a boy. but not any boy.
he's mean, ruthless, uncouth.
an alternate universe.
he's nice, polite, positive.
there must be many universes in one, because he manages to be both people.
the first universe is as it states: first. foremost. what you'd see if you took a glance and a listen. concurrently, all smiles. to him, it's always funny. insulting? usually.
happiness and smiles don't always go together. you should see the boy when he's happy, not just smiling. you should see him when he's nice.
on the tennis court, one would typically be a monster, ready to attack the opposition. partners should be ready to work together as if they've known each other for years. when was the last time this boy agreed with anyone?
it was time for a game. a partner game. he may or may not have been my partner.
don't get me wrong; he's one of my favorite people. i just assumed he would point out my every flaw and laugh at my mistakes. i already do that for myself when playing; i didn't need two of me.
before we walked onto the court, i mentioned that i hadn't been playing well that day. he argued that i had, and i let it be.
unsuspecting words immediately came out of his mouth. "we got this." who? you and your tennis racket? i responded out of negative habits, "you got this." he made me look him in the eye and repeated the same three words. "we got this."
high fives, reassuring head nods, and "good job" became the norm. no sarcasm, no gimmicks. at the end, when we won, he said, "see, i told you you were playing well."
it's all oddly unusual.
until you consider the facts.
i was nice first. i ended the streak of satire.
his genuine smile is my favorite thing, and you can guarantee i'll do anything if it means i can see it every day.
an: my b i didnt mean to take like 8 years to republish everything but here we are and its mediocre. also i got less articulate and cool throughout the story so thats great
