Colorful Capybara

The year was 2017. The newest sixty-four crayola pack had just come out, and Austin was begging for it. He would direct his mom at every turn during Target visits, just to get it. Make his dad lookup available packs at nearby stores. Do chores for his grandparents, just to get enough money for one single pack. But, most times, all the responses he got were:

"Don't you think you're a little old for crayola?"

As well as,

"We could spend money on something a little more useful. Right?"

And, not to forget,

"Your other fifteen year old friends want bikes, and video games, and sports equipment. Why don't you?"

So, instead of the awesome crayon pack, he got a Capybara.

"Is that a rodent?" Austin said when he first saw his future pet. "I don't want a rodent for my 15th birthday."

"It is!" His mom said with a bright-yellow smile. "Your old friend, Gideon, lent it to us."

"Gideon wasn't my friend. You can give it back to him."

The furry creature looked boring. Grey. Odd. It only wanted the food that Austin's mother gave it. And sometimes, it slept. Actually, most times it was sleeping. And whenever it woke, it ate. It was a fat, dumb, furry animal. Any crayola pack would be better than this, he thought. Even the 16 pack.

"Aw, don't say that Austin. Gideon loved hanging out with you! He gave Parker to you for a reason."

That might've been the moment Austin fell in love. "The rodent's name is Parker?" Mom nodded her head a lot. "Like... Peter Parker?" A large grin grew across Austin's face. Because, if there's something Austin loves, it's Spider-man Coloring books. And although the rodent only had that Spider-man part, Austin was going to love him.

***

"Austin. Time to get up for school"

"Already ready, Dad. I am on the stairs." Austin said, adjusting his uniform microscopically.

His father runs over from the living room in his grey sweats and faded Pink-Floyd shirt, looking tired and bleak. "Oh, sorry son. Sometimes I forget that you're not like your sister. Or mother."

Austin's a little confused, remembering how he always grew up being told that he was a 'unique-one'. How could his family be like him? How could Dad forget that? "Oh. Did mother have trouble getting up for school when she was my age."

His father hesitates. "Uh... well, what I said was more of a- nevermind. Let's just get you fed." His father's words still leave him perplexed, but he still follows Dad down the stairs and into the kitchen. Where they find Parker gnawing at cabinets. Like always.

"Oh no, Parker." Dad goes over to pick up Parker and sends him off to a place where he will do no harm. Which is really nowhere at this point. He tore up the bathroom floors, pooped in almost every bedroom, and ripped open the sofa on numerous occasions.

His father turns to him. "Austin, we've gone over this before, but please keep watch over him. Got it?"

"Yep." Austin smirks after saying 'yep'. It's informal, and fun, as it reminds him of Spider-Man's casual blue personality.

"Oh and, do you think you could lose the... um... Spider-man backpack?" His father smiles pink, in a strange way. It looks genuine, but the eyebrows turn in a weird way.

"Why would I do that? It's my favorite backpack. I have no other backpack. I have had this backpack since third grade. Why change?"

His father only sighs. "It's just, you're entering your junior year, and some kids might... tease you. Oh! Remember those kids from middle school?"

...Leonard Gregory, Finn Mark, Hallie Tenor, and Jessie Newsome. Austin could never forget names. Especially their names. "Yes, I do. They called me the R-Word. The word you said only bad seeds use."

Dad nods his head, slowly at first then fast. "Exactly. Exactly, and I know that hurt you Austin. I just-" He sighs again. "People are mean. Especially high schoolers. Think about it, ok bud?"

"...Ok, dad."

High school is loud. Austin has learned that after two years, but this third seems even more ear-drum-bursting. A combination of over-confident jocks and stereotypical mean girls was too much for his brain. The smell is awful too. Like a never ending green scent. Almost every girl seems to be wearing overly pungent perfume, and the guys either steam like Axe Body Spray or pure stink and sweat.

Austin hated it here. He'd trade anything for home. Where his coloring books were. And he could color inside the lines. Control and make sense of the world. Even if that world was on a page. And he, of course, missed Parker and his intruding personality.

"Hey! Spider-man!" Austin hears behind him and, guessing that they're talking about his backpack, he turns around.

It's a girl. A redheaded girl. She doesn't look or smell like any of the others. In fact, with that hair, she looks a lot like Mary Jane. Austin's childhood crush. Due to his engorgement in the spider-man universe, and Mary Jane being a reoccurring girl in it, Austin couldn't help but fall in love.

Good thing that's over now.

"Your shoe's untied." She points down at his red Nikes. "Tripping hazard."

"Oh, I know. Many, like you, have told me." He responds normally, contrary to her strange fiery red energy. Well, it matches the hair, so.

"Oh? Then why haven't you tied them?" She smirks minimally.

"I am not sure how. My mother or father usually do that."

The girl pauses for a second. Or, at least, it looks like she's frozen in time. Only thing slightly moving is her open trembling jaw. Then, her mouth reverts back to a smile. "Well, I can tie them for you." She walks over, squatting down at his feet. Austin's a little scared, but he's more scared of falling so he doesn't step back from the offer.

