I'm not entirely over the fact that Soren woke me with an exciting offer that was not going to happen ASAP but in a few days time... I was this close to hugging a unicorn which was smelling like rainbows. Sneaky jerk, honestly. 

Seeing as he offered a tour on Tuesday, and meets with his crew on Fridays after classes, I have three whole school days of waiting before I get the chance to familiarize myself with the secret life of Soren Bach. 

Speaking of him, he promised to meet me by my locker, yet he is still missing in action. Normally, I wouldn't mind as much, but the thing is... Normally I wait all by myself, chilling by my locker and minding my own business. Unfortunately, I can't do as I please since-

"Lenny, hi buddy, how's class? You won't believe! This lady's man got himself a hot date. We should totally double date!"

-since Lenny, an annoying classmate of mine, has amazing skill of spotting me even among the crowdest of crowds. I'm aware that crowdest has to yet grace dictionaries with its glorious wordness, but hey! It perfectly describes that no one can escape Lenny and his annoying rambling.

My eye twitches at the nickname that I purely hate. See, Lenny (given name: Lenny) finds it incredible that my name is somehow similar to his; thus, calling me by, well, basically his own name. Have I brought up my issue? Yeah. Has it worked? Nope. Has Lenny even considered my wishes or preferences? Hell no.

If that isn't enough to dislike the guy, then him shipping me with his overly shy cousin — I would argue — is plenty reason to be fed up with him. 

I didn't pay much mind to Lenny's rambling — cut me slack, he does not shut his trap and spits out words like a rapper — yet I know that just like always, he is waiting for a response. Funnily enough, you have to fight for the possibility of response cos even then he. does. not. shut. up.

I notice shinny eyes waiting for a reply. I sigh, and feel a little better because Soren finally shows up.

"Congrats on finding a date, but I'm not up for a double date with you, your date and Elsie. And do not call me by any nickname," I patiently explain setting up a mental bet on how many times he's going to lead conversation to me and Elsie. 

So... Today is Tuesday, I'll eat a cupcake, and Soren stares at me so I'd say three times. 

"Don't be like this, man. There'll be a party next week, and at the end of the year a ball, Elsie'd love a ball date with you!" 

A ball date? We just got ourselves the first score.

"I'm not attending either of them. More-" Am I naive enough to believe Lenny would let me finish a sentence? Yeah, I am-

Gosh. I turn into a salt mine whenever Lenny is involved. Once I heard that in medieval times salt was a luxury. If I had to meet Lenny, then why not in the medieval ages? At least, I would have made some money. The suffering wouldn't have been pointless. Guess, I'm a loser that suffers for nothing. 

"Playing Prince Cool'n'Cold ain't gonna get you a good girl. You've to do something for it, duh."

Ladies and gentlemen, here's the second score since for Lenny a good girl is only Elsie. I swear, if they weren't related, the guy would make her marry him. Poor girl. 

My stomach fills up with dread, I really want this conversation, hell — this whole acquaintance — to cease to exists. I pray to Cthulhu for patience; I'm always on verge of screaming whenever Lenny is near me. 

I feel someone nudging me; I shoot a look to see Soren all smiley and encouraging. Yeah, I can deal with it. Knowing an obnoxious idiot ain't the end of the world, innit?

Honestly, I haven't left yet only because of the bet I made with myself. While spending time with Lenny is killing me not so softly, I get all proud whenever I correctly estimate something about his rambling.

"I'm not playing anything. I just don't care," I smirk feeling upcoming victory, 'cos I'm damn sure he'll bring up Elsie again. If I win, I'm giving myself an extra cupcake!
If I don't, then I need the cupcake anyway, 'cos my ego cannot stand losing a bet to myself. 

Lenny seems to process something. Should I say that I'm not into dating? It's the truth after all. Maybe that will get him off my back?
Though he's an immature high school student obsessed with setting me up with his cousin so probably no, he won't back down. 

