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<01/04/2011 - 12:23 | Saffrin Middle School (Gym), Austell, GA, USA>

"Here we are. Another day of gym." Standing here among everybody else felt similar to walking around in a normal dream of mine, like the world was fake. As usual, even though I was already past the point of the usual exercise routine, my presence attracted no attention from the others at all. It's not as if I was trying to be noticed at this point, but for a gym this noisy, it felt so silent nearby by. But what of Lumina? How stoked is she to be here again today?

"..."

As I thought. She's just as static as I am for the moment, and the reason is clear enough. "I am so bored right now." I don't really remember at what point I slowed down my progress of trying to find new friends, but I considered giving up to be more likely what I've done. It's not even that I want to hang around these people anymore. I mean, I want to have friends to hang out with, but everything I see around me, even among the girls isn't exactly what I had in mind. I'm actually bored here, and I don't really have the energy to feign interest in what everybody else is chatting about today.

"Why do they have so many free days? I know they start everybody off with exercises, but they’re just basic stretches." Lumina doesn't really care one way or the other; she's only complaining about it now, because I can tell she is bored too.

"Beats me." There is a reason I asked to speak with Lumina again during gym. It's normally difficult for me to run around a lot and talk to her at the same time, but I'm not too active, in gym or otherwise. With the amount of free days we get, I pretty much just predicted today would be another one.

"Want to talk to Ashly?"

Ashly? I already forgot the original thing I wanted to talk to Lumina about anyway, so I expected her to try coming up with things for me. Only, "I don't know. She seems preoccupied talking with those other heathens. Could just be a bad idea." I noticed it before Lumina even had the chance to, since my peripheral vision is as good as it gets. I can't fault a girl for wanting attention from the guys, but I don't want to be near heathens right now. It's bad enough that I'm already out of stuff to talk about, at least until I think of something new and exciting to ask.

"Hm... Maybe you were right about having all the wrong friends." Lumina can't disagree with me, since she hates heathens enough to desire their violent demise.

"I've got it!" Making sure to project my excitement into thoughts, the background of my thoughts finally managed to solve a point of boredom for a change. And it's such a perfect and juicy plan!

"What?"

"Let's play Truth or Dare." It's the perfect time for this! I'd be more embarrassed to play this game with somebody else, but Lumina basically knows all my secrets anyway, so I don't have to fear losing to her. I should have thought of this game sooner!

"But, you need at least three or four people to have an effective game. Plus, I can think of several dares that I know you won't do in gym class."

She chooses now to chicken out? There isn't anything left to do here Lumina! You must be hiding something after all. That does it! Game on! "Does that mean I get to win by default? The great Lumina doesn't want to accept a true challenge?" As much as I could, I tried to hide my glowing excitement, but I could feel the laughing smile going to my face as I started to pace walk.

"I never said I wouldn't accept your challenge. But I'm going to make you wish you hadn't. I'm sure you and I have some super embarrassing stories to tell. Then again, maybe I should just talk to you about some of Talor's embarrassing moments?"

I didn't respond back for a second, because I thought her deflection about Talor was strange. Then, only two seconds later, she changed her mind about the last part. "Then again, maybe not."

Was Lumina just projecting her words to Talor? If so, it explains why I was missing the context. "I can't hear Talor from your mind. She didn't like the idea?"

"Nobody likes the idea of spilling their darkest secrets when it's their own turn. So you should actually go first Reed."

"Slick and mean. Why must I be the one to go first?" I can't believe I'm actually considering this, but I have nothing better to do. I'm too curious to hear what Lumina will come up with.

"Just give me a warm-up story to start. But it has to be real! Nothing fictional, even a little." She really thought I would make one up?

"Fine." I had to start thinking back to something first, so I abandoned my walk and leaned on the edge of the wall of bleachers, tuning out the rest of my surroundings to focus on my memory. "What about that one girl from third grade?"

"Okay, start from there."

It's my fault that she misunderstood what I meant by that. "No, I mean, do you even remember who I'm talking about?" I have to consider the fact that Lumina watched over me for quite a long time when I was younger, using the ability of clairvoyance. But on the days where it was not cold or convenient to do so, much of my life back then is still a mystery to her. I don't know what is and what isn't. "I don't remember her name, but I sat by her on the bus every morning, to and from home."

"Hm... No, I don't remember that. It must have been during summer time, or maybe a day where I just wasn't paying attention to that bus."

