Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“First day back!” Mai was in high spirits as she and Jared walked away from her dorm. Last semester, when they started dating, Jared insisted on walking her to class, gentleman he is. Her hand jittered in his as they entered Poppy Hall, a bounce in her step. Students turned to watch the couple in all their popular glory.

“You’re awfully perky today.”

“I am! Something always happens on the first day of school.” She turned to look at Jared, a sly glint in her eye. “Something exciting.”

“Wait, it’s the final term. I thought that would only apply to the first day of the school year, not the semester.”

“It does.” She shrugged her shoulders. “At least, all the really dramatic stuff happens on the first day of the school year. But don’t underestimate the first day of the semester! They aren’t as eventful, but they’re certainly interesting.”

Jared nodded as they stopped at the stairwell, the filter between the third and fourth-years. “Have a good day, Mai,” he purred, and kissed her cheek, like every other school day. If he was honest with himself, it was what he missed most over the break.

“You too, Jared. See you at lunch!” She flashed him a peace sign before disappearing into the third-year hall, her bright red hair trailing behind her. Jared ran up another flight of stairs and through crowds of chattering students.

He entered his classroom and sat by Satch and Jirard in his usual seat.

“Jared!” Jirard greeted, warm as ever despite the chilly weather outside. “How was your break?”

“Pretty good. Didn’t do much. Mom and I went to a tea ceremony a little up north from here. I’ve seen better, though.” He pulled a textbook out of his backpack. “What did you guys do?”

The three caught up with each other, from luxurious vacations to their endeavors in their own towns. Satch was in the middle of explaining his newest development in his VR helmet, when he trailed off and stared at a crowd of students at the front of the classroom.

His friends followed his gaze. A group of girls surrounded a desk, giggling. Strange, Jared thought to himself as he craned his neck to see. Isn’t that desk usually empty?

Sitting in the desk was an unfamiliar boy about his age, with black hair so dark, it couldn’t be natural. His Asagao tie was loose around his neck, but it was all he could see- some girl’s tote bag swung and bobbed around as she laughed, covering the boy’s face.

Jared couldn’t quite tell what the kid was saying, but something told him that it wasn’t anything good.

“Do you guys know him?” Jirard asked. “I haven’t seen him before.”

“New kid?” Satch suggested.

The bell rang, signing the start of classes. Their teacher, Mr. Saitomo, placed a bookmark in the novel he was reading, huffed, and got up from his desk. “Ladies. Get back in your seats.”

Mr. Saitomo continued as the girls dispersed. “As some of you may have noticed, we have a new student this term. Nathan, come on up here.”

Satch smirked in victory. “New kid,” he whispered.

The boy got up from his chair and to the blackboard beside Mr. Saitomo. Jared swore he saw this kid swagger just like how his fellow models on runways.

“S’up, the name’s Nate. I just came here from the city.”

Damn, his teeth are the whitest thing I’ve ever seen, Jared thought.

“Yeah? Tell us a fun fact about yourself.”

“I write my own music and perform live over at Char’s, that downtown grill on Friday evenings. I’ll pay for your meal if you guess how many Anxiety! In The Club concerts I’ve been to.”

“That’s great, Nathan, but I asked for a fun fact, not an advertisement. Sit back down.” As Nate strode back to his seat, Jared’s suspicions were confirmed; this kid perfected how to walk like an alpha. He wasn’t sure if that was worthy of respect or pity.

“Listen up. When we left before break, we were talking about the Ylissean-Plegian war over the Pyre Seal.” Mr. Saitomo scribbled on the blackboard. “But after that, there was another war between Ylisse and Plegia, known as the Griman War.”

As he gave a synopsis of the motivation prior to the war, Jared stared at Nate. He rolled up his sleeves, showcasing a tapestry of tattoos on his arms, and slipped on a pair of reading glasses. He hated to admit it, but he was definitely handsome. He was a punk taking on a nerdy-chic look, and by God, was he pulling it off.

