I dreamt about a dragon. Using my large wings, I lifted my body into the air and flew freely. When I landed, I crawled into my cave full of gold and treasure. I gazed at my collection with pride. The gold made me proud. With more value I gained, the more value I found in myself. As I admired my horde, silver-shined men stormed into my cave. They shouted at me, and drew their blades. Some men dashed towards me and drew swords there. One stabbed me in the leg, and the other two shot me from a distance, grazing my eye. I pushed them away, trying to keep my treasure safe. I felt angry. I thought of Tesha. And then I woke up.

----------------------------------------

A lonely blue light shone past the bars of the shed’s vent. Fully adjusted to the dark, I saw the shelves around me more clearly. Against my side rested Tesha. She still didn’t have all her weight on me. Everything about her seemed all so light and quiet. Even when she slept, I strained to hear her breath. Asleep, she even kept her pressure on me light. I doubted I’d be able to hear her footsteps if she approached me from behind.

I only ever heard Tesha when she wanted to be heard. This meant everything she said to me was calculated. Did she even calculate the words she said before she fell asleep?

“I used to have a friend,” she said. I remembered that.

Tesha, does that mean you don’t have one now?

Readjusting myself after waking up, I pushed Tesha a little to get her off my arm. With the little nudge I gave her, she shot up.

“Oh, Tesh-” I recoiled when she opened her eyes.

She tried to stand up, but exclaimed, “ach!”

“Tesha, your leg,” I reminded her, late.

“...Thanks, detective,” Tesha grumbled sarcastically, “I guess we’re still stuck here, yeah?”

“At least until the morning practice people come along,” I reminded, “they should open the shed.”

“I wonder what they’ll think if they find students here,” Tesha pondered, “what do you think? Maybe they’ll think we were up to no good?”

“Don’t joke like that,” I said.

“You don’t have to be so serious,” Tesha grumbled, “we have time to kill.”

“I’m not a murderer,” I replied, “not even to time.”

Instead of quipping, Tesha remained silent. She turned her head away, and the two of us stayed silent. I commented on her murdering side again. I needed to stop.

“...I’m sorry,” I apologized, “...I keep on bringing up your past.”

“It’s not just my past, Nwier,” Tesha responded, “killing is my future too.”

I didn’t reply. I never got the chance to, because the door to the shed opened. A brief silence followed, but the one who opened the door spoke.

“Tesha,” he said.

My hair stood on end. I recognized his voice from the group cornering Harry. In fact, he and one other chased after the two of us. I remembered my uniform, colored pink. He might kill me here, and Tesha might help him. They both worked together to murder my mother.

I slowly turned his way, and backed up to see Tesha in my peripheral vision. His muscles weren’t very big, but they were defined enough to have been sculpted from a rock. I recalled his blond hair and unremarkable face as Gerald, Tesha’s boyfriend.

“...The football team uses the shed here in the mornings,” Gerald said in monotone, “I don’t recommend staying here.”

“I wanted to leave a long time ago,” Tesha argued, “the door just didn’t agree with us.”

“Right.” Gerald looked at me, studying, then back to Tesha, “well, it’s agreeing now.”

He stepped to the side and motioned for us to leave. Getting his message, I helped Tesha up and guided her out of the shed.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“Let me,” Gerald offered his help, pushing me aside, “I’ll take her home. You can go.”

Unable to open my mouth in his menacing presence, I nodded and hurried away. I heard Tesha chuckle before I turned a corner and made my way to the front of the school building.

As the entrance grew closer, I hid myself in the growing crowds. Since I didn’t know whether Gerald would come after me or not, I didn’t want to risk showing my face around. I still had my pink uniform. The culprits yesterday might remember me.

“Hey,” a voice called out to me, “um,”

“Whoa!” I jumped back, readying myself in an unfamiliar, but hopefully threatening, martial arts stance.

Startled by my sudden jump, the person who approached me took a quick step backwards. Facing her, I identified the round-glasses girl as Hazel. She held a book in her hands, with a familiar title. She had the title of the play we watched yesterday.

“Oh, sorry,” I apologized, leaving the unbalanced stance I took, “I thought you were someone else.”

“N-no, I’m sorry for startling you,” Hazel assured, “I…didn’t think you had to jump into a fighting stance with someone. Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” I answered, “I’m sorry, I should have been more careful. It’s my fault.”

“No, it’s mine,” Hazel argued, “I wasn’t being considerate.”

“Well, I wasn’t either,” I reasoned, “I should have looked around a little more.”

“Still,” Hazel pointed out, “You jumped so far back.”

“You took a step back from me too,” I reminded her.

“But that’s because you jumped back,” Hazel persisted, “I’m the one at fault here.”

“No way,” I insisted, “there’s no way I can pin any blame on you.”

“Aw, come on.” conflict showed on Hazel’s face. “I can’t blame you either…”

“Ahahahaha!” I burst out laughing, startling Hazel even more.

“W-what is it?” Hazel asked, “What’s so funny?”

“I just didn’t expect to have such an innocent banter with someone,” I answered, “Thank you, I needed that.”

Staring back, Hazel responded with, “Y-your welcome?”

Seeing Hazel’s shy reaction, I found myself relaxing. My worries about being found by the culprits lessened, and I felt calm again. I looked at her for the first time, despite my short conversations with her when we sat next to each other. We both existed in the same world, but our worlds never collided.

“A-anyways,” Hazel began speaking again, “I brought this for you.”

With determined eyes, Hazel held up the book in her hands for me. The title read the exact same as the play we watched yesterday. With all the drama I encountered, I nearly forgot I asked Hazel for the book.

“Oh, thanks!” I said a little too loudly, “I can’t wait to read this.”

I took hold of the hardcover and looked over its paper covering. Apparently, Hazel trusted me enough to handle her thirty-dollar story with my grubby hands

“I really like this book,” Hazel shared, “if you want more, I can bring some more…”

“You’d do that? Really?” I asked, looking up from the book.

“Yeah, I would,” she answered, as she turned a little to the side, hiding her face, “I have a lot of books.”

“Maybe you could show your collection some time,” I suggested, “I have some good books to share too.”

I took up a chance to share the glory of my collection. I also shared an interest in what kinds of books Hazel kept.

“That sounds like a nice idea,” Hazel answered quietly, “I never really showed it off to anyone before.”

“It has to be a good collection if you have books like this one,” I held up the book she gave me, “it’s a hidden gem.”

“I wouldn’t go that far as to say it’s a gem,” Hazel mumbled, “I hope you’re not disappointed.”

“I won’t be disappointed,” I assured her, “thank you for sharing your book with me, Hazel.”

“Oh, um, you’re welcome, uh.” I caught Hazel’s glance toward my nametag, “How was it pronounced again…? Ne…Noi?”

“Noi?” I questioned, she got the first syllable correct. Most people tried, “Nwie.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t remember how to say your name,” Hazel apologized, “Do you not like being called just, ‘Noi?’”

“I don’t like it, no…” I confessed, “I love it!”

No one made a nickname for me before. Hazel blanked for a moment, and I cringed at my cliche choice of words. I may have acted overfamiliar with her.

“Haha,” Hazel started laughing, “Ahahaha! I didn’t think I’d ever hear anyone say that!”

My ears burned from the blood rushing to my face. To change the topic, I blurted my first thoughts, “I like your laugh.”

Now I really didn’t know what to say.

Hazel stopped laughing, and she stared at me again. “You like…”

Instead of letting her comprehend my words, I decided to interrupt her.

“Have a good day!” I shouted, and I ran into the school.