And there Harley was. Still in colour. Still seemingly in a world that was not this one.
"Do you live down my street?"
His eyes glanced up, trying so hard to meet my gaze behind the sunnies, but getting lost. Then he shook his head.
"Around the corner?"
"My stop was ages ago."
"Then why—"
"Because!" He threw his hands in the air as the emotion returned to his face. "You hit me with the colour-blind comment and then I remembered that stupid joke I said to you earlier about having a sibling called Blue and I realised just how much of a jerk I must have been and—"
"Harley," I said, taking a step closer to him.
"What?" he asked, brows turning down, face clouded with exasperation.
"It's okay."
"It's not—"
"You didn't know." I shrugged and turned my attention to the ground. "You can't beat yourself up about a poorly placed joke without knowing if the context would affect me. To be fair, the joke would probably hit with most people."
He let out a groan and turned away from me towards the road. "Still... It was terrible."
"Sure. It was. But you didn't know."
His lips pursed, almost as though he wanted me to be mad at him... "I'm sorry," he then sighed.
"It's fine. I forgive you."
We awkwardly stood there on the side of the road, the sun above blazing down and starting to prickle at my skin.
"So... how many streets away do you actually live?"
"Er... like... the other side of the suburb."
Shaking my head, I pivoted on the ground and began walking towards my house—Harley quick on my heels. "You've got a fun walk ahead of you then."
"Indeed, I do... but the fresh air will do me good."
"If you say so."
"I do."
"How come you're always late to class? In the two days you've come, that is," I asked, trying to make casual chit chat.
"Hmm, you seem to be paying attention to my presence at school..."
Kind of easy when you're the only one in colour... "Well, you've only been in two English classes with me. I guess there could have been other days."
"There could have been."
He was avoiding my question. "How come you weren't on my bus this morning?"
"You're definitely keeping an eye out for me."
I came to a frustrated stop. "Must you turn every question I ask you into something that makes it sound like I'm into you?"
His face faltered, a myriad of emotions swirling over his face—that familiar humour that wanted to taunt me again, apologetic notes, and a touch of sadness. "I didn't come to school until late today."
I pressed my lips together at his non-answer. "Why?" I tried once more.
"I wasn't going to go, again, but my foster parents dropped me off and told me they don't want a call that I'm wagging again."
I gave him a short nod, a small part of me content that I actually got an honest response. But I still had questions. Nonetheless, we started walking again. "So why don't you go to school?"
"Because it's boring?"
"You don't seem bored right now."
"We're not at school."
"Ah, but you met me at school." The corners of my lips were threatening to tug upwards as I turned his taunts on him this time.
"I... suppose this is true." He shoved his hands into his pockets, gaze on the ground. But something was still off in his expression. And I didn't like it.
"Why do you even go to school if you hate it so much?"
"Earning or learning is the government's rule. And considering I don't have a job..."
"I see... But why are you in General subjects?"
"Keeping my prospects open? Who knows what the future holds... maybe, eventually, I will decide I want to go to university. Or... maybe I will find a job and drop out. We will see."
I nodded as we continued to walk. A small part of me wanted to just keep going past my house so that this moment didn't have to end... but eventually we'd run out of street and he'd realise what I had done. The last thing I wanted was for him to tease me again.
"What do you want to do when you finish school, Indigo-go?"
"Oh, another new nickname, hey?"
"I'm going to keep them coming."
I struggled to stifle the giggle that stupidly made its way out of me. "I like books... So I was thinking maybe publishing? I don't know... it would be hard. But there's also music... I quite like piano. Though I don't know what job prospects come out of that." I gave him a shrug. "Anything I consider has to accommodate to my abilities, you know?"
"Yeah... that must be tough. Here I am complaining about—"
"Don't do that." I came to a stop.
Harley took a few steps before he realised I had halted, slowly coming back to me.
He opened his mouth to talk, but I quickly said, "Don't downplay your struggles like this is a competition. Maybe I struggle with my vision, but I have a stable home and loving parents. All people have difficulties, and they affect us in different ways. You don't need to pretend like what you're going through is easy just because I have a disability that makes my life a little complicated to navigate."
He pressed his lips together, eyes starting to form a glisten as he looked anywhere and everywhere but me. "I guess." Next I knew he turned away from me, glancing at the houses around us instead in an active attempt to distract himself. "Which is you, Di-di?"
"Most people call me Indi, you know?"
"I want to call you all the names, though." That familiar grin stole his face, but this time it seemed more genuine than the previously forced ones.
I pointed at the house on the other side of the road. "That's me."
He nodded slowly, eyes glancing over my house. "Renting?"
"Owned."
"Lucky..."
"I suppose."
"Degrees of luck everywhere, isn't there?" he asked, giving me another type of smile—one now clouded with sadness.
"Indeed."
"Well..." He took a few steps backwards, away from me and further down the street. "I suppose I better keep walking if I want to make it home before sundown."
I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see it. "It will totally not take you three hours to get home."
He shot me another one of his faker grins. "It will if I take the longest route I possibly can."
"And why would you do that?"
He shrugged. "To enjoy the summer breeze?"
My eyes narrowed at him as I felt the beads of sweat trickling down my back in the absence of the wind. "Well... walk safely?"
He scoffed. "Sure, Indi." But then he turned on his heel and began to walk away.
"About time you got it right," I called after him.
He responded with a three finger wave.
I crossed the road as he sauntered to the end of my street. But, once I got to the other side, I stopped at the end of my driveway, watching him go the rest of the way. I was sure I'd be safe staring after him, studying the small touch of colour exit my sight.
But as he started to round the corner, his head turned, glancing back my way.
Steps faltering, he watched me from the distance.
My cheeks heated up again for the millionth time today to be caught watching him. But, the reality was, he had glanced back at me as well.
He raised his hand, giving me one more wave that I returned. Then he continued walking into the afternoon.
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