"I'm an expert in tying shoes." She grins brightly, while starting on the laces.

"Really? How long have you been tying them?" Austin queries.

"About... ten or fifteen years. I dunno. I'm bad at math."

Austin's jaw drops. "That's a long time!"

"Sure is." She finishes both shoes then stands up. "Well, I've been Clara." She holds out her hand.

"Wh-What are you doing?" Austins asks.

"Oh, sorry, handshake." Clara clarifies.

"But I just met you. I don't really know you at all."

"I mean, I tied your shoes. I'd say we're pretty close!"

Austin turns his head like a confused dog. "How could we be close after that?"

"That was just some of the daily sarcasm." Clara smiles again. She does that a lot.

"Oh. Sorry. I'm not good at that."

"You're fine! Buuut we could be genuinely close. What class do you have next?"

"Algebra."

"Same! What's your name?"

"Austin Jun."

"Nice. Favorite color?"

"Red and blue."

"Food?"

"Turkey Sandwich."

And the stream of questions continued until the two got to the actual math class. And even though Clara's goal was to get close to Austin, all she now knows is the surface level trivia of him. Clara's confusing. People are, normally. But people are in a bad way. Clara was in a... new way.

***

"And now because the fraction has been placed to the left, what does X equal?

Austin's hand shoots up, before anyone else. The teacher even sees him. But she doesn't call on him. Instead, a random person gets to speak the wrong answer into existence. And, even though Austin's not usually one to speak out of turn, he screams in a purple passion the right answer.

"No! 7.6!" His outburst got him popular among the eyes in the class. Getting unreadable looks from almost everyone. But, someone laughs. So maybe what he said was funny...

"Uh, yes, Austin." The teacher writes the answer on the board. "But, please keep your voice down, bud."

Bud? Austin thinks. Only dad calls me bud... Something was different about the way his teacher said 'bud', but Austin couldn't put his finger on it.

"Now, all of your favorites, pop quiz!" The class groans when she says that, even though it is their favorite. The teacher then passes out the quizzes.

The work looks easy, so Austin has nothing to groan about.

"Class dismissed!"

Austin packs up his needed school supplies, and heads out the finished math class. Not before he gets stopped by some of his classmates. Tall, scary ones at that.

"Hey, bud." One of them says, with blonde hair. Which is pretty silly that he thinks his name is 'bud'. "Saw you using a blue crayola today. Can I trade you for one of my orange ones? I wanna add to my collection." His offer sends him and his two friends into a fit of laughter. Which is strange, since he just wants some crayons. Pretty understandable.

"Sure!" Austin goes into his backpack to get his crayon. But he then turns around, realizing something. "You do know that the official name of my crayon is Pacific Blue, right?"

"Oh, no. Sorry. I missed my crayola convention last year." The same blonde says, then laughs even harder this time. Which makes Austin realize something else.

"Wait... is this sarcasm?"

"Oh no, no no no. We are being completely authentic with you, bud"

There stretching out words, speaking slowly. The main signs of sarcasm mom and dad told him about.

These are Flash Thompson's.

Austin wants to say something, but someone beats him to the punch.

"His name isn't bud." It's Clara. "It's Austin, idiot."

"Oh, I'm an idiot?"

"Yes, a big one. And you better take your immature self to someone who cares."

"My," The blonde puts a hand on Austin. "bud here seemed to be having a civil conversation with me before you came."

Clara gets red mad. She grabs his wrist, hard. "Don't. Touch him, Mike."

Mike pulls his hand off of Austin quick. "God, ok." Mike leaves, and, like metal to a magnet, his two friends follow.

Clara turns to Austin, losing her angered look and returning to her normal warm orange physiognomy. She sighs, but it seems like a happy sigh. "Sorry about those guys. People can be really difficult sometimes."

Austin's never heard truer words out of anyone's mouth. "Yes. Yes, I agree."

"Thought so." The two start walking to their next period. "Oh, I almost forgot. Since I did this favor for you, and you've been flaunting your skills in algebra for the past weeks." She digs in her pockets, pulling out a neon pink post-it-note. "My number. I need you to tutor me. I don't know if you ever have before, but I think I could learn a lot from you."

Austin slowly takes the note. Reading the numbers over, and over. Realizing that he, somehow, got a girls number. He's silent in black shock.

"Do you think you could? I mean you don't have to today. You can check in with your parents and then tell me if it's a yes or no." It's weird, he can hear Clara speaking but all he can truly focus on is the situation. "It's just, I'm bad at math and with my dream job, I need to get better. I know your a genius and could help me, so-"

"You talk a lot." He interrupts her ramble. 

She giggles in pink. "Yep, many have said that."

"I will talk to my parents about this." Austin heads over to his next class while Clara waves goodbye. But, Austin realizes he wants to say something. "Clara."

Her head turns toward him.

"I hope my parents say yes."

The girl smiles like she never has before. Her face illuminating with a bright red. "Me too."

