Eraser

The next day I had already prepared my plan on how to handle the problem that appeared in school; I’ll simply ignore her.

That’s a tactic that I used in the past against her and it worked well enough!

Of course, I’ll keep it at a normal level, nothing too extreme as not responding if she’s ever talking to me, etc..

And this plan seems to work again! It’s already lunchtime and there was no need to interact with her at all! I acted like she was some random girl sitting next to me.

This recipe seems to work flawlessly but, you’ve got to admit… I’m a good actor myself!

And just like that: with simple, edge and pretty cool moves I took myself out of the classroom to grab something to eat, followed by Bill behind me.

◆

“So boys, where shall we sit?”, I asked.

“Well it’s very packed here today…”, Sok-kun replied. “Is Ayame-san joining us today?”

“No. Today it’s her friend’s turn to enjoy her at lunchtime”, I answered.

“So we’re looking for three seats today”, said Bill.

“Yeah.”, Sok-kun agreed. “But how is it so packed today? It’s very unusual for the cafeteria to have this many people around…”

“Well, not that I like to mention it, but it’s very obvious why – all around there are mostly boys’ groups and in the dead center of the cafeteria is having her lunch our new student”, I mentioned.

“Akisa-san, huh?”

“Yeah. However, It’s kinda funny… It’s like the bees being around the honey.”

“Well since she’s new here, it’s natural to be the center of attention.”, Bill said.

After a while, we managed to find a table all the way back with just three seats and we helped ourselves there.

“Shoot! I forgot to buy some water”, Bill told us suddenly. “Be right back!”

“Okay, now that he left I wanted to ask you; You didn’t answer my question yesterday. At least, you didn’t say the thing I asked you for: How come and you started liking her?”

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you how come… Just, not now. But I warn you there’s nothing special about it.”

“Okay, I’ll wait”

◆

As the classes resumed I woke up the actor inside me to get ready for the second act.

Things were going just like before… I was concentrated on the lessons and made sure not to turn my head leftwards towards her.

… Until I felt something hitting on my left leg.

As I checked below it was an eraser.

My mind started immediately having these weird flashbacks. Flashbacks of an eraser dropping down right under my desk and me picking it up afterwards, only to give it back. That happened so, so many times that after some point it actually became a habit! And always… Always!… Always that same face smiling at me. That was what I was seeing as I turn leftwards to return it… And today was not different from all these past events, 3 years later.

And after this déjà vu struck my mind, I was so angry at myself… So angry, yet so devastated that I let something -clearly so trivial to her– like that, become such an important event worth remembering and thinking about it.

That’s why I lied back in my seat and soughed to myself “F*cking Brain!”.

Disappointed as I was, I spent the remaining of the day lying on my desk covering my face. I felt so pathetic, I could cry…

◆

When it was time to get ready to return home, Ayame was outside of my classroom calling me out…

“Alex! Alex! Come here for a sec!”

“Right.”, I replied and started walking over to check out. “If you were waiting for me to return together, you could have said so… first… Uhh- Hello!?”

“Hello!”, a girl next to Ayame replied.

“So, this is my friend Yui-chan. She’s the president of the Acting Club I was talking you about…”

“Yes. I remember. So you must be the friend Ayame has been talking about.”

“Ayame!?! Uhh- Right! My name is Tsukasa Yui. It’s nice to finally meet you!”

“I’m Sakita Alex. Likewise!”

“Ayame-chan has been to talking about you too! A-All of you! I mean all of you…!”

“Well, it’s nice to hear that Ayame still remembers her old friends…”

“Shut up, Alex-kun! Like I could abandon you three…”, Ayame replied. “Especially you, you’re hopeless without me around…”

“Yeah, I know… I was only joking…”

“So, Sakita-kun, I heard that you write stories from Ayame-chan here, right?”

“Yeah. I’m good at making stories…”

“No! He’s the best at making stories.” Ayame objected “I’ve read many of his works and every one is better than the other!”

“Is that so? Then, in that case, I very would like to ask you to join the Acting Club. I don’t know if Ayame-chan has told you about the situation in our club, but long-story-short we desperately need someone who can come up with interesting stories and scenarios. And since Ayame said with the best about you and trusts you so much, I’d be more than happy to have you in our club.”

“Well, I promise these days to pass by your club to check it out and I’ll let you know then my decision.”

“Alright! Thank you so much Sakita-kun! And thank you too Ayame-chan! Now then, I’m sorry but I have to excuse myself… Ayame, see you tomorrow! Goodbye!”

“Goodbye, Yui-chan!” replied Ayame. “So, what do you think about the club?”

“Well, I don’t know yet… I can’t tell just from that. But I admit that it sounds interesting… Anyway, thank you Ayame for the recommendation.”

“Sure, darling! So... you were saying that you were going home, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And I believe you were about to ask me to go back home together?”

“Well, not exactly ask you, but--”

She started glaring at me, so I changed my answer…

“Yes… that’s right.”

“In that case, I’ll be happy to!”

Okay, gotta admit that was kind of cute… But that glare was terrifying.

“Okay, give me a moment to grab my bag.”

“Sure!”

◆

“Hey, Ayame, your face is red. Do you feel sick?”

“No… I’m fine!”

“Let me check your forehead really quick…”

“No! There’s no-”

“Well… It’s hot! You sure you’re not feverish?”

“No, I’m fine. Really!”

“And how come you don’t have club activities today?”

“Errm… The… Alright, alright, you got me… Jeez. I was feeling a little sick and asked the president to take the day off…”

“Did you by any chance catch her cold when she was sick the other day?”

“Maybe, I don’t- But I’m surprised you remembered I mentioned the president is sick. You must pay a lot of attention to me!”

“Of course I do! But there was no need to lie to me about feeling unwell!”

“Yes, I’m sorry about that… I just don’t want to make a scene about being a little bit sick and cause you trouble.”

“Are you serious? You? Trouble? You can’t believe-”

“Anyway, this morning I passed by the doctor’s and took some medicine. Tomorrow I’ll be just fine, you’ll see. So you don’t need to worry.”

“Alright, if you say so-”

“By the way, the cafeteria today had a lot more people than usual. Yui-chan and I had to eat our lunchbox in our classroom today. Do you know what happened?”

“Yes. It was all about the new girl who transferred in my class.”

“Oh, right! The transfer student that came yesterday! So, it’s a girl.”

“And not just a girl… She’s a girl from our middle school.”

“No way! Who is she?”

“Akisa Anna.”

“...”