Okay, so she doesn't know about it, except she will in a minute or two. "Okay, so this girl was just a bit younger than me at the time, and she actually lived in my old neighborhood. Of course, I was never really allowed to travel outside my house to do anything about meeting up with her."

"Why is that anyway? I mean, your parents should have let you at least visit other people's houses, whether you are in the third grade or in first."

"Did you forget already? My mom is too protective of that stuff, and my dad is paranoid about the safety of the neighborhood. Anyway, on our bus rides, I would enjoy talking to her. We would both just say random things to pass the time."

"That sounds cute."

"I guess it was. At the time, I was still somewhat flaky on those things, but I think she was kind of cute too. So, one day, around Christmas time—"

"This is where the story twists?! I can't wait!"

"Behave yourself, or you don't get to hear the punch line." I thought she called me rude a few times for interrupting, but she can't possibly be more excited about this than I am.

"Sorry."

"The school, Ovlar Elementary, was having this special shopping event at about the same time. The parents give their kids some money, they go into the gift shops, and buy presents for others. Most of these gifts would be for their own parents, but there was a lot to choose from, and a lot one could buy." I remembered that place so vividly too. They decorated the shop with glowing plates and set out all kinds of objects that could be fun to buy. There was one thing I wanted to buy for myself, but I didn't have enough for both.

"So they use marketing tactics on kids that young?"

"Yep, and I fell for it. I remember wanting this expensive stage light device really bad, but then I saw something else, getting the idea in my head, and deciding not to be selfish for a change. So, I bought this other item for my friend, the one on the school bus. I set my sights on something specific. The thing was, I knew I couldn't buy both."

"Are you about to tell me that you bought this girl a ring? It sure sounds like something you would do."

How did she guess that quickly? What makes it obvious that I buy rings for people as gifts? "Well, it was a ring!" I had to let myself breathe deeper. Just remembering this again filled me with the feeling of cringe and shame, and my face started to burn from what I knew happened next. "And despite how cheap it was, it was still a pretty gemstone."

I suddenly felt some fingers pressed against my closed mouth, realizing them to be Lumina's hands holding her own. I wasn't too sure why she was making that gesture I could feel - but not see. She better not be holding in laughter! "The problem is, I didn't know what to think back then. I was only a certain age at the time. I would see people giving rings to others on television all the time, and I figured that it was just a nice gesture that somebody does for another when they want to show appreciation. So, I bought the ring in secret, waited again until I was with that girl on the bus, and gave her the ring as a gift." There, I have confessed!

And then, as I felt those cold hands leave her lips, Lumina nearly lost her balance, giggling and laughing at my own humiliation, without a single filter to hold back from whatever psychological damage that dug into me. "Hey!" God! Why does she have to make fun of me for it now? I'm so pissed off! I'd be more livid too, if her laughing voice wasn't so damn cute.

"I'm sorry Reed. It's just so funny!" It really isn't. "I can only imagine how things went from there! Did she like it?"

Pouting to the fact that I let her laughing get to me, I turned my head red in the face, crossing my arms in defeat. "No. She just sat there awkwardly with a terrified and blank stare on her face the whole way home. Even at the time, I understood that I did something wrong, but I didn't know what mistake I made. I didn't tell my parents about it either, because I was too confused and didn't want to get them involved. I was only trying to be as nice as possible back then, and for the first time thought I did something so mean to somebody else."

"That's tough Reed. She thought you were proposing to her in the third grade!" Lumina was trying her hardest not to enter another laughing fit, but I could clearly hear her body and mind trembling to fight it.

"Yeah, well, I didn't know what marriage was back then! You can kill me over it later. Anyway, it was pretty bad, because for the whole rest of the week, she didn't show up to school once. But I did know by then where she lived. Despite the house arrest, I dropped by there after the bus dropped me off to see what was going on. And as it turns out, her whole family had moved out of the area completely."

It was only here and now that I heard Lumina actually snort herself into a laughing fit. I was amazed to see such a reaction from her, since I can almost never get Lumina to laugh at any of my jokes. But I was also pissed off, because it's apparently so easy when she's laughing at something so humiliating for me. "Her dad couldn't even handle a third grade proposal! So he moved out of state?!" Lumina let herself laugh some more, attracting curious attention from her co-pilot.

Yes, their family did move out of state, and yes, it was provoked by a mistake I made out of a misunderstanding. But she doesn't have to enjoy my pain that much! Man, what have I done to deserve this?