"YOU GOT HER NUMBER?!?!" Austin jumps at his mother's scream. He had just shown her the post-it-note and she's practically drooling over it. "THIS IS SO EXCITING! I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU AUSTIN!!!" She sings.

"Mom, I know it's surprising but please don't yell."

"Oh-" She covers her mouth. "Sorry, honey." His mother's voice becomes so small.

"Austin this is great! Of course she can come!" His father says much more calmly.

Austin, unwillingly, smiles. "Good. I'll call and-" Austin went to reach out for his phone, but instead it got taken by his mother. He impulsively reaches out for it again, but they pull back.

"Austin.... How about we call Clara?" She says slowly.

"Why? I could."

"Yes, I know, but we just need to tell her a couple things." His father adds.

"Like what?" Austin says a little angrily. Not a full red anger, more like sunset-orange.

"Well, not all juniors have, uh, they don't, hm... they don't have what you do." His mother seems to stammer a lot.

"What do I have?"

"You-" His father sighs. But then he looks to mother and they both nod their heads. He then clears his throat and starts again, "You have a-"

Parker interrupts whatever they were about to say with his signature chirping sound. It's a little loud, but not loud enough to change both of their facial expressions. Which, it did.

"You have a pet rodent!" His mother finishes. "Some might be scared of big rodents. And, capybaras, as you know Austin-"

"Are the biggest rodents." His face lights up with relief. "Oh! That makes sense." He stands from the dining room table. "Carry on then, I'll clean up my room."

While walking away, Austin hears a sigh from both of his parents. Like the same happy yellow sigh Clara gave the other day.

"So, where do we start, Teacher?" Clara asks, sitting in Austin's favorite Spider-man themed bean bag.

"You don't have to call me teacher. And here is my work from the pop quiz the other day." Austin pulls off the sheet of work off his desk and hands it to Clara. "You can just copy that. Figure it out and such."

"Oh, ok." Clara takes the sheet slowly. Looking a little, blue. Like a denim blue. Austin disregards it and heads over to unfinished coloring book collection. Where he was just coloring in a Green Goblin and Spider-Man fight. There are many of those, but Austin likes the repetition. He grabs his 120 pack, and starts choosing the colors he sees fit to match the scene.

He started with the villain:

Pine Green, for the skin. Royal purple, for his hat. Burnt orange for his pumpkins. Back and forth, in an orderly motion.

Then, there was his hero.

Scarlet and Midnight Blue, would be best for the suit. The eyes will just be outlined with jet black, and the inside will be a Bright White. The webs can be a lighter grey...

A tapping sensation on Austin's shoulder interrupted his drawing. It was Clara, with a confused orange look on her face. "Do you think you could explain numbers 1 through 14 to me?" She shows a pursed smile.

"You-You need help with the whole sheet?" Austin was more confused than her.

"Yeah. There's this thing you do with all of them that I don't get. Please?" She grimaces.

"The thing I did was the formula that was taught. I think it's simple." He shrugs.

"I know, but it's just hard for me, personally."

Austin had the feeling that she wouldn't stop begging until he helped her, so he gave in. He grabbed the sheet from her, and held it up. Pointing at his formulas. "Look. The numbers get added here, divided here, flipped here, and then there's the answer!" Austin yells a tiny bit, as he is annoyed.

"But how did the 3 go from a 3 to a 8.2?" Clara points at the paper too.

Austin's infuriated. "It obviously- It just- Can't you-" Then, out of complete impulse, Austin tears the paper into two. Clara jumps back in white shock as Austin stares at the pieces in his hands. He didn't realize this, but his breathing is getting heavy. And it would have continued, he could have had a full attack, if Clara didn't speak.

"...You, um, you like to color right?"

Austin nods his head mutely.

"That's what you were doing earlier. I'm sorry I interrupted you."

It takes him a minute, but Austin says, "It's ok."

"Hey," She sits next to him on his bed. "You only draw in coloring books, right?"

He nods.

"Have you ever tried free handing something?"

"What's a free hand?"

"Here, pass me the paper." Austin does accordingly. And, he assumes she's drawing something, so he gives her the 120 pack as well.

She picks out simple reds and blues, and makes a circle. Then two, carefully sketched lines beside that circle. Two curves come off of that, then another rectangle, and smaller versions of the same shape at the bottom. 4 of them. She makes some markings, adds a familiar symbol, colors in some blue in red very briefly, then holds it up.

"Ta da! Spider-Pig."

It's Austin's Capybara...

But in...

A Spider-Man costume...

It's the most beautiful thing Austin's ever seen.

"Well, I know Parker's not a pig, but Spider-Pig rolls of the tongue better then Spider-Capybara. Just too many syllables. And the-"

Clara gets cut off by Austin's embrace. He's not really a hugger, but after all that Clara has done for him, he couldn't help but say thank you. In a... non verbal way. Since words are only here to confuse us.

Austin can't really tell if Clara is hugging him back or not, but he doesn't matter. All that does matter is that Austin has finally found someone he might actually like. And they may actually like him back.

He can tell that Clara could never judge or hurt him seriously, and he truly appreciates that.

For, of course, Clara has color.