Flash-Back
It was the middle of the school year and the bell was about to ring for school to end for the day. The boy was sitting in his desk, which was the second last row to the right and the third last in the group. All the tables had a little group, even though they all faced the front of the room, none touching one another. His ratted black backpack stood half open at his right while he tired to finish coping tonight homework. It was an essay for History. 'What would you do if you could go back in time?' The boy grinned. 'Well that was easy...shoot the bastard who invented homework!' He shook his head. It was things like that that set his teachers off. Like he gave a damn about them though. He only came to this forsaken place because otherwise he'd be put in some stupid home. He liked his home, he liked being alone and he didn't want to be told what to do. He got enough of that at school. He finished coping the assignment and quickly wrote down his answer. He slipped it into his binder, which was a mess. But still...he did know were everything was. When it was clean he couldn't find shit. His teachers finally gave up on that organization thing with him. Well all but one, who happened to be his history teacher. He claimed 'You'll thank me someday boy! An organized binder is an organized life! And when things are in place and in order your life will run smoother.' The boy had told him to shove it up his and that he had a C.O.D. (Compulsive Organization Disorder). He got 3 weeks of detention and extra gym classes. The boy smiled even bigger under his mask. If only that general wanna-be history teacher of his knew what he didn't say aloud about him. He slipped his school books and binders into his backpack.
“Um, excuse me, I was-” The boy jumped up, startled and banged his head on his desk. He carefully rose and looked over his desk, dropping his backpack. It was a girl. She was about 5” 4', dirty blond, her hair up in a ponytail. She wore some blue jeans, old sneakers and t-shirt. It was black with a picture of Simba (as a cub) ripping up some school books and homework. The boy grinned. He'd seen that picture before on the internet. How did she have it on her shirt though? (later he found out that Kira had some friends who owned a t-shirt shop and could print any pic. you wanted on it. It was a going away gift.) Her eyes were sea blue/green. She brushed away her bangs, which seemed to keep falling into her eyes. She pulled her dark blue pack higher up and said with amusement in her voice and face.
“S-sorry! Didn't mean to startle you there! I was just wondering if you could help me.” He rubbed his head and looked around suspiciously. Some of the people were looking at him. He looked back at the bewildered girl. He sighed and said boredly.
“Look, whatever they paid you I'll double if you just leave me the hell alone.” He sighed and reached into his wallet. The girl asked.
“What, what are you talking about? Paid me? I-”
“Here, just take the damn money and go.” He shoved about $40 at her. She turned her head and crossed her arms. The boy looked at her. He shrugged and put the money back in his wallet.
“Well go on then, tell them you did whatever they told you to do. I'll play along if they ask. Okay?” “What are you talking about!?” The girl demanded, looking at the boy. He flinched.
“First of all, no one paid me, second you don't have to be a jerk and third of all I just wanted to know if you wouldn't mind giving me a tour of the school! I just got in and I-I...” her voice faltered and she looked at the boy. He was pale and stared unblinking.
“H-hey...you alright there? I didn't mean to be-”
“Uh-huh...it's just...your...your really talking to me!? No one paid you or dared you or something?” “No...why? You sick or something?” The boy shook his head. The bell rang.
“Well bye then.” She said and turned to leave. The boy quickly swiped the rest of his stuff into his backpack and raced after her while putting his pack on.
“Hey!! Girl!! Wait up!” She stopped and turned as the boy caught up.
“My names Kira, Kira King.”
“Oh-uh, yea, sorry, Kira. So-um...still want that tour?” She smiled and said
“Really!?” The boy laughed.
“Of course! Where to start though...”
“Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to eat my lunch.” The boy looked at Kira.
“You haven't eaten yet?” She shook her head.
“No, I just got here, remember!?”
“Oh yea.” He turned red and rubbed the back of his head.
“D-do you have anything to eat?” Kira opened her pack, revealing a PB&J, a can of some sort of soda and a bag of BBQ chips. The boy laughed. Kira looked at him and asked.
“What's so funny?” Wiping his eyes the boy said.
“It's just...those are like my most favorite foods!!” Kira looked at him.
“No really! Look!” He swung his pack around and opened it up, revealing a few BBQ and Doritos chip bags (most empty) a couple crushed soda cans and plastic wrappings off of those un-crustible things, among other things. They both started to laugh.
“But yes, I have just the perfect spot to eat! And there won't be too many people out since schools done for the day, you know?” Kira started to follow him then stopped and said worried.
“I'm not going to make you late or something? ...You want to call your mom or someone? You can use my phone if you don't have one.” The boy stopped. 'Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit...what do I say? Lie? Tell her? Omfg! What do I say!?!?!' He took a breath. 'Okay, play it cool...just play it cool.' He turned around and said smiling.