Annoying seconds passed until she finally started to calm down, though I was sure there were tears of laughter in her eyes. "I'm sorry Reed. I can't help myself. That's the best story I was never there to see."

"Yeah, well, now it's your turn! That felt awful!" I can't believe how embarrassing that was. I've never really felt that badly about it before, but I've also never told another living soul either. I thought that Lumina would handle it like a champ, but I thought wrong. She'll take any moment to make fun of me, if I give her that opportunity. I just knew that even standing by the bleachers with my arms crossed and my frowning face aside, it was obvious to anyone who got close that I was blushing so much from the this disaster.

"My turn now? Okay, okay. So, there was this one time back then, a time that must have been hundreds of years ago. I was observing random people on Earth, the usual way us scryers do. And that's when I came across this strange girl. I think she was only twelve at the time."

"So it was kind of like scouting for a purge?" I knew as much already, but I tried not to bring up the fact that we're playing Truth or Dare in a different manner than normal. I'm supposed to ask her those questions, but both of us were currently hung up on embarrassing moments of our past better left in a void. I wasn't going to stop her either, since she owes me for that last outburst.

"I wouldn't say that. Nobody ever really plans to purge another. But many people are just fun to watch. Still, this girl I was observing, and I forget her name, she was a total weirdo. Like, we're talking light-years away from your level of weirdness, but I wasn't making fun of her for it. Instead, I became very interested. She would say these strange things, and dance around in ways I've never seen before."

"I don't get where this is going, but please continue."

"Well... I was really bored at the time. I was also very interested in my current target, so I went crazy using clairvoyance all the time with her. I became so invested in trying to get to know her so well, that for a while, I started to think like her, talk like her, and even dance like her. I don't know what compelled me to behave so strangely, but I started copying some of her moves one day, while trying to say what I imagine she would say in many situations, right here in the main room. And then, at that exact moment, Junko walked in on me."

I chuckled on instinct while trying to imagine everything as she spoke. "I bet that was fun to explain."

"Junko wouldn't look at me for a week! It was so humiliating."

"Yeah..." I can only imagine it though. I bet Lumina isn't willing to use that memory sharing trick to just show me, but hearing it from her is better this way. If I started saying weird things and doing a weird dance, I'd lose friends on the spot. She's lucky Junko is a sister to her... She isn't saying anymore though. That can't be it! "I thought this was supposed to be stories of supreme embarrassment. That was barely a blooper."

"So that wasn't enough for you? You're so cruel Reed!"

By now, I knew she was only toying with me again. She must think she can get away with that weak story and get a stronger one from me. "You're not even playing this fairly. The scales are not balanced here at all. If they were, I'd be the one on the floor doubled over in joy."

"Fine. I'll tell you one that I know I hate sharing. But only after you go again. Balanced or not, it is still your turn again."

"How many stories do you think I got?"

"I might ask you the same thing Reed. I might have lived a very long time, but I hate awkward situations. I avoid them as much as possible!"

"Fine. Story number two is on its way... Just give me a minute." I can't believe I talked both of us into playing this stupid game. It would have been more fun if I could get something humorous to laugh at, something Lumina did or a funny mistake she made... If she isn't going to give me that, my next story will have to be just as weak as hers. "Okay. Do you remember Kaitlyn? She has a Homech class with me."

"I don't remember her too well."

This surprises me. I figured Lumina would retain at least that juicy detail. I've already told her half the story about Kaitlyn, but if she forgot, that's even more reason for me to tell it again, the same reason why I can't possibly feel embarrassed about it anymore. "Okay, so pretty much the moment the purge began, I was going to school in sixth grade, but I was set up for all the wrong classes. And then, I went home and later had this strange dream. The weird thing about this dream were the people within it. Kaitlyn was in this dream, and introduced herself as such."

"I see where this is going already. You had a dream about someone you've never met or seen before, only to meet her in the real world shortly after?"

She guessed all of that really quickly, but then it doesn't surprise me either. "Exactly. At first, I thought that I must have seen her at least once. Ours eyes might have crossed in a hallway or something. But in the dream, I learned her name as well, something I'm certain I had no way of knowing before. Since my classes were messed up and included her in zero of them, it shouldn't have been possible."

"I don't want to say that it's likely, but I suppose it could be possible for a human to tap into such an ability. It happened right as you were purged after all. Remember, at that time, your Cora sector was beginning to wake up. Maybe you were using a small portion of a clairvoyant ability... No, that can't be right. Sleeping people can't use psionic projection. I'm sure something explains it, but I guess we can just call it a weird dream."