"Wow. You're so chill. How do you do that?" Well, he didn't bring up Elsie again, but I can forgive him.

"I got a SQUIP," I answer. I notice how Soren, so quiet up till now, is getting more animated already aware of what I'm about to do.

"Len, please don't," Soren pleads tugging on my shirt in order to get my attention. Nope, my friend. That's not your time to shine.

"You got quick?" Poor Lenny doesn't know that for once he's doing what I want him to do.

"A SQUIP," I answer ready to carry on with the song. And trust me, Lenny, I can. I've watched the show a dozen of times in the last two weeks.

"'Nox!" Soren, who already grew uncomfortable of the upcoming exchange, pulls on my arm and stares at me with begging in his eyes saying for the love of Cthulhu, just stop — as a good friend I have to make his wish come true... This time. 

"Sure, Ren," I smile at my friend. Our exchange gets Lenny even more shocked. He makes a weird face. It seems he feels offended somehow. Can you believe it? The dude is far from being welcomed in my life; yet, he thinks he should get the same, if not a better, treatment as my best friend? 

Rude. 

Anyway, I decide it's time to leave. I don't want Lenny to destroy my musical in real life moment — let's face it, he would destroy it because he's an annoying bratty jerk — that's why I'm turning around to finally leave the irritating idiot behind, when the idiot in question decides to voice the oh so unfair treatment.

"And he can use nicknames? Not like Elsie and I," he exclaims, hurt in his voice. I just laugh, already on my way I call, "Yeah, what a privileged white boy he is, isn't he?" Embarrassed Soren quickly takes after me. I snicker at his madly blushed face. 

"That was uncalled for!" he mutters moodily. "Those jokes are never called for, honestly." Soren with his pale skin and ginger head often behaves like a bull in a china shop unsure of how to behave when it comes to any situation in which he could be called privileged. 

Which is not many seeing as he is a given-up-by adults orphan living in a foster care center that is not doing well in the financial department. Unfortunately, this doesn't stop Soren's anxiety and self-consciousness from growing over the years. Though he's anything but a problematic discriminating jerk, I'm sure that it would be easy to get him to apologize for anything, even his appearance. Sometimes I try some wannabe shock therapy on him so that he gets used to it and learns how to fight people who would love to use his softness. 

"Don't be mad. Well, I own you my winner cupcake," I elbowed him lightly. He just sent me a side look and sighed.

"You made a bet again?" I nod happily. "What was the estimated score?" he asked. 

"Three mentions of Elsie," I reply while trying to recall the flavors of cupcakes in our favorite cafe. There certainly were some special flavors, like banana with raspberries, or dry cupcake with spinach, feta and some seasoning, or...

"And how random was the thought process behind it?" he smiles teasingly. 

"Say what man? It was so not random!" I exclaim. It happened so many times yet he always focuses on the random reasoning part. Hello, I was right. That's the important part. 

"Bullshit. Last time with Elsie, in person let me remind you, your reasoning had to do with the color of her top," this has Soren giggling as if he said the best joke that ever existed. "My intuition is not a joke, babe," I'm too busy feeling  offended to notice that there was some awkwardness and tiny chaos in the noises Soren let out. 

"It was a blue top," Soren clears his throat and fixates his gaze on the corridor ahead of us. 

"Duh. It was soft blue with nostalgic grey undertones. It was obvious the count was set up for ni-" Have I realized there was a trap too late? Certainly. He acts all cute and nice, but damn it, the guy is a sneaky beast. 

"How was it? So not random?" seems the beast feels better now since he's back to teasing me, his posture relaxed, voice light... I guess, my random rambling has a good effect on him. "So?"

"Fine! I wanted a cupcake and you were staring at me, happy?" I grumbled moodily because the break was about to end meaning I still need to a whole class without my cupcakes. I guess Soren felt as helpless about the lack of cupcakes as me seeing he got all quiet and somber as the bell rang.