He took a gander around the classroom. The majority of his classmates- particularly the girls- were entranced by the gauge-wearing, disheveled-chic, dark-haired menace that overtook Jared’s grip of the classroom in mere minutes.

He squinted back at Nate. He was scribbling notes in his journal, completely oblivious to Jared’s anger, which only made him madder. This was war, whether the kid knew it or not.

Jared got to lunch earlier than everyone else in the club, for once. Usually, he would walk to the cafeteria with Jirard and Satch, but knowing Jirard, he would start a conversation about the cool-looking new kid, and that was the last thing he wanted to hear.

He swiftly ate his sandwich as a steady stream of students trickled from the lunch lines to the tables. Soon, the Continue boys approached the Normal Boots table, lunches in hand.

“Hey, dude,” Nick said, and placed his tray down to Jared’s left.

“How’s it going?” Josh said as he sat to Jared’s right.

“We have a favor to ask you,” Paul said before Jared could respond to Josh. He took the seat across from Jared. “Since you’re the first other fourth-year at the table.”

Jared nodded. “Go ahead, shoot.”

“So you’ve heard about the new kid, right?” Nick asked.

“He’s in your class, right?” Josh asked.

“I’ve heard his name is Nate, right?” Paul asked.

Oh no.

Jared wanted to scream, but instead accepted his fate. “Yes, yes, and yes.”

“We wanted to do an article about him,” Nick explained.

“You know, because new kids at Asagao aren’t that common,” Josh explained further.

“Hold on.” Jared furrowed his brow. “You never did that for Hana when she transferred here.”

“Hana, schmana.” Paul leaned closer. “We didn’t really think about it then.”

“But basically, we’re wondering if you would be able to answer some questions,” Nick said.

“Stuff about first impressions, what’s it like being in his class, that sort of thing,” Josh said.

“It won’t take that long,” Paul said. “And if you want, we could say you’re an anonymous student.”

Jared raised an eyebrow. “Is this going to be a gossip rag?”

“Oh, no, Jared!” Nick laughed.

“You’re so funny, Jared,” Josh laughed.

“You must be mistaken, Jared,” Paul laughed. He rummaged around his backpack, produced a piece of paper, and slid it to Jared. “We want to give the student body a rundown on Nate. Truthfully and informatively.”

He read the big, bold headline on the paper. ‘Asagao Weekly: Interview Permission Form.’

They all smiled. “So what do you say?”

“Did you seriously make a contract for a school paper?” Jared said. The Continue boys tilted their heads at the same time in confusion, which, somehow, only made Jared more confused. “Whatever. Yeah, I’ll do it.” He fished around his pencil bag for a pen as his friends beamed.

“Thanks, Jared!” Nick said.

“You’re the greatest!” Josh said.

“This is excellent!” Paul said. He snapped his fingers, and like magic, his friends fanned around Jared. Josh held a pencil and a blank page, while Nick switched on a pocket recorder. Paul consulted a sheet of paper- then dropped it as he leapt up from his chair and pointed at the corner of the cafeteria. “There he is! Boys, move out!”

“Yes, sir!” And as quickly as they came, the Continue boys fled the table and dashed in sync to a clump of even more girls, likely covering Nate from view.

Jared sighed. Even all the way across the room, he was already attracting everyone and everything in the vicinity. Girls, Continue, even his own attention. What next?

He bitterly sipped his bottle of water as the rest of his friends sat by the table. It was only when the writers of Continue wormed their way back that Jared heard a conversation worth listening to.

“Word around the grapevine is that the new kid is making waves,” Nick said.

“His name’s Nate. Nate Sharp, to be exact,” Josh said.

“He got invited into Asagao because he’s made some legit albums and has a solid ranking on Billwall, despite his age.”

“He knows how to play thirteen instruments, counting singing and kazoo. His words, not mine.”