Sounds like she wants to understand this, which is sad, because I don't care to anymore. "Miraculous or not, the point is, that moment got me interested in her to begin with. On top of that, she was pretty, so you know."

"Is she still around here somewhere?"

I swear, I'll never get tired of how nosey she can be sometimes. "If you want her to be here so badly, you will have to wait until my final period. She's in that same class that I have with Zero."

"Wait! Is she that skinny girl with the weird facial orientation?"

"The hell? She doesn't have a weird facial orientation!" She must not have remembered Kaitlyn properly. I may have gotten over that crush a long time ago, but I still think she smokes plenty of girls on a charming factor.

"Yeah, her nose is further apart from her eyes or something."

"Her face is fine! Don't even get me started on stupid details like that!" What is with her right now?! Why can't Lumina just let people be the way they are? I never in a million years figured she would ever judge another person for the way they look.

"Sorry... Continue." She just acts like it was no big deal. I'll have to teach her properly someday soon.

"So anyway, this moment caused me to develop a crush on her. But during that time, I was much too shy and insecure to talk to her. Not only that, but Laura was acting as her personal guard dog, which included fencing out people like me."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"I remember you mentioning something like that once. Still, can't win them all Reed."

"Yeah, I guess we can fast-forward to the point where Laura somehow found out that I used to have a thing for Kaitlyn."

"Used to?"

Seems I confused her on context a little. "Yeah. Her timing was a little off when this happened. Laura had suspected this about me for some time, but I had other things going on too, like what I was dealing with when the purge became stronger. By the time she finally confronted me about it, I was a little confused, since my feelings for Kaitlyn seemed to disappear without me noticing. They were all replaced by the feelings I had with the montrum, the montrums flowing into me from the purge about the night sky and outer space."

"Actually, that sounds kind of cool."

Does she enjoy knowing how much this purge messed with my head? "At the time, it kind of ticked me off, that is to say that Laura wasn't on my special friends list after that. She went and told Kaitlyn that I had a crush on her! I mean, what if I didn't lose interest when it happened? It's such a mean thing to do!"

"Well, she is the guard dog." Lumina already understands what that means now. "Laura was acting to keep her friend safe, and neither of them knew you very well. Plus, I think it might be a bit much for middle school kids to try dating each other. Some are still repulsed by the idea."

"Well I'm old enough for it now. I understand how love works."

"Do you though?"

Yeah, I know it's a pretty bold statement to make, but I don't see how I can be wrong about this. The way I felt for Kaitlyn and how I felt for Malica were two totally different things; a crush versus something more. That, and people cheat on each other quite often. What more is there to know? "I get a sense from your tone that you think I know noting?"

"Don't worry about it. There is plenty of time for you to learn about love. You've got so many years ahead of you."

"Yeah..." I wasn't really agreeing with her, but my thoughts sputtered into a new tangent I have been avoiding all day. Bringing up the past like that made me remember something else. I'm not really trying to make friends like I used to anymore, but that's only because I don't know where to start by this stage. "That said, on one hand, I want to make a lot of friends. I'm just as much open to the idea of having a new girlfriend too, but right now, I don't know who to chase down anymore, for either spectrum."

"You have time to figure that out too. Was that the story?"

"Yeah. I realize it didn't sound embarrassing at the end. But your first one was underwhelming. You owe me a much better one this time around."

"Okay, if you want to do it that way. Pay attention. And don't ever repeat this to anybody!"

"You sure?" I almost laughed just thinking about blabbering it to others right in front of Lumina's face, just to watch her get all worked up again.

"Reed? If you repeat this at all, I will fly my ship down there and beat your ass myself."

"Gatcha. This is important." I still need her to tell me, and her threat won't work on me since we've already established it to be physically impossible. I started a short walk to the other side of the gym, where I could rest on the opposite bleachers, making sure my total lack of exercise would not be noticed by the teachers in the meantime.

"Okay. So as you may know, we have a lot of items on our ships that won't freeze with the cold air temperature."

"How cold is it there anyway?"

"Negative 70 Nixus here, but it's actually negative 340 Nixus on the surface of Karnak."

"I'm amazed the air itself doesn't freeze at that temperature." It really does sound like something out of a sci-fi book, to hear about a world of chronic ice and blizzard storms, one where the people thrive living in it.

