𝕊𝕆𝕃𝕀𝕍𝔸𝔾𝔸ℕ𝕋║[ᴅ. ᴡᴀʏɴᴇ]

ᴏɴɪꜱᴍ

Vin laughed through another mouthful of baked ziti as he flicked through his phone, pulled up his keyboard, and sent a replying text to Damian. He knew his grandmama and father would never allow him to have his phone at the dinner table, but they had quickly changed their mind upon finding out it was a classmate—a tentative and possible friend.

Pal: I cannot fathom these idiotic primates. Drake had the genius idea to incorporate an artificially flavored orange Monster Energy beverage into his morning caffeinated drink. His reasoning was: 'It technically counts as orange juice, right?'. Honestly.

Me: Huh, kind of expected you to type out tch. Your brother seems to ascend levels of strange even I struggle to reach. That why he wasn't in school today?

Pal: Yes. The imbecile had to go to the hospital and made me late since Pennyworth had to drive him, Father had a meeting, and Grayson had work. Todd has a motorcycle, but Pennyworth refused.

Me: What bout what's-his-face? Thomas?

Pal: He had an exam to study for, and I do not trust Brown more than I can throw her out of a window.

Me: Don't think that expression includes the window part, pal.

Pal: It does not.

Vin snorted quietly and missed the looks his family exchanged with each other at his unusual behavior.

Me: Look at you, an entrepreneur!

Pal: Tch. If you must.

Me: Ah, there's the tch. I am 😼honored😼.

Pal: Why are there cats? What are they?

Me: They're emojis, and I'm a master at 'em. Pull up your keyboard. Near the bottom left, there's a smiling face icon. If you know what smiling is, anyway. Click it and go on through a cornucopia of choices.

Pal: I do not believe you. Your phone appeared untouched when I held it. You do not use it often, evidenced by the lack of scratches on the case and screen. I estimate you discovered these 'emojis' recently. Perhaps a week at most.

Me: Dannazione, pulling out those detective skills? Okay, I only found out about them two to three days ago, when you gave me your number. I don't use my phone that much, didn't have a reason to.

Pal: Since you have no acquaintances or recreations outside of school, I would imagine so.

Me: Like you're one to talk, Mr. Existent-Near-Me-and-You-Perish.

Damian tch'd at the message that popped up on his phone and was quick to send a reply, ignoring his dimwitted, mostly adopted family sending him incredulous looks from around the dining room. He could feel the anxious energy coming from the resident energizers, Grayson and Brown. They were eager to finish dinner since it was game night at the manor. He had no wish to participate, but they would accost him in his room until he joined them. He could feel their stares and deliberately disregarded them in favor of the more appealing pictures of baby polar bears Bertinelli was supplying him with.