Doria: ..

Doria: !! ..!..

It is a familiar sight. A box wrapped with a ribbon, tied with a bow. There’s a box like this in the same spot by En’s locker three times a week, sometimes more if an important match is coming up.

In the box is a heavy lunch. Well-balanced, but usually favoring proteins. Above the food containers there is always a typed note. Usually something short and sweet. Today’s message reads: "Have a good day. Hope practice goes well."

It isn’t signed. They never are.

—//—

Kro: That was sad as fuck. Now get out of my way.

I never thought being a hall monitor would be so tiring. Though, they did tell me it would take big responsibility…

Got Love - Hedley

fph!au

Aibhlinn was walking to biology when she saw some money fall to the ground. She looked up from her books to see a blonde boy walking in front of her. There were very few people in the hall— she figured he was the one who had dropped the money. He seemed to be oblivious to it, though.

Aibhlinn quickly picked up the bills and skipped forward, tapping the boy on his shoulder. “Excuse me,” she said softly. The boy didn’t turn; he had earbuds in. She tried again, this time, less tentatively: “Excuse me.” The boy pulled out his earbud. “Sorry?” “I think,” Aibhlinn held up the bills. “you dropped this.” She smiled slightly, holding  the money out to him. He checked his wallet, which he had been holding upside down. “Oh,” he said. “you’re right. Thanks!”

As he placed the money back in his wallet, another boy approached the two. “Hey, tattoo face.” He said, getting uncomfortably close to the blonde boy. “Listen, I forgot my lunch money at home. So why don’t you be a friend and give me yours?” “Money? I don’t have any! So— sorry! But no.” The blonde boy said, both cheerful and firm in response. “Aw, come on man, don’t be like that.” The other boy grinned, slapping him on the back. “We’re friends, right?”

Ahblinn was staring, timid and speechless at the two boys’ exchange. She wasn’t sure what was happening until the taller boy had the blonde one up against the lockers, still badgering him for the money. The blonde boy didn’t look scared, just stiff. But she knew this wasn’t a tiff between friends. “Uh, h-hi—” She said awkwardly, waving a little. “What do you want, one eye?” The pushy boy said. Aibhlinn faltered. “I just— think, that, well…” The boy glared at her as she tried to piece her words together. “Aren’t you going to be late for class, one eye?” The recycled jab lost its edge this time. The blonde boy was staring at Aibhlinn rather blankly. “I think you should leave this boy alone.” She said. The tall boy laughed. “Why? We’re friends, right buddy?” He wrapped his arm around the other boy’s neck, squeezing too tightly. “No.” Aibhlinn nodded at this. “You should leave him alone… before I tell a teacher that you were beating up a kid by the lockers.” She trailed off a bit at the end, losing her nerve. “That’s a dick move, one eye.” “No, it’s not.” She said. She noticed a teacher passing down a perpendicular hallway. “Professor Cinco!” The teacher turned. The tall boy paused, and walked away, flustered. “Never mind!” Aibhlinn shouted to the teacher.