𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, ᴋᴀʀᴍᴀ ᴀ.

06 | mystery time

───── ❝ I met her gaze ❞ ─────

[akabane karma]

I never appreciated being used for someone else's benefit, so the way the new girl is using my body as a shield from professor bitch's lecture already gave me a bad first impression. 

He looks at the girl behind him:

School ended and everyone spilled out of the building. I'm packing up my bag when I sense someone's eyes on me. 

"You're Akabane?" Emei said groggily; it was almost incoherent with how she muttered my name. 

A cocky smile hung on my face as I met her gaze.

"Yeah? I'm famous."

She stared at me then put her head down and lets out a "pshh" laugh. Then she raked a small hand through her black locks brushing loose strands away from her face.

Was what I said really that funny?

"And apparently I'm super funny," I cocked my head to the side. 

"Sorry, it's not what you said that was funny," the girl stared at my face, but it wasn't my face. She was looking at something above it. "Green looks on you."

What?

I reached up and feel something smooth on my head. My hands tugged at the thing and I discovered the bright green ribbon Emei was taking joy in making fun of. 

"Cheeky bastard." I said under my breath an animated tick mark popped above my brow. I dismissed the embarrassment and returned my attention to the girl in front of me. 

"I hear blood and weapons are your passion, and you got expelled because you attacked someone. Is it true?" She spoke slowly. It was like everything she did had to be sluggish. 

"Of course it is," I answered, sitting back down in my chair, and using the backrest to fold my elbows. 

"Ah...Gotchu. I heard a lot of rumors about you."

"Really? From who?" 

"People from the main campus. They were talking about how you're 'back'" She stretched her arms up and puffed out her cheeks. Her actions were very sluggish. 

The raven-haired girl yawned, covering her mouth with her sleeve. Green irises flickered back to me and she smiled again. She was a mix of bubbly and listless. 

I didn't understand why I'm taking notes of her personality, but it couldn't hurt to get to know the girl that sat behind me. 

"Let's be friends," Emei gave a closed-eye smile reaching her hand out for me to shake. A cloud of pink dusted her cheeks like she was unsure of her own action. It was too direct to just demand friendship.

Maybe she didn't have any social cues. 

"And why would I want to be friends with you, new girl?" I raised a brow and showed her a hollow smile.

"I don't know. I just thought it couldn't hurt to ask you. Ryu-chan said I should learn to make friends here," Emei shrugged nonchalantly. 

"So...you don't want to be friends?" Her face morphed into a sort of pout, pushing her bottom lip out slightly. 

I thought about her weird proposal for a second and ran through a list of replies I could use to sound cool and uninterested. 

"Eh. If I feel like it," with that, I stood up with my bag slung over my shoulder and waved her goodbye, "See ya, new girl."

♡