"Well, it doesn't. But we do have a few things that could potentially freeze when on Karnak, things that aren't supposed to. So one day, me and my sisters took our ships down to dock. This was a very long time ago by the way."

"So then you do get to visit Karnak sometimes?" Based on what I heard earlier, the aggressor group teams almost never get to land back there, and with their ship's gravity core engine, there usually is no need to rehabilitate.

"Only sometimes," she replied. "Anyway, on the way out of my ship, I somehow ended up scraping the back of my neck somehow. The injury wasn't serious, but it was cosmetically visible. So, I had Junko use her ice powers to freeze that part of my neck to seal off any wound."

"I forgot that you could do that."

"Yes. If we lower the power of our concentration and ice projection through our hands, it can be used to seal wounds and keep us healthy if we get hurt. Anyway, I know I was going down that day to meet up with a few people that I knew, and a few that I didn't know. So naturally, we had to look our best."

"I get it now. Your neck scrape wasn't worth expending energy on normally, but it would have been a blemish if the others saw it." By that assumption, whatever mark a healing ice surge causes must not be nearly as visible as anything else.

"Yes, well keep in mind that ice is essentially water. The way it works for us is that it freezes again after seeping into the wound, creating a kind of adhesive bandage once it bonds to our skin. The thing is, normal drinking water for us would not accomplish this due to the isotopes in it, but when it comes from our hands, that isotope is not present, which is why it lets us heal this way."

"You have to admit that is still pretty freaking cool."

"It was at first. By the time we got to the place where we wanted to get to, my sisters and other strangers I barely knew started pointing out something about my hair. At first, my hair just seemed a little stiffer than normal. But it all became too clear after another minute that my hair had completely frozen over."

"What? Your hair froze? Like into a solid block of ice?" I didn't even know that was possible.

"It was the craziest thing! I had my hair styled that day as I normally do, and despite that, it froze entirely. My hair is long and it dandles down, brushing if I turn my head fast enough, but in that moment, it was stiff as a board."

"Frozen hair..." I really tried to imagine it for myself, but that was harder since I've never seen it happen before, not even in cartoons. I guess for Lumina, it means that her hair style remained the same, but it was no longer soft and silky. If she turned her head at all, it would be obvious that her hair is stiff solid like a statue. "I guess they weren't really looking for that hair style on that day."

"Don't laugh! But it was really embarrassing for me. I'm supposed to be the respected leader of the Cy-Stars, but that day, some of them were making fun of the whole situation. At first, I panicked because I thought I would totally lose my hair over this. But my sisters all took me somewhere where they treat this condition, and we got it to melt down safely. That process took several hours, and before I was gone, I became the talk of the town. I don't know why, but everyone who heard about it made fun of me for it."

"Yeah... That's tough." Now I was having the same struggle Lumina had when I told her my first story, holding my hands to my trembling mouth, trying to regulate my voice so that she wouldn't notice I was on the verge of breaking down.

"Even with my hair back to normal, it was no good. Everybody was coming up with nicknames for me. Even some of my own sisters threw in the same punches, talking about my glass hair style, or my diamond buns; it was awful."

"..." I wanted to keep talking, trying to prevent myself from reacting too naturally, but it happened anyway. The facade I kept began to break down, starting from a low-muffled chuckle which quickly evolved into my loud outburst of fun. Without trying to, I was now in the reverse role of before, laughing hysterically at Lumina's humiliation as she did to me, until her face started blushing with steamy embarrassment.

"I told you not to laugh!"

"Hahahaha! That's all that happened? I totally get to laugh at it then!"

"What do you mean 'that's all'? It was humiliating and demoralizing!"

Still laughing my ass off, I did my best in between breaths to explain why Lumina's moment was no big deal. "I didn't know hair could freeze, but I could only imagine what those people thought when they saw you in that goof style!"

"Reeeeeeeeed!" Her plea was more desperate than angry, as she wanted me to quit laughing at her for it.

However, this only made it better for me. I normally would have found it to be no big deal, but Lumina caring this much about her a looks that day and feeling that shame is what was working for me. I built up too much euphoria, and was now losing too much air and sound to stand. All I could do now was stay glued to the gym floor laughing while unable to make noise anymore.

"Uhm, are you okay Reed?" Unfazed, I still forced myself to look up at the person addressing me. I didn't realize that right as I left myself this vulnerable, Ashly was towering right nearby me. So she was most confused as to why a boy as quiet and alone as myself would be on the ground unable to breathe, though obviously having heard the funniest thing in the world to me.

