GRINERTIA

FOOD COURT WOES

The walk was a calming chucklefest. There was the serenity of walking through the lush and beautiful campus, yes, but there also was the obvious point of us sharing stories and cracking some other silly remarks. It felt nice enough to find someone to truly relate, but I also bottled all the bad stories and horrible horrible lifestyle and mindset I had in general for almost all my life. Life could've been nothing for me, all of this could never have happened for a quick college search. My parents seemed to obviously care enough to take me from the sterotypical 'Crazy State' to a college that seemed so uptight with students and only taught high-level curriculum. Seemed like a type of bluff now that I knew Percy. There was a type of joy I have never felt, a sense of relation and feeling like we knew each other for the longest time made things mash and bend into a positive experience I could cherish forever.

We soon arrived outside a door, which was odd since the windows had a sort of tint to make sure you see nothing inside. Was it for fun discovering potential like some sort of Easter egg hunt or was it really blocked off to public eye? I gave a kind of eye-language glance to Percy. It always worked for me to 'decode' what bullies had to say or gossip. Most was about me yes, but I have broken possible conflict with the interference of the situation then proceeding to take the beating of the other. I felt like a hero back then. Looking back now it just felt like I was a human punching bag because I clearly knew how to stop conflict in this day and age. Being a whole sacrifice, even with the other being snobbier than the others and I don't even get a thank you or clear bond as I took physical beating. Yes, my life always said different is bad. A hellish, rare condition like mine made me a prime target.

There was no more need for thought, my eyes drifting in a digusting manner spooked me into just letting my mind not wander at this point. Percy was looking on a very crumpled and lazily stored paper from his hoodie pocket. I now even questioned how someone preparing to be a doctor could be oh-so very unorganized. Another thing to brush off for him being new to the medical field. He seemed a bit overambitious, but knew basic things from what I've seen. From the cheesy hospital drama shows I have seen, this was used to check for issues with the brain. Surely, I felt my mind was perfectly healthy with all the detrimental takes I have put on my poor ol' mind.

"So, whats going on here-" I questioned now with my arms crossed impatiently. His eyes widened with dumbfounded laughter. I took this as he was saying 'we went the wrong way, oops.' He then squinted his eyes, shaking his head again. "This is the medical training building, God! I'm an idiot, and it didn't help seeing this...mapping." But then Percy shrugged it off, turning the mapping of the campus to a side, like he was trying to perfectly measure the aspects of an art piece back in those days of Van Gogh and Picasso.

"Well, it's the medical building. Any shortcuts, sparky?" I said that with a hint of sarcasm in the nickname, I just got this dumbfounded glance from Percy. Its a mix of shock, surprise, seeing a ghost, and a bit of excitement. Most mixed a bit negatively in my head, he had again found it a bit funny. I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Sorry, sorry." Percy stated with his still cool demeanor blending harmoniously with his usual sense of older-brother energy. This vibe I was getting at, it felt like a whole part of the family I felt I have never met. A breath of fresh air hit as he turned a certain angle and started walking like an odd wind-up toy. It was a goofy mannerism but it showed how carefree Percy was. "I'm assuming it's now clearly this way?" I had to ask questions, Percy just gave me the reply I never expected.

"Reading maps wasn't a thing for me, as a kid at least. Now that I'm about twenty I still have found...fun in this. A map has a goal, a set treasure. Over there, I used this layout a little too seriously. Trusting my gut was too little in getting my goals. Lets just treat this like a scavenger hunt. First person there has to pay for everyone." Percy and his child-like, relaxed, and purely inspirational melody of a personality gave me a bit of child spirit I never experienced. "Y'know what? I'll bet I'll find the food court first and I will double down to pay for this stuff, and the next meal when classes fully start." I bargained a bit too much with all of this. I had a whole possibility of losing because Percy had creativity and wit from what I've seen. He would find a way, any way, to beat me out in some weird sibling-like rivalry.