I Walk a Thin Line that May or May Not Exist

“Did you hear? Ian Mosslark’s back at QB,” Mia said, casually sliding in step next to me on my way to class. Hey, haven’t seen you in a hot sec.

“No shit! I caught a pass from him yesterday. He’s really good. Have you met him?” I looked down at her to see her smiling warmly, but when she returned my gaze she almost seemed panicked for a second, as if it was weird not to respond.

“Yeah, yeah yeah yeah. Good times. He’s my friend. So, uh. Yeah.” She reached down to fidget with her hoodie’s hem before shaking her head vigorously and staring straight ahead.

“You good?” I asked, knowing that this wasn’t normal Mia behavior. She nodded briefly and accelerated her strides, overtaking me and leaving me behind.

“Mhm! I’m 100% hunky-dory! Just a bit of a headache. Nothing major. Anyway, I’ve gotta go to the bathroom so byeeeeeee!” She zoomed off, pushing people out of the way as her shoulder-length platinum hair whipped innocent bystanders. Does she…?

Thankfully by the start of the class period she was back, as annoying as ever, but naturally I was worried, so I… kind of tried to discreetly ask her about it?

“Um, about earlier. Do you… like Ian?”

“No, no, I don’t! I was dehydrated is all. Seriously, I’d never like his type.”

“O-Oh, okay,” I said, not entirely sure where to go from the incredibly awkward position I had just put myself in. I seemed to be surprisingly good at creating said situations. I really just asked a girl if she liked someone. I silently banged myself on the head with my fists, blood rushing to my cheeks. I pulled my hood over my face and soundlessly wailed in agony, my thoughts jumping around like an electrified cricket.

Thank God for this hoodie— I can hide my despair. Actually, why am I wearing a hoodie? It’s 70 outside. Wait, then why is Mia also wearing a hoodie? I’ll ask her.

Having completely forgotten my recent embarrassment, I proceeded to attempt to ask a woman why she was dressed the way she was.

“Why are you– nevermind.” I thankfully cut myself off before it was too late. Not doing that again.

I tried to focus on the lesson at hand, but before I knew it I was once again staring at Mia’s hoodie, confused as to why she was wearing one. I knew full well that I was wearing one because I felt like it, but something felt odd about Mia having one on, too. And for that matter, it was the same hoodie as on the first day, and when I met her, and… well, she was always wearing it. Now I was über-intrigued. I decided to put off asking about it, though, since I had just embarrassed myself. I added it to the question bank, which also held inquiries such as ‘How did you get every LEGO Star Wars set?’ and ‘What do you know about the Katsume lineage?’.

“Do you know Mia Karlsson?” I asked Ian Mosslark, attempting to confirm that they knew each other. We were putting up our gear after a very successful install of a new formation.

“Yeah, I know her,” he said, voice still hoarse as ever. “She’s obsessive and annoying. Hate her.” That’s definitely her.

“Meh. She’s not so bad, though. She said you were her friend, so I had to confirm. By the way, awesome passes today. I can see why you’re five-star.”

“Thanks,” he replied, unlacing his cleats. He stopped suddenly, his helmet turning to face me. “Out of ten, how is she?” Okay, that’s a little telling.

“I’d never say it to her face, but she’s an eight or a nine.” He shrugged, tilting his head.

“Three-ish. Known her longer.” With that, without taking off anything but his cleats, he walked out of the locker room and into a coach’s office. Three? No way. That’s just wrong. But he has known her longer, so…

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Kevin, giving me what I thought was a death glare. I turned and realized what his expression meant.

“No! No, I haven’t gotten used to her. Still annoying. I’m all hunky-dory.” All he did was sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose, which I took as a sign that he didn’t believe me.

“I’m just worried, dude. You’re hovering right on the line.”

“Oh, shut up. You crossed it four years ago, so I’m waaaaay better than you are. You’re single right now. For all I know, the only reason you don’t want me to go after her is because you’re still– Oooooh. No, now I see your point. I am dangerously close, aren’t I?” I took off my helmet and began removing my girdle.

“Yeah, you get it? For now, try not to talk with her as much. It’s risky.” I think I will heed those instructions. Last time I talked to her I embarrassed myself, so I need a break anyway.

“Yeah. Okay. That sounds smart. I’m down.”

Little did I know, it was not very smart.

The next day, I sat down in my seat during homeroom, remembering the game plan- don’t talk to Mia. It seemed straightforward, until the one fault in the plan showed up- Mia.

“H-Hey, how’s it going?” She attempted to suavely slide into her desk but banged her shin on the metal underneath, letting out a sharp yelp of pain. Psssh. Idiot.

“Hey,” I replied curtly, vying to end the conversation faster than it started. I tried to non-verbally cue that I didn’t want to talk by putting my head down, but she failed to read my signal.

“Okay, maybe I did just fail miserably at a smooth entrance, but don’t ignore me!”

“I’m not. I said hey. Besides, if I was theoretically trying to ignore you, I wouldn’t have acknowledged you at all.” I shouldn’t have acknowledged her at all!

“Well, normal Seiro would’ve made fun of me for slamming my leg into a table. What happened?”

“I think your perception of ‘normal Seiro’ is twisted,” I joked, chuckling to myself. Mia frowned, slightly defeated.

“Huh. I guess, nevermind then…” She finally turned around and sat in her seat like a regular person. Hey, I won! Let’s go, I thought, thinking it was over. I had seemingly breezed over the worst of Mia’s qualities- randomness.

Mia tilted her head back, looking at me upside down. “Oh! Did you see the Yankees game?” DAMN IT. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE YANKEES GAME. I CARE ABOUT NOT ENDING UP LIKE KEVIN, AND IF YOU KEEP THIS DUMB SHIT UP THAT MIGHT JUST HAPPEN.

“No, but I assume they won.”

“Nah, they lost to the Braves.” An unexpected but welcome surprise.

“Alright then. I’m now a Braves fan. Brave… on? Be Brave? What’s their slogan?” Mia chuckled, face puffing up like a balloon with blood due to her (still) upside down position.

“Chop On. And they do the Florida State and/or Chiefs war cry. You know- ‘Ooooohhhhh, ohhh oh-oh-ohhh’… something like that.”

“Yeah, I know the one. I’m glad I had the opportunity to, ahem, hate on your favorite team,” I jokingly spat, knowing that the Yankees would beat the Braves the next day judging by Mia’s confidence.

“You’re welcome for the Braves Fan 101 class. You’ll be a fellow Yankee soon anyway, so don’t think too hard about it.”

Ding. Ding. Ding.

Mia tried to turn her head to the front of the class but had a difficult time doing so due to her previous neck positioning. I could hear at least five pops.

“You have a good time with that grandpa neck of yours, Mia.”

“Shut up, Seiro! You’re… like, how tall?”

“Six ten?”

“You’re going to have back problems by twenty. Good luck!” She smirked sarcastically and started pulling out her materials for class. As I did the same, I took a little bit to clear my mind.

And that’s when it hit me.

Shit! I forgot about what Kevin said, didn’t I? …but, I think it’s fine. Actually, yeah! I’m not head over heels! Mia’s still super annoying, and she’s in love with Mosslark anyway. Why would I stop talking to a friend just to be safe?

What was Kevin trying to do?

Was I right earlier?