eleven

"Good morning, Ren," Akira spoke one morning as he passed by me. I ignored him, which only caused him to leave his friends and go after me as I quickened my pace. "Hey," he called, trying to catch up to me. "I said good morning."

"I heard you," I said, sighing. "I was just ignoring you."

"Well, that's not very nice, is it?" His words made stop in my tracks. He bumped into me and stumbled backwards. "Why'd you stop?" he asked.

I turned around and looked him in the eye, "Judging someone off what you see isn't very nice either, Akira." He looked at me and sighed.

"Did I not tell you I was sorry?"

"No, you didn't."

"Whatever, sorry," he said, waving it off. I rolled my eyes and turned back around, walking away from him. Something about Akira just pissed me off every time I saw him. Maybe it was his messy hair, or his pretty-boy smile that immediately read "playboy." Whatever it was, I didn't care enough to look into it.

"Wait, Ren," he called me again. I sighed in annoyance and turned back around. The smile on his face was gone and he was staring at me seriously.

"What?" I asked. Talking to Akira drained my energy and instantly made me tired—and the day hadn't even started yet.

"You should come to my birthday party," he said, his smile reappearing on his face.

Party? Did he really just forget who I am? I scoffed, "I'm not going to a party, Akira," I said. "Especially since you'll be there."

"Oh, come on!" he whined, following after me. "I won't bother you—I just need you to be there!! Please? Can't you help a friend out?"

"I don't have friends," I said. "And I don't consider you one, either."

"What if Kiyoshi was there? Then will you go?" I stopped in my tracks once again, making him bump into my back. I looked at him, his eyes were hopeful.

"I'll consider it," I said, "but that doesn't mean I'll go." He smiled and started clapping, excitedly.

"Great. See you Saturday, Ren!!" He waved at me and ran away with the smile of a child.

A party. I shook my head, this never ends well.