“Not to mention, according to our favorite primary source, he’s been receiving a very warm welcome from the school.” Paul looked above his notes and met Jared’s eyes. “Sounds like you’ve got some competition, Jared.”

He forced a charming smile. “Sounds like you don’t remember who you’re talking to, Paul.”

Beside him where Nick once sat, Mai laughed. “Oh, but he’s right. Jared is way cooler than any new kid, no matter what!”

Good old Mai. Her hand brushed up against his under the table, and held it like a precious treasure. Jared smirked and gestured towards his girlfriend. “See? I told you so!”

“She doesn’t count. She’s your girlfriend,” Jon said. “I mean, you’re cool and all, but you can’t deny it, everyone loves the edgy, mysterious guy. And this guy checks all the boxes.”

Jared countered, “You forget one thing, though. Most guys don’t care about who the most popular students in school are. It’s really up to the girls.” He looked across the table, where Hana sat by PBG, both with a 4DS of their own in their hands. “Hana!”

She looked up from her game curiously as Jared continued. “Who’s cooler? Me, or the new kid? And you’re not allowed to say me just because you’re talking to me. Be absolutely, one hundred percent honest.”

She rubbed her chin, deep in thought as her cheeks turned pink. “I mean, it’s really just a personal preference to everyone?” She suggested. “From what I’ve heard, you two are so different. But you’re kind of similar, too. You’re the pretty boy that everyone expects to be the best, Jared, while Nate’s like the bad boy love interest in a cheesy romance novel.”

“Oh, Hana, that was so cute!” Mai cooed, as her roommate buried her face back into her 4DS, flustered.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Jared murmured. No one heard him.

Chapter Text

A few days had passed since Nate- Jared always called him “the kid” with a hint of disgust- entered the academy. Girls who once worshipped Jared followed the kid’s beck and call with stars in their eyes.

Strangely enough, however, this kid didn’t understand just what kind of power he was gaining. Or that he even had a power at this school.

Satch would say that since he isn’t aware of his control, it would be the best time to pick a fight with the kid. But Satch didn’t know how much this kid was pissing Jared off, so he was on his own.

In the mornings after Mai would take off for her classes, Jared sported a sour look on his face as he trudged to his class. In his wake, the diehard Jared fans would whisper among themselves about how badass he looked, which at least made him feel a little validated. But then they would follow up with “Just like Nate,” and he’d be back to glowering.

“What’s with you?” Satch asked as Jared took his seat. “You look angry.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Jared said, and took a newspaper out of his backpack. “Just didn’t sleep well.” He buried his nose in the newspaper, and that was that. Jared knew Satch couldn’t interrupt someone while they were reading; he was too polite and nerdy for that.

But he looked ahead of him instead of the paper, towards the kid. He wasn’t covered by a cluster of girls like the past days since his enrollment, but two students were standing beside his desk, striking up a conversation. Occasionally, loud laughs would erupt from the three, and Jared swore his eyes would turn green from jealousy. He never was so thankful for the bell, and Mr. Saitomo’s squeaky old man voice telling kids to “siddown.”

He listened intently to Mr. Saitomo’s lecture, and he was proud to say that he barely snuck any glances at the kid, who was rocking some ripped black jeans instead of the school-issued slacks. He hated the fact that he looked amazing in them, and that he probably hadn’t gotten dress coded for those yet.

...In hindsight, perhaps he spent more time than he thought sizing up this kid.

In no time at all, the bell rang once more for lunch. “Mm. Dismissed.” Mr. Saitomo sat down in his desk and picked up a novel, completely careless about the chattering students and the clutter that came from packing up.

Jared, Satch, and Jirard got up from their seats, ready to walk to the cafeteria, when someone tapped Jared’s shoulder. “Excuse me?”

He turned. The kid.