“Nah, it'll be okay. Trust me, no worries!” Kira looked at him funny. Though he was still smiling, a bead of sweat slid down his face.
“Your not a very good lier...”She broke off and quickly changed the subject. She didn't want to make her new friend uncomfortable.
“Is this the spot?'” The boy turned to where she pointed. The sun reflected brightly off the window. Outside there was a tree with a bench next to it. Around it was a semi-circled 3 ft wall. Inside the wall was a few trees and lined around the edge was bushes with flowers.
“Yep, that's it!” They walked outside. The boy sat down on the wall. Kira, unknowingly sat on his tail. You see, the boy had a tail, always, but he was able to blend it in. he could turn it any color or shade possible. He just chose to keep it hidden for obvious reasons. She Kira started to talk about her sister Tamera and stuff while the boy nodded. Hot tears slid down his face as he turned his head so she couldn't see.
“-You know?” Kira continued as she pulled out her lunch. The boy bit down on his lip and said muffled.
“Mmhmp...” The took a bit to of her sandwich. The boy tasted blood in his mouth as he bit harder, trying not to scream. His face was beet red and damp. He put his hands over his mask and clammed them tightly over his mouth. Kira turned and looked at him. She said in alarm.
“Hey!? You alright!!?? Whats wrong?” The boy quickly shook his head yes while closing his eyes. Tears still streamed down his face. Kira leaned over and tried to pry his hands away as she said once more.
“Are you OKAY?” She got his hands free and he literally howled.
“AWOOOH!! My tail! Your sitting on my tail!!” The girl got off the wall and said confused.
“Y-your what?” The boy answered through clenched teeth, rubbing his tail feverishly.
“You heard me. I said my tail T-A-I-L, tail.”
“I-I heard you...I just don't believe it.” The turned his head at her but stopped himself and looked away as he said dangerously.
“Well? Aren't you going to run? Scram? Call me names and what not?” A flash of hurt passed through his eyes, but only for a second. He straightens up and props a knee up to his chest, leaving his other hanging. He laid his chin on his knee and folded his hands, which fell limply to his foot. Though you couldn't see it, you could hear the agitated swish of his tail. Kira kept he head down, unmoving. Suddenly her head popped up, eyes bright while she leaned forward slightly with her fist up to her chest as she said quickly.
“That's so COOL!!” The boy flinches while staring at her, mouth slightly dropped. Kira continued
“-I mean, yes it's kind of creepy and weird but so awesome! Can you do stuff with it? Where is it? How long you had it? Can I get one? Is it really real-” And so on. 'This girl is fricki'n nuts! Cool? Awesome? Where-how? But...i?It's definitely nothing I've ever heard before about me! Not in this kind of way. What a curious girl...Kira King...' He bowed his head 'I'll never understand girls!' He went to say something but could only stutter.
“W-what di-id you sa-say?” Kira smiles even more as she said mockingly.
“You heard me! I said cool, C-O-O-L, cool; smart ass!” He shifts a little and laughs weakly.
“Yeah-heh (I deserved that...) ...i heard you but I don't believe it! Are you serious??” Her hands fall back to her side as she asks.
“Why wouldn't I be?” He starts to turn red as he rubs the back of his head.
“Well...um...y-you see...um...oh I don't now how to put it but as simple as this. People hate me and this is like a reason why and for-for you to think...to think it cool...its almost unreal.”
“WHAT!?!?! But it's so COOL...!” She pauses, looking down at her feet. He slide down of the wall and asks.
“Hey...whats wrong? ...Kira?” She replies slightly lifting her head, almost whispering.
“I...I want-I would like...that is if you-um...wouldn't mind...” He cocks his head as he says.
“Huh?” 'Out of everything I've gathered from Kira this seems...unlike her, out of character... Has she suddenly fallen ill? Have I done something? Oh NO! What if she does scream? Or run? Or-or?' The boy thought in a growing panic. Kira quickly and loudly says while she fully lifted her head.
“I-Was-JUST-WONDERING-IF-I-COULD-TOUCH-TAIL!” Kira takes a deep breath, her eyes sparkling. Dumbstruck the boy sputters stupidly, eyes full of shock and surprise.
“-My-My tail!?” She rolls her eyes and shot back playfully.
“Yes your tail, stupid!” He turns slightly red. 'Well that was...not what I was expecting. Okay...so she wants to touch it? Might as well let her...after all she already sat on it! It's still throbbing like hell! Hmm...maybe I'll just play with her for a minute, as payback... Yes...I like that plan!' A sly smile creeps across his face. Unfortunately Kira couldn't see it because of his mask. He looks right at her and says plainly,
“No.” and starts to shift stuff in his pack.