Nicknames and Last Names

I could feel the collective gaze of the classroom swivel in to focus on the two of us. I struggled to speak. It was as though my vocal chords were drying out under the heat of their combined scrutiny. Almost choking, I somehow managed to force my words out. It was strained, but thankfully audible.

“H-hey Evi. It’s nice to see you too.” I tried to dial down my anxiety by keeping my eyes locked to her, but a nervous flutter in my peripheral vision reminded me of our now gaping audience. Oh, um, hmm. That sounded a little too familiar didn’t it? Oh no. I attempted to backpedal.

“Uh, I mean. Evi-chan. Evi-san! Evi-sama? Eh, Eeehehe.”

“I told you already, just Evi is fine,” she said, running a hand through her hair. “What are the odds, right? Guess we got lucky.” She gave a small smile.

It faded quickly as her attention moved to the rest of the room.

“Hey. I’m Evi, nice to meet you.”

Her tone was almost mechanical. No thought needed. She just… said what needed to be said. Sure, it wasn’t very friendly, but it got the job done and she seemed completely relaxed. No overthinking. It was kind of awe-inspiring, really. Okay, maybe not for most people, but for me it was incredible how confident she was. It had been over a month and a half since high school started and I’d barely spoken a word to anyone in the class. Though I suppose that might say more about me than it did about her.

“Is this desk open?” she asked, pointing to the one behind me.

I nodded yes.

“Cool.” She leisurely stepped over and sat down, dropping her red and black duffel-bag style backpack onto the ground beside her.

Ms. Nakamura looked at us with widened eyes. They were a dark shade of brown that was almost black. I don’t think I ever noticed their color before. I think this was the first time I’d seen them this far open. Huh.

Well. I guess it made sense. She wasn’t the type who would pry into other people’s business, but she was still a fairly observant person. And anyway it didn’t take a detective to know that I wasn’t exactly a social butterfly.

“Oh. You know each other? That’s good.” Sensei cleared her throat, attempting to disguise her shock. For my benefit, I guess. “That’s great. Splendid. That should make this whole process a lot easier then.”

Her left hand moved to brush a stray strand of jet-black hair out of her face. As she did her eyes regained their composure.

“However. I must ask that our new student give a full introduction, first and last name along with—“

“She knows Miyashita-san?” a voice rang out in the back of the classroom.

“I didn’t know she talked,” murmured a student by the window.

“Dude, shut up.”

Stunned chattering, some quiet and some loud, began to fill the classroom.

“Ghost Girl has a friend.”

“Don’t be rude.”

“I wonder why she transferred?”

“What did she say her name was again?”

Nakamura Sensei clapped her hands together.

“Okay class, let’s settle down and—“

“Hey, wait a minute that girl has horns.”

Oh come on. Did no one notice that until now? Was talking to me really more surprising than the horns? Thanks for the vote of confidence everybody.

I mean I get it. There are reasons for it. It’s understandable, but even so…

Nakamura Sensei spun to face the errant speaker.

“Please do not interrupt me when—“

“Yes, genius. I have horns,” Evi said. Interrupting.

“Were you asleep? These are horns. They are on my head. I had a speech prepared explaining things further, but recent events made me rethink it.” She glanced over at me. I blushed. “It was a little mean, so I figured I'd just let you all reason things out for yourselves.”

A pained expression etched itself onto our teacher’s face.

“Please tell me this is not how you all intend to behave in my classroom from now on.”

“I was answering a question,” Evi replied.

“Be that as it may—“

“Uh, I mean, she is correct in that she didn’t start it,” I interjected.

For some reason, I felt compelled to respond. Maybe it was to defend Evi. Maybe it was the rising desire to defy my classmates’ expectations. Or maybe it was just because everyone else was talking too. I’m not really sure.

“Although, Evi, technically the question that you responded to, that, uh… that wasn’t a question.”

“Sure Rin, that is technically true,” she gestured towards the other side of the room, “but I knew what he meant.”

“Ah. Then I suppose, yes. In a way the spirit of the statement was a question. Like, the sentiment behind it, y’know?”

“Exactly,” she said, giving a heavy nod.

“So, um. I think that’s, pretty reasonable. Right?”

I looked up happily at Ms. Nakamura now that the question/answer issue had been settled. She seemed more than a bit confused.

“It appears we actually have two new students today,” she remarked with surprise. Her voice grew gentle, “Miss Miyashita I am sincerely happy that you are becoming more comfortable.” She paused. “But even so, I would prefer no interruptions at the moment.”

“R-right. Sorry, Sensei.”

“Thank you.” She scanned the rest of the room, and spoke firmly.

“No more interruptions.” Then nodded towards Evi. “All right, let’s finally get this done.”

Her head was down, horns angled forward.

“Do I have to?”

Nakamura Sensei sighed.

“I thought we talked about this before class. There’s no reason you can’t say it. You are allowed to say it. After all, it is your last name too. And I think it would help to have you say it. Build new associations with it.”

Evi wouldn’t look at her.

“This is a fresh start for you.“

The response came slowly, as though she had to piece it together.

“Can I please just not say my last name?”

It was almost a mumble.

“Please Aunt Nakamura?”

Wait a minute.

The class exploded into noise.

“Settle down, settle down. I’m a friend of her parents.” She shook her head. ”Well. I’m a friend of her mom.”

It took a moment for the atmosphere to calm. Evi kept her head lowered the entire time.

“…Please?”

As serious as she may attempt to be, Sensei is a softie at heart.

“Okay then. I’ll have a talk with your other teachers as well… You’re lucky that you have me for homeroom. If it was someone else first thing in the morning I doubt they would be this accommodating.”

“Thanks.” Evi peeked up at her. “You’re the best.”

“I try.” Turning to the class, Ms. Nakamura called out, “Alright, time for attendance. Let’s just get through this everyone.”

As Sensei moved to get the attendance sheet, I whispered to Evi.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she whispered back.

“Okay… That’s good.”

“…Hey so—“

“I can hear you two over there,” said Nakamura Sensei, sounding less than impressed.

“Ah, sorry.”

“Sorry.”

And thus the school day began.