ᴅᴇᴇᴘᴇʀ

21

You really ain't going
away without a fight
You can't be reasoned with,
I'm done being polite.

__

There were helluva loads of things the universe was yet to give a name to that moment, one was the fear of punching Elo's gut out.

TJ stared at the darker boy, hand balled into a vein popping fist, as he kept his cool, trying not to do the regrettable.

The darker boy in turn, paid no attention to the angry duo glaring fire and brimstone at him. Instead, he typed away, improvising a means of silent communication with the system's keyboard, as the sound filled the room like the pitter patter of a fading rain.

TJ was furious, Jiki was at the brink of hitting the living daylight out of him. That, Elo was fully aware of, but that didn't stop the darker boy from ignoring them.

He was fed up. Totally, of everyone feeling like they knew him more than his own self. They had an idea of what he felt back then, but none of them felt what he felt. The taunting, side talks, he could swear the whole school still made jokes about the fateful day.

Coach Anya, the same man Elo had looked up to. The one man he had expected to protect his pride had sized him up, much to his horror and had bursted out laughing. They'd totally come to a false conclusion without giving him a chance.

Of course, they thought people like him weren't given glances, not more, chances.

If the old man needed him, he'd have to work for it. Grovel even.

He made for his lightpen, aiming to quickly round up his business and flee. Any more minute with the angry duo still waiting for his response was going to be a total disaster.

Too bad, they gave him less than a second. TJ's balled fist made an angry contact with the wooden desk housing his system, causing a rattling noise.

"Guy what?" He cast TJ an angry look.

He was slightly terrified, TJ rarely got pissed off. If anything was certain, the boy craved peace and sane conversations.

Elo watched TJ take calming breaths, the balled fist, loosening, and he too let out a breath.

"Dude... I'm trying to keep my shit together," TJ whispered calmly. "But Nigga I swear, if you ignore me one last time..." He let the words hang in the air, a promise of future, painful collision.

"Me not responding is good enough an answer!" Elo groaned, shutting down his system.

"That's your fucking problem El!" Jiki lashed out, bending to meet the boy face level. He'd been silent all these while, a seething mess.

"You think everyone has to pop into that little mind of yours and figure things out!"

"No! I think y'all should leave me the fuck alone and not bother thinking of a way to pop into this little mind of mine! I don't care if coach wants me DOA, I'm not going!" Elo barked, finally standing up. He began packing his stuffs, in the process, knocking down a stray mouse pad.

"That's what you've always wanted Elo." Jiki calmly stated. "Guy, you spent your month's pocket money on church offering, praying to God that the Man would change his mind."

Elo frowned, plopping down on a chair.

"That was five years ago. Dreams and priorities change dude." His frown deepened. "Can we...can we just drop this please. It has been all we've been on about since morning, honestly it's exhausting." He pleaded, tired of everything, tired of taking several trips down memory lane.