"Good!" Lumina chanted, seeing Ashly in my line of sight. "She'll make it awkward for you."

"I don't care anymore." As I was talking to Lumina using telepathy, my true voice was still busy trying and failing to recover, my body accepting the responsibility of making fun of Lumina for me, separate from my primary thoughts. "That was too good."

"Did you remember a funny joke?"

"A funny joke indeed. I think I'll tell Ashly about it."

"Oh no you won't!"

I knew I could provoke her if I pushed into it enough. Of course, this slightly extended the time I was stuck laughing at this, though I managed to push myself back to my feet. Ashly had this awkward stare on her face, not knowing what to do in this situation. "Not even a little? Oh, this is great Lumina!"

"How so? You're so mean!"

"My god Reed! I've never seen you laugh that hard."

"And I've never seen an Altiri person so embarrassed before. Heheh!" I couldn't talk directly to Ashly, even though I was nearly over my laughing fit. I wouldn't know what to say to her after that, but I also didn't care for the moment.

"I'll just swing back when you are done."

"Go away little girl!" Lumina would never be heard by Ashly, but Ashly was leaving me anyway, too weirded out by my unwillingness to share the secret with her.

"Oh-hoho! I'm not forgetting that one."

"Jerk! It's your turn now!" At last, I could feel her fury from within.

What I expressed may have seemed like an overreaction to frozen hair, but it was her own embarrassment that made it all glow. I didn't really think Lumina could think of something that actually got under her skin like that, being an Altiri and all. I was especially certain of it after hearing her first story, so this surprise was one I was going to unpack entirely. It's not like anybody else in the world will have to know, so I don't see myself as the jerk in this situation. "Okay... I'll try and see what I can remember..." But instead of going on to story #3, I let another brief moment of laughter escape my lips, which I felt infuriate Lumina much more, silent as she was. "But I'm going to need a moment."

Sure enough, Lumina was silent even in her own upset, giving me time to come up with whatever I could scrounge up from past memories. "Okay... Okay... I'll tell you about a time when I lived on Motion Street."

"It wasn't that long ago. You literally just moved out of there."

Yeah, it's been a little jarring to know I no longer live in that crappy apartment complex. That place was shady anyway, but the new neighborhood we moved into last week wasn't all that much better to me... Okay, it's better, but it is by no means a paradise. It's a gated community, closely related to an HOA in Marietta. Now we live on Link Street instead of Motion Street; real difference, I know. I've been moving in okay to the new house with my mom and Peterson, but even I'm well aware of how these gated communities work. We'll get fines now if our grass is an inch taller in the front than specified rules, or if the trash can is visible on six days of the week; really stupid stuff. Plus, there is no privacy there at all. The apartment complex was no better, but at least there was not a surveillance system at their public pool like there is in this new neighborhood. It's a full tragedy of all things. Of course, I'm still technically in range of my current school by bus route, so that is something that has not changed.

Anyway, I now have to talk to Lumina about my third most embarrassing moment in life, for reasons I still don't understand why. I know it's awful, but I'm feeling more compelled this time around to just go with it. "Yeah, but you weren't there for that moment at the pool."

"It was warmer that day."

"True. Usually, me and my family go to the pool together. It's something we do often, even when I don't feel like going. One day that I went with them, I asked if I could stay longer, as mom and Peterson decided they were going home. Deciding that I was old enough to make it home on my own, I was allowed to stay and walk home on my own, since it was easily in walking distance."

"Okay..." I could hear her impatience, Lumina wondering where the story gets interesting.

"But I guess, when they went home without me, they took away some of the fresh change of clothes I brought with me by mistake. Once I decided I was done, I just couldn't find them, only the towel I brought."

"Oh."

"Yeah. So when I was done swimming and drying off with that towel, I had nothing to put back on and stay dry, and my swim trunks were still drenched."

"So, what? You walked home dripping wet?"

If only it were that simple. "Here's the issue. That tiny little towel I had wasn't good enough to dry the swim trunks I brought with me. And for whatever weird reason that day, I swam with my boxers still on underneath, so those got soaked too. It wasn't like I didn't plan on that happening, as I brought spare clothing for that outcome, only, it got taken back with the rest. I was going to walk home anyway, but I didn't want to do it all wet. So..." I can't believe I did this at all; just thinking back felt so unreal, on top of it being embarrassing. "I took off the rest of my soaked clothes."