“Your name is Jared, right?” He asked. “Is it cool if I sit with you at lunch?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why would-”

“Sure!” Jirard grinned. Jared wanted to glare daggers at him, but Satch seemed as inviting as Jirard. He cursed his friends for being so nice under his breath.

“Thanks, guys. The name’s Nate- ah, you guys already know that.”

“No worries! I’m Jirard, and this is Satch.” Jirard gestured to him, and he gave a small wave. “How’s your classes? Everything’s going good so far?”

“Yeah. Everyone’s pretty nice to me, so that’s cool, I guess.” The kid fell into step aside Jirard and Jared, like he was a regular part of the gang. Jared looked straight forward, but he still saw some tattoos and jeans in the corner of his eye.

The kid continued to talk with Jirard as they entered the cafeteria and sat at the Normal Boots table. Jared looked at Shane with pleading eyes, practically begging for him to cause a fuss about the kid sitting at the table, but all he did was return a skeptical look.

Drat. Why’d he have to go batshit when Hana entered the tournament, but not when this kid was stealing every last bit of his thunder?

“You already met Nick, Paul, and Josh,” Jirard said to the kid as the Continue boys all waved at them, hauntingly in sync. He then gestured to the rest of the club members sitting at the table. “That’s PBG, Jon, Shane, Hana, and Mai.”

“Hey. I’m Nate.”

“Yeah, we know,” Jared blurted.

Luckily, PBG spoke up before anyone noticed jared’s outburst. “Wait a minute! I think I saw you once. Uhh, do you play music?”

“Actually, yeah! It’s my thing.”

“Oh, cool! I think I might have seen you play some stuff at this local place I went to over the summer…”

Jared poked at his salad as he listened to the kid and PBG talk. And PBG’s clueless. Everybody knows this kid, huh?

On his left, he caught Jirard talking to himself. “This is totally the start of a beautiful friendship.” Jared stabbed his salad harder.

Chapter Text

There was something serene about being alone in Jared’s room during the evening. Satch resumed his job as a library assistant, now that school started up, and with that came Mr. Saitomo’s grueling assignments. Unfortunately, Mr. Saitomo was never one to skimp out on homework, especially not on students who expected a few days of relief upon resuming classes after break.

Jared’s pencil scritched along as the current electro-pop song ended with the familiar PB&J jingle and PBG’s perky voice.

“Heya, we’re back! You’re listening to PB&J! If you hear of the name elsewhere, we totally thought of it first.”

“We’re clever like that,” Jon said, and Jared snorted. “So we got some callers lined up. Go ahead, hit us! You’re on with us at PB&J!”

The first caller was a young girl, who introduced herself as Dot. “Okay, so like, there’s these two cute guys, right? I’ve had a crush on one of them for, like, years, and he’s like, super cool and hot.”

“Cool and hot,” Jon mused. “Nothing more attractive than thermodynamic equilibrium.”

“You get my point. But the other’s like, this goth guy who just showed up out of the blue, but I’m sure he’s secretly a sweetheart!”

“What was the question again, Jon? I don’t remember.”

“Oh, sorry! I just wanted to ask. Which do you think I should go for?”

Jared bit his lip. He swore he knew just who Dot was referring to.

“Kind of depends, if you ask me,” Jon said. “I’m no good when it comes to romance, but it’s not really something you should leave up to two random dudes on a radio show, Dot.”

“I remember reading this one ad on an article or something, and it said to go for the second guy. Apparently, if the second guy is so attractive that he catches your attention from the first, then he’s gotta be the best one!”

“PBG, that’s literally how cheating works. What articles are you reading?”

“Uhhh… I think it was some soccer stats?”

“Wait!” Dot gasped. “What if I started a threesome with both of them, so I don’t have to chose?!”

“Oh, yeah! I totally forgot you could do that!”

“PBG, you have a girlfriend. One singular girlfriend, who is probably listening to us as you speak and is questioning your loyalty at this moment.”

