Sugarcane Chronicles Volume I: One and Lonely (ryden)

Uke-gene

The new year didn't necessarily mean a new me. I didn't really have a resolution because they never worked out (admit it). If I had one, it would probably be to try and pull Ryan out of this haze he seemed to be in. He didn't listen, repeated everything four times over and got angry at me for really bad reasons. I started to worry (like I always did) and went home and learned a something for him every night so he could look forward to something from me. Remind him I was there (for him or otherwise).

Ryan had gotten a job, too, so that kind of scrunched up our time. He worked in the morning and joined us for lunch and the second half of school (where I had two classes with him but still). We had a new class we were all transferred to for the new semester ('all' meaning Patrick, Spencer, Ryan and me (some of the goons were there, too (ugh))). The class was world history or something and I sat between Ryan (yay) and Gerard (ugh). Mikey was in the class, too, because it was an advanced class and he had skipped a few grades and was going to be graduating with all the seniors (and he was only fifteen (unbelievable)).

The whole Ryan working thing made tutoring sessions with Dallon both easier and harder for the same reason. Time. Sometimes Ryan would have lunch at work, sometimes at school. Easier, harder.

I was having fun learning ukulele. I was for some reason having a lot of trouble learning it, but Dallon was a really good teacher. He was really cheery (and kinda loud) for a while, but one day, his entire mood changed. I noticed it as soon as I walked into the classroom; the whole energy was different.

He was staring at the cup of pencils on his desk either sadly or angrily. I couldn't tell.

I dragged a chair over to his desk loudly.

He blinked at the cup.

I dropped (practically threw) my bag on the chair in front of the desk to get his attention.

He didn't look up.

I got my ukulele out of my bag and played the song we had been working on as loud as I could.

He sighed at the pencils.

I put my ukulele back and picked my bag up, pulling only one strap onto my shoulder. "I guess you're busy," I mumbled, walking away. "I'll come back another time."

"Wait," Dallon said as I was about to walk out.

I stopped and turned to him. "Yes?" I asked.

He looked at me slowly and gave me a weak (and obviously fake) smile. "Come sit down," he said, gesturing to the chair. "I'm just having a bit of an off day."

I sat down warily and got my ukulele out. "An off day?" I asked. "How so? What can I do for you?"

"Nothing," he said, sounding tired. "You being here makes everything better already." He smiled at me again and it was a bit closer to being real.

"Ok," I said. "Oh! I think I finally got a name for my ukulele."

His expression didn't change. "Really? What is it?"

"Well, you know how some people say 'uke' as a short nickname for a ukulele?"

He nodded.

"And you know the name 'Eugene'?"

He nodded warily. "Yeah?"

"Well, what about combining them to name my ukulele... Wait for it... Uke-gene?"

He was silent for a while, looking at me like he was trying to figure out whether I was being serious or not. "No," he said eventually.

"What?" I asked. "You can't do that! You told me I had to name him myself."