The Cold, Dirty High School Floor

"Hi."

I looked up to see someone standing right above me. I say someone because I honestly couldn't tell you whether it was a boy or a girl.

"Hi," I responded, my voice guttural, "What's your name?"

I didn't know why he or she was standing above me, or why they wouldn't back off, but I figured names were an okay way to start a conversation.

"Malik," he said, "Well, it's not technically - uh, never mind then."

"Oh," I said, "Okay."

"Yea," he said, "Er, so I guess you want me to back off."

"That would be great," I said, "I'm Christina."

"Hi," he said awkwardly, "So, er, what're you doing on the floor?"

"You mean the dirty cold floor of our high school?" I asked, "Dunno. It felt like the place to be." That was a lie, of course, but you don't exactly tell someone you just met that your parents were divorcing and you just had a panic attack.

"Don't you have a class or something?' he asked uncertainly. I shrugged.

"Nobody really cares if you're absent," I said, "Plus, the class I'm supposed to be in makes me want to drink Pine-Sol until I pass out."

"Oh."

"What about you?"

"Me? I'm home-schooled," he said, "I was just dropping off a form for, er, summer softball."

"Nice," I said, "Are you playing -?" Wow. Quite an intelligent person I am. How ever did I make that connection?

"Yeah," he said, "Me and my sister. She's driving me." I don't know why he just said that.

"Oh," I said, "Well, er, have fun."

"Thanks," he said, walking down the hallway. As he was about halfways down, I realized I couldn't let an opportunity slip so easily.

"Wait!" I called, grabbing my bag, "Malik!"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Um, so this is awkward," I said, "So, I don't actually have a ride home today, my parents are in Brooklyn - " LIE "- do you think, er, you could drive me home? I don't really have any classes today."

"Oh," he said, "Er. Sure, why not?"

"Do you have to ask your sister or anything?" I asked, feeling my heart beat. Was I actually going to get away with playing hooky?

"Ah, no," he said, "My sister's pretty chill."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Yeah, just come on," he said, holding the door open. As I walked through, he grunted.

"You alright?" I asked. He nodded, turning away.

"My car's the blue SUV out there," he said, "I'll be out in a second."

"A'right," I said, walking out the outer doors.

*Malik POV*

I shifted away from Christina as I felt my body slump slowly, relaxing. My heart rate spiked, this wasn't supposed to happen. Angel helped me fix it this morning.

I hunched over as I ran to the bathroom, blinking. I stumbled into a stall and pulled my ACDC shirt off.

I quickly wrapped the stretchy fabric around my torso and breathed in deeply, readjusting myself.

I got out and went to the sink to wash my hands, even though I hadn't used the restroom. Personal hygeine, hello?

As I scrubbed my hands, a boy came into the bathroom. I cleared my throat.

"Hi," I said as low as I could. He glanced at me strangely, but went to a urinal. I turned away as I grabbed some paper towels. I still wasn't used to seeing people use urinals or being in a boy's bathroom. But even though it felt uncomfortable now, I knew it was me.

I walked out to the car, slinging my bag over my shoulder. When I got there, Christina looked sheepish, while Angel stood with her arms crossed.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"You little friend here tried to take the front seat!" Angel said, exasperated, "You know that's reserved for Beck! I'm all for giving kids rides home, but not if they disrespect him!" I sucked in my breath.

"Oh, big mistake," I whispered to Christina, before getting louder, "It's okay, Angel, I'm sure she didn't do anything to Beck."

"Beck?" Christina asked, "That plant actually has a name?"

"Well I'll have you know he is a Venus Flytrap and - "'

"Angel I got this," I told her, pulling Christina away.

"Look, Angel's just really into her plant," I said, and Christina's look turned from confused to accepting in about a second.

"Okay," she said, "I didn't really need an explanation, but that's cool. She's driving after all."

"Well, okay then," I said, "Problem solved."

"Sure," she said, "So do you have a specific place in the back for weird girls that impose on your generosity?"

"Strangely, no," I said, laughing, "Just sit anywhere in the back."

Angel glared as Christina got in, smiling.

"Sorry for sitting on your plant," Christina apologized awkwardly, a few seconds after it had gone dead-quiet. Angel huffed and patted Beck near "his" roots.

"So, Christina," I said, trying to diffuse the tension, "You like Harry Potter?"

"Eh," she said, "I'm more of a Twilight person."

