08 Initiating Conversation

          I was walking home from school when I saw someone I hadn't seen before. I'm usually really shy, but I had an inexplicable urge to introduce myself to him. We had very nice casual conversation. He's very good at avoiding awkward silences. I had nothing to do today after school, and my parents aren't home right now, so I could talk for as long as I like.

          He is unreasonably easy go get along with. I am easily upset, and he is not upsetting me. I tried bring up an upsetting topic to see what would happen, and he handled the topic artfully- with sarcasm border-lining on uncomfortable, but nonetheless, with respect.

          I did this in the first 4 minutes of our dialogue.

          Then, later, when there was a lull in the conversation, he said, “Oh, sorry, I'm being quiet again.”

          I gave him a weird look. “No; you're doing most of the talking.”

          “OH.” he replied “Sorry. Sometimes I talk and sometimes I'm quiet, and I can't usually tell the difference. But I'm talking too much. Sorry.” and he was about to walk away, but I stopped him.

          That's new.

          I stopped him.

          I reached out, barely touched his shoulder and said, “No, you're not annoying me...” And the moment I touched his shoulder, he turned back around. I was going to complete that thought, but I don't know how I was planning on doing that.

          It wasn't apparent before, but it was now, that he is taller than me. He suddenly started talking down to me, it seemed. I retracted my arm quickly, and it lay useless at my side like a deficient withering snake.

          “No.” he clarified. “I should be getting home.” and he nodded a few times quickly, looked off into the distance behind me, pressed his lips together, and gave me one more final nod. I nodded back, and we walked our separate ways.

          I noticed to what extent the shadows had grown by now... I'd been talking to That Boy for a while...

          Hold up... aaagh! I should be at Tee's house; That Boy distracted me... Shoot...

          Okay, fine.

          I was almost home, so I dropped off my stuff and told Courtney where I wanted to go, and then headed back out.

          Once I had crossed the threshold of the DeSelloc household, Tee gave me a death hug. “Aaagh! Yes, Okay. Okay, that's good, okay you can stop, okay? Uh... Ouch!” He's pretty strong and likes hugs. Mrs. DeSelloc waved enthusiastically at me with the huge cheesy signature smile that ran in the family. I waved back. Tee made a large arm circle ending with his hands pointing where we should go to hang out, and I followed him down the hall to their multi-purpose room, which has an awesome couch. He took my favorite seat and stuck out his tongue all child-like. I pushed him out of the way until I got my seat. It's on the end nearest the window so you can lean against the end, AND the window's right there; it's great.

          Something weird about boys: they don't talk like girls do. When they hang out, they play video games or do something on a screen. When girls hang out, they talk. They talk and giggle and gossip and share. I think both what girls and what guys do is kinda stupid in their respective extremes. Finding a balance that I enjoy is hard enough alone with another girl, but being alone with a boy? Impossible.

          Tee knows this.

          “So, talk or games?” he asked.

          “Talk.” I said.

          “Oh, really? You really are a girl, then.” he teased. It usually took forever for me to make a decision, so he'd just choose.

          “Well, yeah... surprise!” I wanted to ask him more about Ed, but before I could get anything out, he said,

          “Okay, I actually wanted to talk, too” I looked at him quizzically. What? “I need your advice about... a GIRL PROBLEM I have.” He dramatically put the back of his hand to his forehead and gave a damsel in distress sigh. I raised an eyebrow.

          “Oh? ...”

          “Yes, Nigami, I have a girl problem, would you like me to tell you about it, I need your advice.”

          “Oh, yeah, yeah, sure, go.”

          “And promise not to tell anyone about what I am about to say... post-discussion?”

          “Yeah, sure.”

          “Okay... Kate told me she has a thing for Sneetni.” I raised an eyebrow. “She told me! She likes him!”

          “Sneetni Dauser?”

          “Yes, Sneetni Dauser! Do you know any other Sneetnis?

          “What did you say?”

          “God! I don't know! Something stupid. What was I supposed to say?” I don't know, dude.

          “Um... do you still have a crush on her?” We had a similarly awkward discussion a good handful of months ago wherein he told me he had a thing for Kate.

          “Oh, GOSH!” He rolled his eyes. “No. I'm over that.” He paused. Yeah, I doubt he's completely over that. “and beside, that's totally irrelevant.” I raised an eyebrow again. He rolled his eyes. “Okay. Just let me speak, Narrie. I know girls overcomplicate things a lot and overanalyze freak'n everything " I read an article on the internet about it, so it must be true " so, TELL me if she's saying that because she's trying to make me jealous or anything, because that's what the internet says she's doing.”