"Wait! Right there? In front of everyone else?!"

There was no way I would do something like that, but I could hear Lumina jumping to that impossible conclusion. "No! I mean, there wasn't anyone else around. I was by myself by then, and the pool wasn't very busy that day. So I changed as fast as I could, but I didn't have a lot of cover. That pool had no bathrooms in range either... I can still remember the feeling of it, being completely nude outside, having the air hit me like that." It was an experience I could never forget. Being stuck without my clothes on felt very different outdoors than it ever did indoors.

Though I ignored it, I could hear Lumina start to giggle slightly. She was already enjoying the humiliation I put myself into, but the story was far from finished. "I refused to put them back on, since they were totally soaked. But I knew I would have to get back home somehow. Doing so meant walking by several small roads and next to high apartment buildings."

"And how did that go?"

"Well, seeing what I was up against, I decided to just tough it out and put the wet swim trunks back on. No one in their right mind would use that as an excuse to strut around in the streets naked. However, right as I decided that I was going to do that, I heard the gate open on the other side."

Now laughing at my past situation, Lumina begged to milk this for all it was worth. "Haha! You got caught changing naked at the pool?"

"No. I didn't get caught." I knew what danger I was in from the second I heard the noise, but I also knew getting those wet trunks back on fast would be impossible too. "I quickly wrapped the towel around my waist, and the girl that I've never met walking by barely missed what was going on."

By now, I could feel Lumina holding her tongue again, holding in laughter, but it was more than a bit of laughter this time. Somehow, I could feel her blushing in sympathy to what happened as I described. "And then I knew I was screwed. With people now coming in at the pool, I wasn't able to change back into my swim trunks. If I removed the towel even for a moment..." I couldn't even finish that thought process, but the mere suggestion of it tightened my throat and warmed my breath. It felt like I was right back there in that moment, my vivid memory so precise and acute to the mental scar it left in me. "I just tightened the knot, grabbed as much as I could, and walked back home like that."

While I have heard Lumina laugh much harder than she was letting herself now, she was clearly enjoying my obvious humiliation. Everybody knows the nightmare of most teenagers; somehow winding up naked in a public place and getting caught. It's embarrassing no matter what, but in different ways. In elementary school and early middle school, having some kind of accident like that just gets pointing and laughing. But once we start to grow up, other feelings get mixed in with that instead. I hit puberty at a young age, so I would know, but it doesn't change how terrifying it feels the first time something like that happens.

"Nobody could tell what was going on; the towel seemed natural enough. I made it home without anybody ever finding out what happened to me... But I felt so nervous on my way back. I've never done anything like that before." I was finished telling the story, but those sensations I felt then were already flooding back into me now. I don't understand what it means or why, but my mind became a little obsessed with that brief moment of time, not with what happened, but how amazing it felt to have that much draft of wind go to every inch of my body. Since I was still damp, the wind had twice the effect too.

"That sounds like fun! If only it could have been windier."

It was Lumina's usual attempt of a joke, but I wasn't laughing or becoming upset by it. In that moment, I knew it was a real risk. The entire way home felt much longer, and I constantly worried in the background about a strong enough gust of wind blowing my towel away into the sky, leaving me with nothing but my ultimate package, right outside in the road of all places, where anyone looking out their window would see! But my feelings of that worry were confused with something else. Being reminded of it made me tenser, my heart beginning to pound from the suggestion of what could have happened. "It was bad enough that I almost got caught doing that. But still..." This powerful desire to relive that same moment began to take over my entire mind, intoxicating me with the memory of sensation and the thought of a similar endeavor. "It also felt incredible!"

"Wait, what? Nearly standing humiliated felt incredible?"

"No, stupid! Being outside completely butt naked did. I..." Why am I even saying this? I don't expect Lumina to understand either. I don't quite get it myself, but... I'll never be able to forget about that moment ever again. A few nights after it happened, I took the liberty of sneaking outside, and stripping naked on purpose, just to get that feeling of rush air on my skin again. I didn't do anything crazy since, but for reasons I don't understand why, being outside naked is the most amazing thing I have ever felt in all my entire life! I shouldn't enjoy any part of it, especially if it's from my own embarrassment, but somehow, I just understand the difference. I would ask anybody to try that experiment for themself before ever telling me otherwise. Being inside or in a too-private area naked cannot compare to the free and alerting feeling of being outdoors or in a more public or busy area. Just thinking about it now is making my arms shake a little. "Never mind. It's just different."

