Episode 2

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Reki was late to the mine, and it almost cost him another arm. I almost picked up my board and dared to skate myself, even though I really only knew how to Ollie and knew how to keep balance for small jumps and swerves. I was maybe almost to Reki's level, but I was someone who liked to cruise, not someone who liked to put on a show. I'd always hid my face, but neither of them did.

Reki was honest, and had a good heart. I knew it almost right away, and I kept seeing it everywhere I went. Langa was supposed to be the bottom of the bottom, but something in him spiked and I sped to the warehouse, the end of the course, just to catch another glimpse.
 
My brother had lost sight of me and Reki had already run off. I told them I'd be there and we could hang out and watch the beef together - but now they'd both got dragged into it. 

"Idiots!" I gasped, skidding to a stop after pushing my way through the crowd.

My body froze and my skin shivered on my body, as if moving with the beat of my heart, to the beat of the fire crackers Shadow had thrown in the air. 

But my eyes didn't stay on Langa. They moved, almost unconsciously, to where Reki stood. He looked up at Langa like he was an angel in the sky - and he certainly looked like it. I wondered if our hearts beat at the same time in that moment, and as he watched the colors around Langa glow, I watched the reflection of them on him glow. 

Isn't all this, so dangerous? I thought. Suddenly I couldn't here Langa land, and I didn't move when Reki ran towards him, cheering and grinning. I shut my eyes for a moment just to listen, hoping to memorize the sound of his happiness. 

Could I ever make him that happy? 

I finally turned to look at him, and he started looking around, and then our eyes met. Just like the first night, my heart swelled and I smiled this time. Have I known you somewhere before, Reki? To fall so hard so fast for you, in this life? 

"Yuri! You saw it too right?"

I grinned, "Yeah!" 


- cue opening sequence


"And then he flew - like this!" I exasperated, using my hands to show Erika, and almost breaking my wrist trying to demonstrate the flip he did.

She sweat dropped, but smiled non-the-less, "I see, yes. It seems wonderful... but I'd be scared to be hurt."

I nodded, "Me too. But... seeing him like that makes me want to learn to skate better, you know?"

"But, aren't you a martial art-"

I quickly shushed her, "That's a side hobby."

"But I thought skate was a side hobby?"

"That's my first side hobby. Martial arts is my second- my dad used to do martial arts so he signed me up right from the get-go to learn."

"Is that so? My parents never did anything like that." Erika pondered for a second, "Well, my mother studied in Italy! Maybe that's why she encouraged my own abroad experience." 

I nodded, opening my mouth to continue talking, I cut myself off as my phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my pocket as we walked and blinked, reading the name on the screen. Reki. Why is Reki texting me?

R-REKI TEXTED ME!?!?!?

I quickly opened the text, "Erika- that cute boy I told you about- he's invited me out to come help teach his friend how to skate!"

"Really? That sounds great!"

"I-I should go- but-"

She shook her head, "It's alright, I know the bus route confidently now."

"Okay. Ask for help if something happens, okay?"

She nodded, "Go, good luck!"

-

"You guys." I huffed, placing my hands on my hips, "When in your text did it say I should bring a first aid kit?!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't expect this to happen."

I sighed, "Of course, no one would. Anything broken, Langa?"

He shook his head, "Just bruised a bit."

I can't believe he literally almost got run over by a truck. I bent down and pulled out the pouch from my bag, "It's a good thing I carry this around for when I wipe out." I commented, putting some polyisoprene on my finger and rubbing it on the cut on Langa's nose.

"Thank you for this." He mumbled as I put the band aid on.

I shook my head, standing straight, "No problem. But next time, no more taping your feet the board. It's different from snow boarding - next time you might rip your knee out of your socket, or break your ankles." 

He shuddered at the thought, "Okay..."

Reki stepped down and leaned towards Langa, "You really want to skate?"

Langa barely hesitated, "I want... to try skating."

-

"First, you keep your rear foot on the ground, while you put your other foot on top of the deck."
Reki explained, pointing to the board, "Right around the screws on the nose. Yeah, like that!"

I watched carefully, sipping my milk. Reki and I bumped into the halls together today, and this time instead of asking for more first aid supplies, or homework help like he did yesterday, it was to accompany him to his lesson with Langa. Of course, all to make up for the help I'd given him, of course.

He better be letting me tag along from now on. I insisted in my head, first, he throws me into a bush. Second, he smacks right into me and touches my boob without consent. Third, he calls me just to ask for help in patching Langa up. Fourth, he begs me for help on his literature homework and I let him copy my notes because - well - who could say no to that face?!

I sighed silently, looking back to Langa as he struggled to get both feet on the board.

"If you're scared, I'll hold your hand." Reki began, and I almost choked on my drink.

I-I want to hold his hand! I scratched the back of my head, glaring at Langa as he retorted fast,
"No."

What should I do? How do I get Reki to offer to hold my hand?

Langa finally stood on the board, only for him to fly right off. I gasped, and stood, but I wasn't able to catch him. Reki didn't even flinch.

"That thing moves!"

"What just happened, was that after you got on the board you got cold feet and the center of gravity shifted to the back." Reki explained, moving to demonstrate, "Before you put the rear foot on, keep the center of gravity at the front. And after you lift that foot, keep it in the center."

"Whoa, yours doesn't move at all." Langa huffed, and I smiled slightly.

"Don't worry, I fell a gajillian times when I was first starting out." I assured. 

"That... doesn't help."

The next couple days... didn't get any better. Langa got in a heep of shit for skateboarding on the campus, so we had to move our daily endeavors to after school. Well, after school is when I met up with them, anyways. Some time's I'd run into Reki and we'd end up eating lunch together with Langa, but now most of the time I just came running up to meet them at the park when ever Reki texted me that he wasn't working that night. 

"Yuri-chan?" My mom called out and I stopped at the door, "Where are you going?"

"Out with some friends from school?"

She breathed a laugh, coming around from the kitchen, she smiled, "Is it Erika-chan? Take her some cookies."

"Ah, no, I made new friends recently. One of them is learning how to skate."

"That sounds like fun." She stepped forward, holding out the treats anyways, "Offer it to them, then."

I hesitated, "Okay." I took them and her smile suddenly seemed more real and less of a 'if you don't take the cookies we'll have problems' face.

"Be safe now! Make good choices!"

"Yes, mom! Bye!"

"Love you!"

I kicked off, glancing back to wave as my mother watched me go. I was never one to say that back. I always said 'good morning' and 'good night' back, and always said 'thank you' and always gave hugs when they offered. But when it came to 'I love you' it just always came out of me in different ways. Right now, I'm not even sure if I'd be able to tell Reki directly that I loved him, and I would probably hope to get his attention by showing it in other ways. 

But, what I feel for Reki is a completely different type of love, isn't it? 

"Hey guys!" I called out, waving, "I brought cookies!"

"Hell yeah!"

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