          “Um... that's a lot...” I don't know if I meant a lot of question, or what.

          “What did she mean by telling me that? Gahd! I'm such a girl- overanalyzing this, but it's really getting to me for some reason!”

          “Oh, okay.” I don't know. “Well, I think she told you so she can talk to you about it... like a friendly friends confiding in each other thing.” He almost looked disappointed; like he was proud to find a double meaning in something that " although significant " he has over-analyzed.

          “Oh...” He said. “Eww?” He was confused. “What? She want to talk about boys with me?! Gahh! Seriously?” His expression was one of amusement. “Okay. Fine.”

          I waited a beat or two before I said quietly, “You still like her.”

          “No...” He said high pitched and unconvincingly. “I don't and I'd tell you if I did.” He made that sentence declarative. Okay then, fine.

          There was an uncomfortable tension. He opened his mouth twice- wanting to say something, but not letting the words get out. He finally said quietly, “Do you think you could ask her? Ask Kate why she told me that.” He looked down at his twiddling thumbs. “because, well, it just feels important.” He shrugged exaggeratedly twice, then once more for emphasis, and smiled. He sighed and said, “Okay, good talk. Thanks... NOW” and he gestured for me to say what I wanted to tell him.

          “Edgar.”

          “...Edgar.”

          Pause. “Yeah, Edgar.” another pause. I'm rubbish at talking sometimes. “Has he told you anything about how he's been acting? He's been so... off. Like... cold”

          “Yeah. I've asked him about... it's like he's distancing himself from us, ya' know?”

          “Yeah, exactly.”

          “And he just deflected the question.” we exchanged an unamused look.

          “Ugh! It's so annoying! I'm worried about him, you know? And it feels like he's being an idiot and not wanting our help when he's going through something apparently hard and there's nothing we can do about it because he's not...” Uugh. I sighed, shook my head and rolled my eyes in frustration. “He's not letting us in, or something, which... not only is it unfair, but it also doesn't make sense because we're his friends.” Uugh.

          “You're overcomplicating.”

          Uugh. I frowned. “Yeah, I guess... figures.” It's annoying how I don't get any information. I can't bring myself to push for anything, and when I try, I'm reminded of how rubbish I am at it. Seriously, I'm so annoying sometimes. Even with a good friend, I can't keep up a conversation sometimes. “Okay, I guess that's it if he hasn't told you anything, or you haven't noticed?” he shook his head 'no'. Okay.

          I feel obligated to tell him about That Boy I saw.

          “Have you noticed a new kid at school?” I asked. He thought.

          “Mmm... Yeah, there is a new kid. I think we're have Bio together. Do you know him?”

          “Well, I talked to him on my way over.”

          “Whoa! Narrie Nigami initiating conversation?! And...?” And what? “How is he?”

          “He seemed really nice... Easy to talk to.” He stared in amazement because I'd actually initiated conversation with someone (which, yeah, that's impressive for me). “Do you know anything about him?”

          “Nah, not really. He's kinda quiet in class, but that's expected of new kids.”

          “Name?” This is me pushing for information. I don't usually, but there's something about this new kid that needs to be discovered.

          “Drake Evans.”

          “Drake Evans...”

          “Well, somebody has a crush and I think I know who it is!” he jeered.

          “Um...” I've never had a crush before... I'd imagine what it feels like is similar to this curiosity, but I really don't think so. “No. It's just that he's new, so I'm curious.”

          “MMHMM!” he said sassily, putting his hands on his hips.

          “Um, yeah, okay, no.” Sometimes english stops working for me.

          “Okay. Anything else?”

          “Not really.”

          “I swear, Narrie, you are no fun.” He sarcastically shook his head disapprovingly. I tilted my head a little, confused. Okay, fine, whatever.

          “Yeah, I don't know. Well, I should probably be getting home.”

          “Okay.”

          “Yeah.” He walked me to the door, and his mom gave me a huge smile as we passed her. I smiled back.

          “Hey, Narrie, are you going to Ms. T's party tomorrow?” she asked, walking over to me. Oh, I guess it is tomorrow. That was fast.

          “Yeah; Tee's coming, too, right?”

          “Right, you are!” she said excitedly. She might just be happy Tee's out of the house for the night. I smiled again, politely, and as I started through the door, Ms. DeSelloc gave me a hug, then Tee gave me a death hug, I waved to the two of them, and walked out.

Author's Note

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