Chapter E8
Aki's Perspective:
"I will be on your side no matter what, I promise."
The shitiest words I've ever heard.
It's making me want to die, yet I still want to enjoy upcoming adventures.
Something must be wrong with me.
It's the eighth of January, and at the moment, I just walked past Natasha. She was Suzuki as usual. Natasha is acting as if she has known Suzuki for a lifetime. Without me, she would never meet her. That's a fact.
As I made my way down the hall towards my classroom, I suddenly noticed Nikkita running towards me with a look of sheer panic on his face. His skin was flushed, and sweat was dripping down his forehead.
"Junior, please!" he blurted out, his voice shaking with desperation.
Confused and intrigued, I asked him what was going on. That's when he made a startling confession.
"Don't tell anyone my secret please, if you tell anyone, I'll be in big trouble," he whispered, his eyes darting around to make sure no one else was listening.
He continued, "If you promise to keep my secret, I'll do whatever you want. I'll even name my firstborn child after you."
His voice was full of sincerity, and I could tell he was serious about keeping this secret hidden, even though I had no idea what the secret was.
Despite my better judgment, I agreed to keep his unknown secret and promised not to tell anyone.
With a quick nod, Nikkita ran off in the opposite direction, leaving me to wonder what kind of secret could be so important that he'd do anything to keep it hidden.
As I sat down in the cafeteria, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Nikkita, the guy who I've had only a few interactions with, suddenly sat down next to me and started chatting like we've been friends forever.
It was weird enough already, but he then proceeded to offer tutoring and even suggested going shopping together.
I felt like I was in a fever dream, trying to make sense of this sudden change of events.
It was all so bizarre, and I couldn't stop wondering what could've caused such a sudden shift in his attitude towards me.
Despite the weirdness of the situation, I couldn't deny the curiosity that was gnawing away at me.
I wanted to know what his secret was, what it was that made him suddenly act like we were best friends.
And so, I gave in to my curiosity and played along, wondering where this strange day would take me next.
"Thank you for keeping this secret."
"Uh, yeah, um, it's no problem."
"So, are you and Rav dating or?"
"Huh?! No, we just had a few unexpected interactions, that's all."
"Hm, weird. After you came to his life, I finally saw him smile like a normal person. And at band rehearsals, he keeps talking about you. So me, Matyas and Mirey thought you guys were dating."
"Oh, wow."
"Hey, junior, how about we go to swimming pool together?"
"Um. I'm not in the mood to go, so I think I'm going to pass."
I politely refused because I'm not stepping into water with fresh scars.
He understood, so instead of going to the swimming pool, as he had initially suggested, he suggested we head to the arcade and shopping mall instead.
As we made our way there, I felt a sense of gratitude and happiness wash over me. It had been a while since I'd felt this way, and it was refreshing to be able to let loose and have some fun.
As we walked through the arcade, I found myself lost in the thrill of the games and the sounds of laughter. Nikkita seemed to be having just as much fun, and it was nice to be able to share this experience with him.
"Hey, junior, this looks cute. You should buy it for Rav. As a friend, you know."
"Hm. Should I?"
"Ye, you could give it to him tomorrow."
"But I'm going on a trip to Europe the next day."
"I know, but my class is going too, you know that, right?"
"HUH?!" I screeched. "No one told me that?"
"Well, you know it now, junior. So will ya or nah?"
"I will."
I bought a white teddy bear that has a red bow and was holding a basket with strawberries. I just couldn't help but slightly smile.
After a few hours of gaming, we decided to head to the shopping mall.
As we walked through the mall, I couldn't help but feel grateful for Nikkita's sudden change of plans.
It had been a while since I had felt this happy and care-free, and the shopping spree he had taken me on only added to the already uplifting mood.
The afternoon flew by, and before I knew it, it was time to head back to my dorm. The day had been full of surprises, but I couldn't help but feel grateful for the experience.
"Thank you, it was fun spending time with you." Nikkita turned to me with a relieved smile on his face as I thanked him for spending the day together.
THE NEXT DAY:
3rd person perspective:
Today marked the beginning of an incredible journey for Aki Hartez and his high school class. The two-week trip to Europe was an unparalleled opportunity to practice not only their speaking skills in German and French but also to experience the culture of a foreign land.
Nikkita's reassurance that class 8.C would join them was the icing on the cake, and Aki had eagerly awaited the day when they would all embark on this remarkable expedition, a journey that would leave an indelible impression upon their hearts and minds or that's what he thought.
