we all go to the same class." "To Shirin High School, first year of teaching," Haruka continued. "Oh, I'm still going to secondary school, it's only my last year there." "One more thing Anna" asked Casy. "Yes?". "I really like your hair." "OH REALLY!?" she said and jumped up. "Eh… Yes, very much, are they colored?". "Oh eh… sorry… no they're not". "Then why are they purple?" Casy and Anna were talking. "I'm just going to go to the toilet," said Haruka. As he left, I got a message from... Haruka? "Hey Ace, please come to the kitchen for a moment, it's really urgent," the message said. "Hey, do you want something to drink?" "Oh yes, just water". "For me too". I went to the kitchen where Haruka was waiting for me.