Trust Falls

Hate And Humiliation Begin With the Same Letter

NOTE: This might be a bit...queasy if you hate insects. You have been warned. 

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I walked down the steps from the bus onto the sidewalk, shielding my eyes from the sun's glare. Yousuf had stayed home sick and I made plans to check up on him later. To give him his missed work, of course.

...Or I could do it now.

I spotted him standing in his driveway, back turned to me. Slowly, I set down my backpack and jacket at the front of my yard and jogged over to him, slowing down a few feet away.

He straightened and ran a hand through his hair, coughing.

Slowly....

He took a step forward and I froze. Crap, I'd need to do it more quickly if I meant to do this right.

One...two...three!

I screamed and grabbed his shoulders from behind, hearing a shout before he tumbled forwards onto the grass. I lost my footing and stumbled, catching myself on the fence before I fell.

"Heh. I caught mys--"

My foot landed on a rock and I yelped, jumping around and falling backwards instead. My elbows landed on the concrete and I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling the burn on my butt. Crap Karma. I hate the world.

"Tried to scare me, did you?"

I frowned and clasped my right elbow in my hand. Yousuf had propped himself up in the grass, leaning back to grin at me. "Karma's a b--"

He erupted in a fit of coughing before trying again. His voice sounded hoarse and gravelly and he frowned.

I smiled, just to irritate him. "Oh? Karma's a what now?"

He tried to talk again, growing more agitated as he stood up and rubbed the back of his neck.

"You lost your voice? What? I can't hear you."

He squinted against the sunlight, mouthing the mouths instead. You're cruel.

I threw my head back and cackled. "Haha! Of course I am."

His eye widened and he pointed to my elbow. I studied his face, not sure if this was some lame attempt at an "I made you look." He walked over and squatted down in front of me, studying my elbow.

Fine. I'd look.

I peeled away my fingers and they came off red. Eh? I touched the wound and winced. Burning.

"Oh would you look at that. I busted my elbow."

He frowned and pulled my hand towards him. I hissed and pulled back, looking up to meet his eyes. He jerked his head towards his house. I frowned. "Naw. It's just a cut. I'll handle it in my own house."

He rolled his eyes and grabbed my other hand, trying to pull me up. I resisted, digging my heels into the concrete driveway. He raised an eyebrow, unimpressed before sighing and bending down to hook an arm under my knees.

"What! No!" I kicked and rolled over, dragging my already injured elbow through the concrete once more. I tensed up, biting my lip to keep down the whimper as the tears collected on the corners of my eyes. What's a little pain...

Yousuf clicked his tongue and coughed. I sighed. He isn't giving up, is he?

"Fine, I'll come in." I picked myself up and dusted off what I could with my uninjured arm before turning and following him through the door.