"It's this one of you at a game." Kaitlyn continued, setting the ball at her feet as she rooted around her pocket for her phone. "Said a yearbook student took it and gave it to her, but she's lying. At least, I'm pretty sure." She pulled out an old phone, pulling up the photo she'd taken of the picture tapped just inside Khione's locker. It was a picture of Raymond smiling after a game, a basketball still in hand and his eyes on the leaderboard. A rare smile, one she'd gotten lucky capturing.
"That's the state championship," he mumbled, gently taking the phone from the girl and studying the picture more closely. "She told me she had went to the bathroom and that's why I couldn't find her afterwords…."
Raymond was beyond confused. Other people's emotions were hard to understand, but his own were almost indecipherable. Obviously he cared about Khione as well, but….did he even know what it was like to ahve a crush on someone? His whole life revolved around the sport that made him feel like he belonged and he loved it because of that. Why was he thinking of that? Well…Khione made him feel like he belonged. That means….
"Let's just…get back to shooting around," he said, handing her the phone back. "This is a lot to think about."
((You'll find a theme of him tracing the way he's feeling back to basketball, btw))
Kaitlyn took her phone back and tucked it away, making a face at him. "Oh, come on. 'Back to basketball'. Like you didn't just find out your best friend had a huge fucking crush on you for literally the entire time she knew you." She said, shaking her head at him as she picked the basketball up, dribbling.
"I can't…process things like that well," he explained, backing up beneath the hoop again. "Basketball helps distract me from things like that. Besides, we just started talking again today. It's not like I can go in there and propose to her."
(Khione should walk out when he says that and immediately know what Kaitlyn told him)
Khione really had chosen a horrible time to walk out. Catching the tail end of Raymond's words, her steps faltered, bringing her to a stop as her eyes widened. Leaving him with Kaitlyn was the worst idea she'd ever had, since bringing her fists to a knife fight. Meeting Kaitlyn's eyes just as the other girl looked over, she shook her head, a clear 'please tell me you didn't'.
Kaitlyn rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, opening her mouth to say something, and deflating as Khione cut her off. "You're right. It ain't necessary, and wouldn' make any sense."
Raymond, probably feeling even more guilty that Kaitlyn did, looked down at his feet and pulled a face. It felt like the silence that had laid itself over the court would last for eternity until he found something he felt would be appropriate.
"You coulda just asked for a picture," he mumbled, looking up from his feet to make brief eye contact with his old friend.
Khione let out a breath that was obviously a disappointed sigh, pressing a hand to her face. After a moment, she looked back up at him. "I wanted a real smile." She said, tucking her hands into her pockets. "Not that fake shit you did for the yearbook journalists."
"They wouldn't take it unless I did," he mumbled, kicking a pebble resting near his foot. "If I could, I wouldn't have even taken those stupid pictures."
Raymond wanted to go home before things got any worse, but lost the effort to speak right before he opened his mouth.
"Those were some of the most annoyin' kids I ever met, for sure." She said, looking up at the star dotted sky instead of at him or Kaitlyn.
"I grabbed all my shit and payed. You should get home and t' bed, for sure." Khione finally said, looking back down at him and shooting Kaitlyn a look that said she'd deal with her later.
"Are you still going with me?" he asked, frowning at her tone.
God, this is so awkward, Raymond thought. I've never felt like this around Khione before.
"Ya still want me there?" She arched a pale eyebrow, almost in confusion at that. She figured, after finding out about…everything, that he wouldn't really feel comfortable with her staying at his place.
"Yeah," he said, nodding slightly. His face stayed as stoic as stone as he continued, "The new news is a bit weird and we might need to have a talk, but it doesn't change the fact that I want you there."
"Oh, yay. Talking." She shook her head slightly, but nodded, jerking her thumb back towards the store. "Why don't you go see what Mr. Yamoto left you. I need to chat with Kaitlyn about keepin' outta trouble while I'm gone."
