Chapter 003: Colors (2)

Black's POV

"I'm White Reinheit." The boy introduced himself as he put his hand out for a handshake. "What about you?"

This is the third time this has happened. This guy is the third person I've seen today that just suddenly gained colors. It doesn't make sense at all. 

"Um, hello?" The boy started waving his hand in front of my face. 

Unconsciously, I slapped his hand away. He looked at me with a surprised expression on his face, then looked down.

"Sorry." He apologized, looking like the world is about to end. "I just thought you might've wanted to have friends since you just transferred here."

"M-My bad. I don't really like when people invade my personal space." I looked away. "I appreciate the thought, but I'd rather be left alone. Sorry."

"Ah, but your name? It's hard to work like this when I don't know what to call you."

"...Black. Black Vera."

We did that dumb activity, and finally, White left me alone. That guy looked like he had a lot of friends, so I don't see what he would gain from befriending me. Seriously, people don't need that many friends. 

As soon as class finished, I fixed my stuff and got ready to leave, but I was stopped by one of my classmates. "Someone's looking for you." He said as he pointed at the door. It was that girl, Lilac. She waved her hand at me as soon as I looked at her. 

I grabbed my bag and walked towards her. "What?" I asked.

"Jeez, can't you be glad that I even went here?" She replied as she pouted. "You didn't even tell me your class, so I had a hard time looking for you."

"And why were you looking for me, miss?"

"I told you my name, didn't I?"

"You're a huge pain, miss Lilac."

"That's not a nice thing to say, Black."

"So? Are you gonna tell me why you're here."

She smiled and showed me a poster to a newly opened cafe. "I still owe you for returning my wallet, so how about I treat you here?"

"I told you earlier that I didn't need anything from you."

"I'm not doing this for you, okay? I don't like it when I'm in somebody's debt."

This girl is so persistent. I doubt she'll leave me alone if I keep rejecting her, so there's only one way out. 

He who fights and runs away, may live to fight another day. 

So you better bet I ran my ass out of there as quickly as I could. I didn't even stop to check if she was chasing me. 

I finally reached the school's entrance, and that was the only time I turned around. She was nowhere to be found. I guess even she wouldn't got that far-

-is what I wanted to say, but when I arrived at school the next morning, she was waiting outside of my classroom. 

I'm not even gonna attempt to deal with this.

I immediately turned the other direction and just went wherever my feet would take me. I'm already cutting classes, and it's only the second day. This can't get any worse. 

I stopped to see where I was, and it definitely just got worse. Right above me was a sign that said 'Light Music Club'. 

I planned not to involve myself anymore with those three people, and yet somehow, just today, I already encountered one of them. What's worse is that I might even encounter another one of them, and it really had to be that scary guy. 

I sighed and turned around, but to my dismay, there he was. The scary guy stopped dead in his tracks as he stared at me. 

"Didn't I tell you not to come here?" He asked. 

"I kinda just ended up here." I replied. 

He scratched his head aggressively as he groaned in frustration. "Damn it!" He exclaimed, then he glared at me. "What're you even doing here? Don't you have a class to get to?"

"Oh, yeah, of course."

"Are you playing hooky?"

"...Kinda?"

He smirked and kicked the doors to the light music club room open. "Get in." He instructed me. 

I'm geting inside only because he told me to. As much as I want to run away from here just like with that Lilac girl yesterday, I feel like this guy will actually chase me. Fear is such a strong driving force.

The guy sat down on his seat from before and put his guitar pick in his mouth as he tied his bangs up. He looked at me and gestured for me to sit down too. 

"Um, you said before this isn't a club anymore, right?" I asked. "So why are you here?"

"Same as you. I'm cutting classes." He started strumming his guitar. "You a new student?"

"Yeah."

"That explains why you were wandering around here yesterday. Word of advice; don't come here if you don't want any weird rumours spreading about you. It'll be bad if someone sees you coming from here. A new student like you wouldn't want the others avoiding you, right?"

This guy acted so scary yesterday, but now he's just giving me advice. His personality is all over the place. Wait-

"They'll avoid me if I keep coming here?" I asked. 

"That's what I said, didn't I? So stop coming here."

"Then it's decided, I'm gonna join the light music club."

The guy stopped strumming and dropped his guitar pick as he stared at me with a look of disbelief. "Didn't you hear what I said??" He asked with a frustrated tone in his voice. "I just told you people will avoid you if you keep coming here!"

"And I don't exactly see what the problem is with that." I replied. "I just want to spend my school days in peace. If going to this place means I don't have to deal with anybody, then that's nothing but good news to me."

"You-!" He cut himself off, then sighed. "Turn in your club application form later."

"Great! This is such a relief."

"Name."

"What?"

"I said tell me your name."

"Oh, I'm Black Vera."

"Call me Crimson. We"re in the same grade, so stop being so stiff around me."

"Ah, r-right."

We spent until lunchtime just minding our own business. Crimson had a notebook out, and every few minutes after strumming, he'd write something down. Occasionally, I'd also hear him hum a short tune, but each tune only lasted for a few seconds. 

The sight of Crimson playing his guitar made me want to sketch him. I don't know what it was, but there was something that was drawing me to him. I don't know if it's the colors around him, or the fact that his music somehow sounded lonely.

Crimson stretched his arms as the bell for lunch rang. "You want anything from the cafeteria?" He asked. 

"Can I come with?" I replied as I stood up. "I don't know my way around the school yet."

"What? Then what'd you do yesterday?"

"I was checking out the clubs, so I didn't have time to eat."

He sighed and placed his guitar back in its case. "Then let's go, but don't say I didn't warn you earlier. If weird rumours spread about you, don't blame me."

"I already told you I'm fine with it."

"Suit yourself then."