"Oh," I said, my eyes darting away. Twilight. Okay, worst BDSM writing ever, but okay.

"I'm totally kidding!" she said, "Harry Potter all the way."

"Phew," I joked, "I was about to kick you out of the car."

"Twilight isn't so bad," Angel argued from the front, screeching to a halt in front of a stop sign.

Christina looked at me, like she was trying not to crack up laughing. I coughed, quite inconspicuously, I must say. She bit her lips to keep from squealing out laughter.

"Anyways," Christina said, once she had calmed down a bit, "I love Harry Potter, who's your favorite character?"

"Peeves, yours?"

"Mr. Fortescue," she said, "He was so sweet to Harry."

"And the only perfect adult in the series," I said.

"You're on Tumblr?!" she said excitedly. I nodded. "I've found another!"

"He spends more than half the day scrolling through that darn site," Angel muttered. Christina looked at me eagerly.

"You have to give me your username," she said.

"Sure," I said, "Here, I have to look it up, it's been so long since I started."

"You should really make a new one," Angel said, "You started when you were like 12."

"Oof," Christina said sympathetically, "You have to forever live with the cringey Pokemon memes you saved all those years ago."

"Don't remind me," I said, opening the app, "Here, it's... oh."

"What's the matter?" Christina asked.

"Nothing," I said, my voice going higher, "It's just, Angel's right, I'm probably going to change mine soon. I'll give you my handle then, promise."

"Oo-kay," she said, "At least let me call you so we have each other's numbers."

"What for?"

"Well, obviously I have found almost as big a nerd as me, I can't just let you ride into the sunset," she said, "Here." I gave her my phone and she called herself, then handed me back mine.

"Just save it under Christina Th - Stewart," she said, pulling her hair back into a ponytail, "What's your last name?"

"Stacey," I said.

"Malik Stacey," she said while typing, "There. Now we have each other's numbers. Oh, Angel, it's this street."

*Christina POV*

"Angel, it's this street," I said. She huffed, before making a sharp turn and I ended up falling onto Malik's shoulder.

"Ow," he said, rubbing his arm.

"Sorry," I said, "It's just right here."

"Okay," Angel said, and even though she sounded slightly annoyed, I knew she wasn't mad. That was good, I didn't need more angry adults in my life.

"Thanks so much," I said as she stopped. I unbuckled. "Sorry again about almost murdering Beck."

"Text me your Tumblr handle when you get inside," Malik said.

"Oh yeah," I promised, "Why didn't I think of that? I'm such a pessimist."

"Hah," he said, "Anyways, it was nice meeting you."

"You too," I said, "Thanks again."

"No problem," he laughed.

I went inside slowly as they peeled away. I felt calm for the first time in months.

The house was, as per usual, empty. Both parents were working - or, "working." That word should be banned as an excuse for all eternity.

I sat on the couch, shivering. It was kind of cold inside, due to the fact we had an wood-stove heating system that had gone days without a fire. Dad didn't believe in starting the fire up again for the winter until our fingers turned blue in the night when we were stupid enough not to cover them up while we slept.

I texted Malik my Tumblr handle, and then looked him up on Instagram and Twitter (no one uses Facebook anymore).

He didn't have either, apparently. Hmm.

Bored, I texted him.

Hey, I noticed you weren't on Instagram or Twitter. You just like Tumblr or something?

He saw it as soon as it was delivered, but he didn't respond until a few minutes later.

Look under Makayla Stacey.

Oh.

I was stupid not to realize it before. The way I couldn't tell if he was a boy or a girl? And his thing at the door - oh man.

I quickly looked him up under Makayla, and found an Instagram account that hadn't been active for over a year. There weren't a lot of pictures, but there was some of Malik, except he was obviously... Makayla in those pictures.

After 20 minutes of snooping through his Instagram, I texted him back.

Seriously, dude, you have a serious My Hero Acadamia obsession.

He texted back two crying laughing emojis.

Hey, he wrote after a few minutes, Angel's got to shop for her homeschool group's prom dress, and she needs a slightly more.... feminine input. Want to come? We'll be there in five minutes.

Sure, I responded, then I turned off my phone. I grabbed a banana and waited at the front door as I ate it, watching.

After five minutes, they rolled up, but didn't park. I ran outside with a scarf and my bag.

"Get in loser, we're going shopping," Malik said sassily. I laughed, climbing in next to him.

**-------**