“Thanks, you guys! This cleared up so much.” A beep sounded from the radio, signaling that Dot hung up.

“We didn’t really do much, did we? ” PBG muttered.

“Well, it’s a solution nonetheless. Next caller! You’re live!”

“Oh, hey!” A boy with a British accent answered the phone. “My name is Fro-yo. I got this sketchy phone call recently, and it was from some girl who I think might be obsessed with me. Not like, police-level stalking, just like, being really clingy despite seeing me twice in her life. So I was thinking, I should prank call her, but I don’t have any ideas. What should I do?”

“Dude, I did this all the time in middle school!” PBG exclaimed. “There’s like, a bunch of ways you could totally prank her. Have you ever pretended that it was the phone number for a really embarrassing place, like an adult shop?”

“Woah there, soldier. We need to keep this show PG.”

“Yeah, but still! You could claim you’re a reporter doing a story on random people around the city, and ask her a bunch of silly questions or things to say. Or order a pizza from her!”

“Oh, I’ve got one! What if you stared fake-crying and asked her why she hung up on you? Make it sound like you’re a clingy ex she’s never had, give her a taste of her own medicine.”

“Jon, you genius!”

“These are all so great. I’m so gonna call her tomorrow! Thanks a bunch.” Click, beep, and that was that. Jared punched in numbers on his phone, his homework completely forgotten.

“I think we’ve got time for one more call,” PBG noted. “Let’s see, thanks for calling PB&J! Who’s this?”

“It’s Pro… fessional. Professional, I guess,” Jared said into his phone. “There’s this kid-”

Jon huffed. “If this somehow segways into another romance question, I’m gonna hurl all over my mic.”

“Ew, no. I actually hate him. This kid keeps stealing all my friends and is intent on destroying my reputation, and I don’t know why, but it’s working! How do I get him off my back?”

“Hmm.”

“Gotta agree with the jock. Hmm indeed.”

Jared ran a hand through his glossy hair as he paced around the room. “I mean, he’s gotten really popular lately, but I just don’t get it. How should I save my image before he takes away all my friends?”

“Well, Professional, I don’t really know if it’s as bad as you think it is,” PBG said. “A lot of times, good things are disguised as anything else. Maybe he just wants to be in your friend group. Think about it on the bright side!”

“But didn’t you hear about how the dude’s killing Professional’s reputation? If popularity’s involved, all’s fair.” He heard a dull thud from the other end of the line and the radio, as Jon punched a hand into a palm. “And there’s nothing more savage than just getting up in his face and telling it how it is! You go, man!”

“That sounds unnecessarily hostile. Why not kill him with kindness? That way you save your friendships, and get a new one! And with way less drama, too.”

“Oh, don’t you anything about me? I’m always here for drama,” Jon laughed. “But still. This is a problem solved only by confrontation.”

“Uh, I guess you guys have helped a lot,” Jared mumbled into the phone. “Thanks.”

“Anytime, Professional!” PBG chipred, as the PB&J jingle started to fade in. Jared’s phone read ‘Call ended.’ He rolled his eyes as the host continued. “That’s all our time answering your questions, but luckily we got some fire jams for y’all. Check this out, from up-and-coming student rock star NateWantsToBattle, this is ‘All I See.’”

His brow furrowed. Nate? He shook the idea from his head. Must be that phone call getting to me.

The song opened with guitar shredding, just before a clean, pop rock instrumental, and Jared resumed his genetics assignment, tapping his foot along as the radio crackled out the song. “And it’s so typical of me to be so cynical of you…”

He snapped back up, a blend of shock and irritation on his face. He craned a ear to the radio as the vocalist sang, and his suspicions were clear. Nate. Of course, it’s NateWantsToBattle. What else?

The kid placed a mechanical-sounding filter over his voice, and he figured it was the only reason why this kid sounded decent. Then the song got louder, and his voice was all natural, and Jared wanted to stab himself with his pencil. This kid was genuinely good. Probably blessed by the music gods, because there was no way a kid this annoying could be this talented, but lo and behold, this kid was killing it.

