UD   Maple, right?

UD   I need to talk to you.

His head tilts the slightest bit, yet his pace remains the same. You're forced to quicken yours to keep up with him.

UD   It won't take long.

UD   So if you could... uu... slow down, just for a second...

UD   I wouldn't be going out of my way if it wasn't -

As soon as your voice finds confidence, he halts entirely. You're not quick enough to stop yourself from colliding with his back. It's like bumping into a brick fireplace.

UD   Uuuff!

You're able to steady yourself on your feet. It wouldn't do to fall flat on your ass in such a public place, especially with how much effort you've put into approaching him in the first place. You pat your hair down and look up, seeing him staring right at you.

MP   Watch where you're going.

A heat rises in your face.

UD   You did that on purpose.

His resting expression is already a scowl, though it manages to further intensify before your eyes.

MP   Ever heard of personal space?

MP   It wouldn't have happened if yours hadn't leaked onto mine.

MP   So, I reiterate - watch where you're going.

Then, he has the audacity to turn around and continue walking. But you haven't come this far just to get scared off by some hot-headed bully. You use those swimmer's legs of yours to sprint around right in front of him, so abruptly that he almost runs into you, this time. You're close enough to see his eyes widen as he skids to a halt.

UD   Don't walk away from me.

UD   I said I needed to talk to you.

MP   Tch.

He makes movements to walk around you, but you side-step him each time. As suddenly as he managed to catch you by surprise, he's oddly slow on his feet now that you're in front of him. Maybe he didn't get enough sleep. You're all too often surrounded by students who can't manage a schedule like you can.

MP   What is this? An interrogation?

MP   Move. I need to get to class.

UD   No, you don't.

MP   What the fuck? You think you can talk to me like that?

UD   You don't, because this is your lunch period.

UD   And you're headed outside. Not to any of the classrooms.

You speak with upmost confidence. Because the boy in front of you, with grades that manage to rival yours despite his clear lack of interest in making good impressions on the student body, would surely respect someone who speaks logically.

MP   That doesn't mean you're entitled to my time.

He pushes past you regardless, making his way through the double doors while you stand there aghast. You're forced to play catch-up once more, though it's more dignified chasing him on the sidewalk rather than through bustling hallways.

UD   Hey! Hey!!

UD   This isn't even about me, you know!

UD   This is about Michael!

There's an almost inperceptible halt to his steps, just before he continues as if he didn't hear you. Soon, you're side-by-side, and you cross your fingers that wherever he's going isn't too far from school grounds.

UD   That's right. I know what you're doing.

UD   And I bet you're planning something worse.

MP   Oh, for the love of...

He mutters something under his breath and digs his hand underneath the front of his cap, below that long, coal-colored hair. If you lacked any kind of self-preservation, you'd grab that raggedy thing and chuck it into the nearest body of water. Not only does he not wear it well, he wears it every dang day. You even saw him in it during freshman dance. Who wears a baseball cap to a dance?!

MP   Tch. Keep your own lid on before you start worrying about mine.

Did you say that last part out loud? Fiddlesticks. Concentrate on the matter at hand, Undine.

UD   Can you just stop for a moment?

UD   That way you don't have to drag me along to... wherever you're going.

MP   That's your own fault.

MP   You're free to walk away whenever you like.

MP   I'm not the one holding anyone up here.

UD   Gods. You're not going to cooperate at all, are you?

MP   I haven't seen a reason to.

UD   Uu...

UD   Fine. I'll just say it, then.

UD   I think you're a bad influence on him.

At this point, you're searching in this face rather than expecting his pace to change. His frown morphs into a grimace, as if he tasted something sour.

MP   Really.

MP   That's what this is about.

MP   What are you, his keeper?

UD   I'm his friend. I know him, and I know you.

MP   You don't know shit about me.

UD   I know that you being anywhere near him only leads to trouble.

UD   So just... leave him alone!

MP   You're denser than goddamn syrup, you know that?

As he finally meets your eyes, you swear you see his glowing red.

MP   He's the one coming to me.

MP   I don't bother with people. He does. Put two and two together.

MP   Or is that so difficult to grasp?

MP   Someone like him, giving a shit about someone like me?

You're left speechless. But just for a second.

UD   That's... not what it looked like.

MP   Right. Always skimming the surface level.

MP   Too busy trying to save someone who's barely drowning in the first place.

UD   I wasn't trying to save him!

UD   He just doesn't know better sometimes, and I thought I...

MP   You thought you'd do the right thing.

MP   Great. Where has that gotten you so far?

MP   Since, y'know, for all the meddling and unwarranted stuff you do,

MP   Most of our classmates know you as a judgmental, stuck-up, prissy -

UD   Shut up!

MP   What? Can't handle being on the other end for once?

MP   Add 'hypocritical' to the list, too.

You come to a complete stop, your bangs hanging over your face. You hear his footsteps slow, and you dare him to approach you, to keep prodding at your sorest spots until you do deeply regretable.

UD   I didn't think you hated me so badly.

MP   ...

You squeeze your eyes shut.

UD   Fine. You win.

UD   I'm sorry for making assumptions.

UD   I'll leave you alone.

You turn around to head back in the direction you came. Except... you're on a street you don't recognize. But you start walking, anyway. Because you're already drowning in enough humiliation as is.

MP   You don't know where you're going, do you?

You can hear him trotting along a few yards behind you. Of course he'll engage with you now, once he's gotten the social upper hand. You'd laugh if you weren't still fuming.

MP   Too focused on sussing me out to pay attention to your surroundings.

MP   Not a mistake I'd expect a Belafonte to make.

If you purse your lips hard enough, maybe you'll swallow all the words you want to say.

MP   Or so he says.

MP   Since he talks my damn ear off about it.

Boiling rage simmers to a dull bubble as you glance back at him. He's looking off somewhere, wearing a fittingly distant expression.

UD   What?

MP   The idiot talks about you. Surprise.

MP   And I'm sure the two of you have chatted it up plenty about me in turn.

MP   But, gods, does he go on like a motor.

MP   I don't know how you handle it.

UD   ...

You face back forward and continue on down the sidewalk. You wait for the temperature and pressure in your body to regulate itself back to normal. And you wonder why he would walk out this far just to head back with nothing to show for it.