Raymond nodded, slipping past her as he walked inside the store again. He paused underneath the doorframe, letting out a long sigh to release the pent-up tension in his chest. His mood about the conversation him and Khione were going to have was the same as her's, but he felt like it was something he needed.
Snapping out of his thoughts, he walked over to the register and studied the area around it before his eyes landing on the gift left for him.
(I have no clue what the gift is ;-;)
((SKITTLES BITCH))
"One, what the absolute fuck were you thinkin'?" Khione asked, as soon as Raymond was gone. She cut Kaitlyn off before the girl could speak again. "And two, the photo? Really? When did you even take a picture of it?"
"That time you went to kick Jose's ass when he stole your clothes while you were showering. But that's-you've been so grumpy and cold." Kaitlyn waved her arms around as she talked, definitely sounding apologetic. "But you seem happy when you talk about him! And Rico and Silas said you were always super happy around him! I just wanted to help!"
Raymond smiled slightly when he picked up the share-sized packet of original Skittles. Call him crazy, but nothing could beat the original flavor. He was touched that Mr. Yomoto remembered this after so long.
"Hey, Mr. Yomoto?" he called in the general direction he had seen the man run off after the young Reaper.
"Yes?" The old man's voice reached Raymond before he did, rounding the corner with his familiar old cane in hand. He hadn't caught the boy before he'd returned the can to the right spot, meaning the boy had passed that initiation rite. "What is it, boy?"
"You-I was perfectly fine with him never knowing. Dammit, we just started talking again." "He said the same thing." "Then you should know how stupid it was, Kaitlyn."
"Thank you," he said, gesturing to the Skittles with his other hand. That smile on his face hadn't left when the man came into view. "How did you even remember? It's been so long since I was back here."
"I remember all." He said sagely, nodding with all the surety of a man who really did remember all. "I remember you being here when Khione first oversaw stealing game. I remember you tripping on crack in lot and needing band-aid. Remember all. Skittles easy thing."
"Did Khione ever talk about me after I left? Like, different than just small talk?" he asked, opening the Skittles bag and pouring a small amount of the candies into his palm. If Mr. Yomoto says she did, I'll believe it.
"Khione? All the time. She talked like the stars were not quite as important as you. Never show much emotion, strange girl, but you learn when she happy." Mr Yamoto said, moving behind the register to look for something. "You make her happy. She missed you, too."
"What do you suggest I do, then?" Raymond asked, putting a couple of Skittles into his mouth and chewing on them thoughtfully. "She'll be living with me now. How will that work?"
"In my day, you live with woman you marry." Mr Yamoto said, pointing his cane over the counter at Raymond. "But things different now. She and Rico boy live together. They are not dating. Tried once, said it weird. Talk to her. She is a good girl, like you muchly."
"Well…I guess. Thank you again, sir. I'll come back soon," Raymond said, rolling up the bag of Skittles and slipping them into his pocket.
After a moment of hesitation, he headed for the back exit, his hands rapidly clenching and unclenching with anxiety. He poked his head out of the door and listened to the conversation to make sure he didn't intrude on anything.
"I wasn't goin' t' tell him, and ya knew that. Tellin' him…it woulda ruined everythin'. I couldn't lose him as a friend." Khione explained, her voice growing quiet for a moment. Shaking her head, she turned around, pausing at the sight of Raymond. "Well, we'll see you Kitty."
Raymond stepped fully into the back lot, feeling embarrassed once again.
"Are…uh….are you ready to go?" he asked, blinking a couple of times as he tried to avoid thinking about…everything that just happened.
"Yeah. Let's get going. You need sleep." Khione said, waving over her shoulder at Kaitlyn before heading back into the store. She slowed to let Raymond catch up, hands back in her jacket pockets.
It didn't take long for him to catch up. In fact, it took him approximately 3 steps to make it to her side again, his hands in his pockets as well.
"Do you want any Skittles?" he asked, hoping to break the awkwardness already between them.