Jared pressed his foot back down into the floor, and resisted to nod his head, or tap his fingers, or show any sense of enjoyment as the song played.

...Shit, I'm enjoying it.

“It weighs me down to this ocean floor,” the radio fizzled. “I know I’ll drown yet I’m begging for more.”

As the song continued, Jared sunk so far down in his seat, his mother would probably have a heart attack if she was here. If the rest of this kid’s songs were just as exceptional, he was in trouble.

His mind flashed back to that first day back in school, when the kid introduced himself to the class, with his stupid loose tie and his stupid cool tattoos and Continue’s stupid obsession on learning more about the kid. “He knows how to play thirteen instruments and has solid albums on Billwall,” Jared muttered as he buried his face into his arms and the hardwood desk. “I’m in trouble.”

Chapter Text

He felt his hand trembling in Mai’s as they walked away from her dorm, and listened to his girlfriend’s latest interest. He couldn’t bother telling what she was saying, but he still drowned himself in her sweet songbird voice. It was his solace, in a way, especially after this kid’s enrollment.

“...Jared. Jared. Jared!”

He snapped out of his reverie as Mai shook his hand. “Jared, are you listening?”

“Uh.” He flushed.

She sighed and stopped. “Is something wrong? Am I talking too much?”

“No! No, you’re perfect.” And he meant it. “I’m kind of off my game, I guess.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“I mean, it’s nothing,” he said. “I’m just tired. It’s no big deal, really.”

“Jared, you know you can talk to me about anything.”

“I know, Mai. All I need is a nap after class, and I’ll be good.” He grinned. “See? Now, let’s get to class.”

She stared at his eyes with her own. Her once-bright green eyes seemed to dull and dim as she watched him.

“You’re a really good liar,” she mumbled. She caught Jared flinch in the corner of her eye.  “You’ve been… spacey for the last few days, and it’s starting to worry me, because you always do that when something’s wrong. I’m your girlfriend, Jared. You can trust me. I want you to trust me. I mean, do you?”

“I do.”

“Then talk to me,” Mai said. “Let me help you! I know you’re upset about something, Jared.”

She was met with silence. “I like to think I’m good at this advice thing,” she continued. “It hurts me to see you like this. And it hurts me to not be able to understand my boyfriend, too. So please, talk to me.”

Jared said nothing.

She deflated, then bristled, as if a cold wind slashed at her skin. “Fine, then. Have it your way.”

Mai resumed her walk. Jared followed. Her brushed against his. Her blood ran cold. Jared reached for it, but she pulled it back with a glower. He pretended not to care.

They trudged along to Poppy Hall, not quite satisfied. Mai stalked away before Jared could kiss her and bid her a good day, the scent of her coconut shampoo lingering as she disappeared into the crowds of indifferent students. His charming smile fell.

Jared slowly got accustomed to the kid walking along with him, Satch, and Jirard from class to class, but her certainly didn’t come to appreciate it. Last semester, he was always in the center as they walked through the halls together, like a king followed by his knights. But ever since the kid came in, he hung to the side, as far away as he could from the menace.

Two weeks passed since Nate joined the Normal Boots table and started his reign over Jared’s kingdom. Two weeks too long, he thought, but it was clear he was the only one who thought so.

After all, Shane didn’t see a problem with the edgelord at the table. If the resident grump was fine with it, everyone was fine with it. Such was the rule of the world, much to Jared’s dismay.

His friends and Nate (currently wearing jeans, sneakers, a ratty hoodie and his Asagao tie, and still hasn’t gotten dress coded) took their seats. Jared sat next to Mai. She gave him a short, broken smile before turning back to Hana, definitely too eager to resume their conversation. He felt his heart twist.