Unfortunately, the morning of the departure was not everything Aki had hoped for. Having fallen asleep quite late the previous night, he had overslept and woke up to discover that his alarm clock had failed to wake him. In the mad rush to gather his belongings and make it to the meeting spot at the bus stop, he realized that he had left his wallet behind in his dorm room.
The realization left him feeling like a deer in headlights. Why is this always happening to me?
Aki immediately rushed back to his dormitory to retrieve his wallet, and his anxiety only grew as time ticked away, fearing that he would miss the bus and disappoint his fellow classmates. Thankfully, Ms. Fichtner, his kind and understanding homeroom teacher, allowed him to run back and grab the missing item.
When he finally had everything he needed, he boarded the bus.
"Junior, heereee!!!" Nikkita waved.
Everyone, mostly girls, stared at Aki as if he had just committed a grave offense, and he felt his cheeks grow hot with embarrassment. He seated himself between Raven and Nikkita in the last row.
"Rav started to worry you wouldn't come, junior." Nikkita teased.
As the bus pulled away, the excitement of the trip began to wash over Aki. He is mostly excited to explore the airports and plane spot.
As Aki's bus journey comes to a close, the thrill of his upcoming adventure starts to fill him with excitement.
He was indeed excited to travel to Europe, but the thought of exploring the bustling hub of an airport, and getting a glimpse of the airplanes at the heart of it all, makes his heart race with excitement.
Aki's perspective:
"So, junior.." Nikkita started."Wanna switch seats with me? I wanna talk to Matyas." He said, winking at me. Nikkita was sitting next to the window, meaning I would be sitting the two hour ride next to Raven.
"Sure." I replied.
"Nikkita Andyrkovskyj, I'm going to get back at you, don't you worry." Raven whispered and turned his head back to me, warmly smiling.
"So, Wee..Do you like sweets?"
"As long it's not chocolate, yeah." As I replied, Matyas and Nikkita burst out laughing. After Rav gave them a dirty look, they immediately stopped, acting as if they did nothing wrong.
"Well.. I only brought chocolate, sorry." Rav apologized.
"It's okay."
There was a long awkward silence, and Nikkita decided to interrupt it.
"Rav, your..um..um..friend has a gift for you, right, junior?"
"Uh. Yeah, I do." I gave him the teddy bear that was hiding in my backpack. "Uh.. It's a gift for being.."
"OUR CUTIE RAVEN AND AKI ARE GETTING MARRIED!" The girl in front of us shouted, making everyone fixedly look at us.
"Huh? It's just a teddy bear." Aki tried to explain.
"NO! IT'S TEDDY BEAR THAT HAS A SECRET RING IN THE BASKET!! I SAW IT ON AD."
So this was Nikkita's plan all along. Damn it, why didn't I notice it.
"I didn't know. Sorry." I acquainted, not daring to look at Raven. This is too embarrassing.
"It's okay, it's not your fault anyways."
3rd person perspective:
As the bus rolled to a stop outside of The International Washington Airport, its doors swung open and the sound of students gathering their belongings and preparing to disembark echoed through the cabin, sending Aki's senses into overdrive.
The busy, bustling atmosphere of the airport was palpable, with travelers of all ages and backgrounds rushing to and fro, each with their own destinations and purposes for visiting the sprawling facility. The smells of coffee and fast food wafted through the air, and the hum of conversation and noise from various languages permeated the air, making it feel like a hub of activity and energy.
Despite the chaos, Aki couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at the sheer size of the airport and the vastness of the possibilities it held for travel and adventure. The International Washington Airport looked like a well-oiled machine, with planes taking off and landing every few minutes, hundreds of people coming and going, and an almost endless array of shops, restaurants, and other businesses.
The sight and sound of the bustling airport was a spectacle to behold, with the hustle and bustle of travelers from all over the world, the sights and sounds of different languages, and the aroma of food and coffee filling the air.
Aki could feel the energy of the airport, and he was excited to explore all that it had to offer, whether it be spotting planes, browsing through duty-free shops, or trying out different kinds of foods from around the world. While the airport looked like a maze of corridors and terminals, Aki knew that he had a mission, and that was to explore every corner and find the perfect spot to watch the planes take off and land. With this objective in mind, Aki entered the airport, ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure.
"Eight graders make the same group you did in physical education and also choose the same sixth grader!!" The teacher demanded.
This is great, very great.