Just between us

Chapter Three

Toota wished he knew how he ended up in Bright's room doing schoolwork.

One minute he was in the cafeteria trying to down a terrible chicken basil rice.  The next minute Bright had stopped by him to give him details about meeting at his house.

He could feel Bright watch him carefully as he read through the books Bright had checked out for him.

"How come I have never seen you hang out with anyone," Bright asked.

Toota wanted to laugh out loud.  Bright had been waiting for an opportunity to drill him on things he didn't want to talk about.

"Didn't you give me the answer to that yourself?  No one wants to," Toota replied in a bored voice.

He was deliberately trying to make Bright feel bad, hoping Bright would leave him alone.  He didn't care, Bright wasn't a friend.  Toota was not entitled to bond with him.

"I apologized for that!  Can't you let it go?" Bright asked, exasperated.

"Not if you keep bugging me."

"Who shoved a stick up your ass?"

Toota sighed loudly, he had been doing that a lot since he had arrived at Bright's house.

"The whole point of us teaming up was because you promised you wouldn't interfere?"

"I'm not interfering with work!  I'm just trying to get to know my partner better."

Toota rolled his eyes and turned back to his work.  Bright was getting on his nerves.

"What do you normally do after school?  Are you in any clubs?"

"No Bright, I'm not.  Now can I get back to work?  I swear to god I will hit you with this book if you don't shut up."

"You should join the..."

"Shhh...!" hissed Toota, covering his ears.  "Five minutes Bright.  Please shut up for five minutes!  Why don't you nap while I do this huh?" Toota wanted to pull his hair out.  It had been a while since he felt this infuriated.

"Fine... fine... I will shut up," Bright said giving up.

Bright started to snack on the chips they had gotten instead.  In Toota's mind, it hadn't even been thirty seconds before Bright began smiling broadly.

"Knock... knock..."

Toota closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Come in," he replied, smirking.

Bright stared at him, his mouth hanging open.

"I had a good joke prepared!  You didn't have to ruin it, asshole."

"Five minutes Bright, five minutes."

He should have known Bright didn't know how long five minutes was.

"I don't believe any of those rumors by the way," he said in a serious tone.

"You should, for all you know I might have done all those things," Toota replied without raising his head.  He had expected Bright to get to this topic sooner or later.

"Ai Toota, I'm trying here.  Why do you have to be such a jerk?"

"Did I ask you for help Bright?  I have no interest in being your next charity case.  I don't need salvation.  I'm quite happy the way I am."

Apparently Bright didn't understand the idea behind 'leave me alone.'

"Why don't you want me to go to your house?"

"I think we are done for the day Ai Bright, I have to go.  We can work in the library tomorrow."

"We can't talk in the library!"

"That is the point, Bright."

********************

Bright had initially thought that Toota was finally warming up to him.  He couldn't have been further from the truth.  He surprised himself about how adamant he was about getting through to Toota.  He felt there was more to Toota than the facade he puts up.

There were moments he had seen Toota trying to hide his smile when something ridiculous happened in class.  Why was he trying so hard to look indifferent?  What was so wrong about laughing out loud and enjoying life? 

Bright had considered following Toota to see what he was hiding.  But, it was a line he didn't want to cross.  Bright had heard Toota used to go to an elite high school previously.  Toota had to be from a well-off family.  What was the reason for him not wanting anyone in his house?

The answers came to him sooner than he had expected.

Bright was on his way for a late-night snack when he saw a figure that resembled Toota coming out of a restaurant carrying a large garbage bag.  He was wearing a uniform.  Instead of speaking to Toota, Bright watched him from afar.

Bright took out his phone and sent a text to Toota.  It's one of those stupid chain messages he hated.  After dumping the bag away, Toota sat down on the pavement by the road, reaching for his phone.  Bright made a victorious gesture when he saw Toota cover his mouth from the back of his hand laughing.  Now he was sure Toota was not who he seemed.

Bright had questions, a lot of them, but the questions would have to wait.  Toota hardly responded to him.  Bright never took no for an answer.  Now he had a valid reason to pry into Toota's life, as he told himself.  He is looking out for a fellow classmate.

During lunch, he sat across Toota at the cafeteria.

"Ai Toota!  How is the project coming along?" he asked cheerfully.

Toota looked around confused, "Did I say or do anything for you to think this is ok?"

"I don't see a board saying, 'keep out - Toota's property,' I can sit wherever I want."

"I will find another place to sit," Toota said, turning to leave his seat.

"I saw you the other night," Bright said calmly.

Toota had picked up on his tone.  "Where?" Toota asked carefully.

"I know where you work.  I was out to get something to eat.  So, tell me, what's your story?"

"Ai Bright, how many times do I have to say this?  Leave... me... alone..."

Bright could see a vein pulsing on Toota's forehead.  He didn't want to admit that he was feeling intimidated by Toota.  But he wasn't ready to back down either.

"What if others find out too?"

"Well, you know it now.  That means the entire school would find out by the end of the day."

Bright hardly lost his temper.  He never took anything seriously enough to be angry about.  It had hurt him to know that Toota, the new kid in school, would think he had nothing better to do than walk around gossiping.  Bright slammed his cup on the table spilling the water on their food.

"I'm many things Toota, but I'm not a snitch.  All this time I have tried hard to get through to you because I thought people were unfair to judge you without knowing you first.  I can't believe I cared about a person who isn't so different from anyone else.  Who jumped to conclusions without knowing a person first.  You are right, I should have just left you alone.  I can be stupid sometimes, wanting to see everyone happy.  Let me know what I have to present, goodbye."

Bright got up to leave the table, red in the face.  Everyone in the cafeteria was staring at him.  He loved attention, only not in this context.

He had left Toota speechless.  Later that night he got a text from Toota.

[Let me make it up for you. If you are hungry, come to the restaurant I work at.]