serendipity | aki menzies

cruel summer

"What doesn't kill me makes me want you more..."

"How long have you been skateboarding?" I had been meaning to ask him that yesterday. Skateboarding was cool and from what I noticed it seemed sort of important to him.

Aki twirled the board, his face lighting up. "It's been years, probably as soon as I was able to walk." I liked seeing him get excited, an indescribable feeling washed over. 

"Was it hard when you started learning?" My eyes met his, a saccharine smile on my face.

Aki faltered, a look of confusion on his face. Suddenly, I wondered if I said something wrong. If we changed the topic maybe we could pretend nothing happened.

"Oh sorry, we don't have to talk about it." I laughed awkwardly, twisting the front of my sneakers into the floor.

He shook his head, a mix of amazement and gratitude on his face. "No no, I'm just not used to people asking me what I'm into." He confided, sounding all too at ease with this. "I'm a background player, people ask about my friends."

A wave of irritation washed over me.

"They don't know what they're missing out on." I assured. "You're probably the most interesting person here." My cheeks warmed at this, I was always saying too much.

"Thank you." I didn't miss the gratefulness in his tone, my heart clenching. "Learning wasn't hard, I was a natural." He added.

Chewing on my bottom lip, I played with the pin on my jacket, courtesy of Zoya. "Could you teach me sometime?" I braced myself for rejection, he probably didn't have time to teach me. "Actually, you must beㅡ"

Aki grabbed my hand, stopping me in my tracks. "Serenity." I blinked back weakly, once again enraptured by him saying my name. "I would love to teach you." He smiled, it was all white teeth and sunshine.

There was nothing background about Aki, in my world he was a main character. He just didn't know it yet.

"Are you sure? Audrey probably wouldn't be too happy." Oh yes, I finally remembered his girlfriend. The one who hates my guts and would probably buy me a first class ticket back to Texas.

Annoyance flashed briefly behind warm brown eyes. Maybe he hadn't thought of that either.

"Nothing I've done lately has made her happy, it's just skateboarding lessons." He started walking again. It was then I realized his hand was still on my own.

• • •

Our arrival at lunch didn't cause chaos today. Aki's hand dropping my own as he greeted his girlfriend. Much to my amusement, Max was the one who handed me a strawberry smoothie.

Brushing off the sweet smile I sent him, he rolled his eyes. "No one else wanted to grab food from the cafe so I did you a favor." Without warning, I brought him into a hug. "And maybe I'll keep doing you favors, who knew a smoothie could elicit affection." He joked, running a hand down my back.

"You have a heart, that's what earned the hug." I countered, patting his cheek. "Don't worry I won't tell anyone." He stared at me in wonder, a soft upturn to his lips.

Like clockwork, I was in the same spot sitting between Zoya and Julien. Munching away on a burger presented to me by Julien, I took a headcount of everyone on the stairs.

With a curious head tilt, I turned to Jules. "Where are my barbie dolls?" Monet and Luna stayed glued to her side at all times, they even had a day dedicated to them on instagram.

"I solemnly swear they are up to no good." Was the only explanation she offered. If I had learned anything in the past two days, it was to question things a little less.

The sound of a book dropping shook me from my thoughts.

"No Ak! I am not okay with this. How could you expect me to be?" Audrey's flabbergasted voice cut through the air, causing everyone to stare at the couple.

Aki attempted to hold her face, "please just listen to me. I really like hanging out with her, I thought you'd of all people would be happy I'm stepping out of my comfort zone." Audrey pushed his hand away, shaking her head.

I wanted to disappear when her hard gaze landed on me. Aki looked between the two of us, still attempting to soothe her. "And you." I would have pointed to myself if I wasn't holding a burger. "Ever since you showed up everything in my life has gone to hell." Her accusation made me freeze.

Not allowing me to speak, she continued. "I don't know what your master plan is but it won't be taking place with my boyfriend." Audrey scoffed, folding her arms. "I'm sure we would all prefer if you went back to Texas, because you don't belong here." Ouch.

Everyone seemed to be stunned silent, I couldn't blame them it had truly come from nowhere.

"Don't cry." I chanted to myself, knowing she wanted that. "You know, I think I'm done with lunch." My hands trembled as I grabbed my things.

"Audrey you need to apologize right now, what's wrong with you?" Julien came to my defense, looking at me with concern. "Rennie, you don't have to go anywhere."

Zoya reached for my hand, her eyes pleading with me. "You know we all love having you here."

Audrey looked at me defiantly, mouth pursed tightly.

I scoffed at her, no longer wanting to be around the blonde. "I don't know why you enjoy hurting me but I've done nothing to you."

With everything packed away in my backpack, I was ready to leave. Shaking my head, I gently slid my hand out of Zoya's.

Aki and I locked eyes, remorse lingering between us both. "Don't worry about the lessons, Aki. I'll see you in classics." I gave him a weak smile and took off towards the school.

Hot tears rolled down my cheeks, no matter what happened I knew he would side with his girlfriend. It wasn't what Audrey had said but the fact that I knew he wouldn't be the one to defend me.

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Next chapter will be a time skip, probably of a week or two. My poor babies Serenity and Aki, they just wanted to skateboard together :(    -Ess