"... I have been curious about that. I honestly have no idea what's supposed to feel good or not when it comes to human nudity." That's all fine, but I couldn't reply to her now. I'm already too embarrassed to continue this any longer. It's not because of the story, but rather what I just admitted to her in the first place. I don't know what was coming over me, but I've never felt so strongly about something like this.

However, Lumina was not about to let it go either. Switching to her physical voice so that she can adjust it to a teasing tone, she asked me, "Does being naked outside make you horny Reed?"

"What?!" I jumped out of my physical trance immediately, unfortunately attracting a lot of attention to myself since it was sudden for everyone else. But I didn't blame myself either. "Why even ask me that?! What are you implying? It's none of your business!" I tried my best to hide it, my embarrassment from Lumina, and my nervous stress from the other nearby students interested in my reaction. Before I could hear any more from Lumina, I felt my heart pounding a lot faster than it was before. My body felt warmer than I wanted it to, while goose bumps covered my arms and legs at the same time. I was too flustered to remain calm and reply the way I wanted to. I wasn't happy that my reaction was making it too obvious, but it was only a natural reaction to somebody finding out this strange desire of mine in the first place, and Lumina of all people!

"I was only asking. I am curious though. You said that being naked outside was different, but you never explained to me before how or why it was different. And now that I brought it up, you're an inch away from a nervous wreck." Once again, even in her mental projection, Lumina did that thing with her tone of voice, making it obvious that she wanted to tease me as much as she wanted answers. "So which is it Reed? Does thinking about it get you all hot and bothered?"

Why does she love doing this just to make me sweat bullets? "I didn't tell you the difference because it's private stuff Lumina!" I can't figure out why I was so easily angry and loud trying to tell her off, but I considered the topic to be off limits for good. "I think we're done sharing embarrassing stories with each other. You're putting me on edge here."

"Ooooooh?! I bet your heart is pounding right now!" Lumina giggled, proving my point about her enjoyment in making me uncomfortable.

"So what if it is? You think talking about this is easy?"

"Aren't you having a little fun at least?"

Her question caught me totally off guard, confusing everything I felt even further. At first, I thought she was the only one having fun at the expense of my embarrassment, but that isn't really a complete breakdown of our little game. As humiliating as this was now, I thought back to how much fun I was having when she told me the story of her hair freezing, and then wondered why we started this strange game in the first place. Even though the shame was fresh on our minds, I actually confide something to Lumina that I never would have told any other living soul at all, without much restraint. And somehow, knowing that Lumina knows some of those secrets now, it kind of feels comforting just as much as it feels terrifying. "I... I don't know." I really wasn't sure if this was supposed to be fun. I can feel my burning blushing face through everything else though, and I wondered why I would ever let Lumina hear something like that from me. I shouldn't enjoy having Lumina know that outdoor nudity makes me immediately horny, but it's too late to hide it from her now. Did either one of us even win the game over the other? I lost track of how we score this.

"Hey Reed, wh— What happened?" I almost flinched from the surprise beside me. Ashly somehow got this close to me without me realizing it, proving my mind was way too focused on this other stuff. However, she now noticed from my numerous expressions that something was up. "You look so flushed!"

"Well it was fun for me. I love spending time with you Reed. You're fun to be around, more than you realize."

Well at least one person is happy. Guess she beat me at my own game after all, but that doesn't help me get this nosey girl out of my business. There is no way in eternity I'm telling Ashly what conversation I was having. "I'm fine Ashly."

"I don't know. It looks like you're blushing bad. Your face is pretty red."

"I'm not doing anything!" Why did she have to say that? Now Lumina will know that I'm most embarrassed about all of this! Oh, who am I kidding? Lumina knew long before now anyway. Having her in my head like this means anything I want to stay private won't be private for long.

"Gym class is about to be over anyway." Right as Lumina suggested that, the school bells rang automatically through the intercom system, impressing me by her accuracy to how well-timed it was, and it gave me the excuse to get away from Ashly before she can pester me about this anymore.

"Good timing."

"It wasn't difficult. My clocks all synchronize to yours now, on a special profile."

Doesn't that mean I can always ask her for the exact time and get it right every single time? Oh, who cares? I already believe she exists at this point anyway. "I guess we can talk some more in my English class."

"I guess so."

"But that previous conversation is off limits!"