“I just realized,” Shane said halfway through lunch. “We haven’t had a day to play games since the semester began.”

The rest of the table seemed to realize this as well. “I totally forgot. We need to schedule one. How’s Saturday sound? Noon?” Jon asked.

Agreements and murmurings coursed through the club.

“Wait. What’s all this about?” The kid asked. Now that Jared bothered to look at him, he was probably wearing eyeliner.

...He was. Skillfully done, especially for high school standards. And subtle. Jared was both impressed and irate.

“We always set aside a day to just relax and play video games every time a new semester starts,” Satch explained. “Last semester, we just played Marionette Party all evening.”

“It was a scary time,” PBG shivered.

He was right. It was a wild night of an 8-player game that ended in newfound rivalries, bitter loss, and Jared wasting a Spook on someone who had Spook Repellent. He was still sore about that fact, even though it’s been months since the game.

“Wait a minute,” Nick said.

“You’re forgetting something,” Josh said.

“Whose dorm are we going to?” Paul gestured with his fork. “No point in playing games if we don’t have a place to play them in.”

“I can do it!”

Jared turned to his right. The kid raised his hand high, a hint of a dorky grin on his face. “My roommate’s gonna be out that day, so I have the room all to myself. I’ve got a bunch of spare controllers and things, too.”

Jared said, “That sounds-”

“Great!” Jon exclaimed. “Everyone knows the drill? Bring games if you want to play them with us.”

“Yeah,” Jared muttered. “Great.”

Satch entered the dorm room quietly that evening, as usual, just as Jared was finishing cleaning out his desk drawers, not as usual.

“Hey.” Jared waved, and slid some metallic blue dice into a small pouch. “How’re-”

“What’s going on?” Satch asked. Jared gave him a look, prompting him. “You’ve been acting weird lately, and you’re always weird, but this is too much. You’re cleaning your desk, and you never do that, unless something’s wrong. That’s weird!”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Jared flipped his hair. “I’m never weird. I’m perfect!”

“My point exactly.”

“Satch, you just don’t understand,” he scoffed. “I’m a king.”

“Uh huh. Yeah. Sure. Whatever.” Satch rolled his eyes and dug around in his backpack, before producing a notebook. He flipped through the pages with one hand and pushed up his glasses with the other. “As I was saying. Ever since the beginning of the semester, you’ve been acting strange. Dare I say, paranoid?”

“Dare I say, stalker?” Jared retorted. “I’m fine. I’ve already had this talk with Mai, and I don’t need another.”

“Mai?” Satch scribbled into his notebook. “Is that why you’ve been so irritable lately? Or why she was so distant during lunch, perhaps?”

“Ugh, yeah. We got into a fight this morning, and- wait!” Jared glared at Satch. “You butt! Stop trying to trick me into telling you about it!”

“So there is something?”

“You-!” Jared stuttered, then held his head in his hands. “Oh my god, you really are good at this.”

“Maybe you’re just really easy to trick.”

“ Whatever.” Jared slammed the drawer closed. Dice and pencils rattled inside, likely scattering from their meticulously-organized places, but it was the last of his worries. “Even if something did happen, which it didn’t , I am okay, and I can handle it, by myself. Without you, or Mai, or whoever.”

He closed the notebook as his face darkened. “Was it about your mother?”
“Mom?” Jared repeated, blood boiling. He reached for his phone, and stepped away and to the door. “You’re clueless. No, it wasn’t about Mom. And I’m not going to think about her now.”

“Jared-”

He shut the door with a bang , echoing through the room like thunder. Satch blinked one, two, three times, before Jared’s outburst finally registered.

He sighed, vexed, but more upset with himself than anything else. “I’ve really done it now,” he muttered to no one, regretful.

Jared doesn’t do this. At least, not often.

He stared at the door for a few more seconds, as if watching it would magically make Jared appear again, as his shouts seeped into his skin.

Nothing.