His biggest problem was that he was starving. He held Ash'vour tightly in his lap, trying not to cry. He hadn't brought anything to eat; his family was very poor, and his parents were very sick. A light breeze passed, but it wasn't enough to distract his stomach, which was growling loudly. Suddenly, someone sat down next to him. It was Beatrice.
"What is it, Mino?" she asked, leaning forward curiously.
Lauren looked away, blushed, and clutched the teddy bear tighter to her chest. Beatrice looked serious for two seconds and then smiled...
"Are you hungry?"
Lauren didn't say anything. But her face betrayed everything: sweat dripping, frightened eyes, and trembling hands. Then she opened her lunchbox and took out a container.
"Okay, okay, I'll give you some of my lunch."
She removed the lid and revealed a fluffy chocolate cake, with oozing filling and covered in lime; it looked like it had been made by a professional pastry chef. When Lauren's eyes saw that...they lit up. "C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-Can I?" After much effort trying to speak, he manages to say a word. "MINO?" Beatrice shouted, almost throwing the cake into the air. "YOU SAID IT?"
Lauren covered her mouth with both hands, very embarrassed. "It's good that you said it!" Beatrice smiled excitedly."But relax, okay? You don't need to force it. When you can really speak properly, you can tell me your name." He nodded slowly. She placed the pot on his lap and said, "You can eat as much as you want, don't worry."
Then he ate. He ate every little piece with eyes full of emotion. It was the best and first cake he had ever eaten in his life. When he realized he was finished, he froze, blushed, and tried to return the pot with a silent apology.
"Don't worry, Mino," said Beatrice. "I wasn't hungry."
BZZZZZ!
Suddenly, a loud noise echoes in the courtyard. A silver blur approaches and makes a sharp turn with force, raising dust. A souped-up wheelchair appears out of nowhere, spinning and stopping sideways. SKRRRRRT!
It was a boy with red hair in a ponytail and a camera hanging around his neck.
"Yo!" he points directly at Lauren. "So you're the Lauren who freezes time?" Lauren's eyes widened, and she almost dropped the pot. "I like you. Do you want to be my friend?" He put the A hand on Lauren's shoulder with a wide smile. "Take your hand off Mino!" Beatrice exploded, jumping up. "Calm down, calm down," he said, laughing. "Is he your boyfriend?" "NO, WE'RE JUST FRIENDS," "Then let me talk to my new best friend!" He pulled Lauren's arm and ran off with him in his arms in the wheelchair. "HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" "Relax, he needs adventures," the boy said, laughing. "You're always protecting him like he's a baby!" "Come with me, little bat, today you're going to live!" Lauren was shocked, but then... she started laughing, a real, genuine smile.
Their eyes shone with emotion. The wind on their faces, the feeling of freedom, it was all new. The two of them, with messy hair, laughing loudly.
"Hahaha!" the boy gave Lauren a light punch on the shoulder. "Your smile is so rare it should be in a museum," Beatrice arrived huffing.
"You're crazy! And you, Mino? You can't let just any lunatic kidnap you!" "His name is Photoriam Felix!" he held out his hand. "And now I'm officially Mino's best friend!" Beatrice crossed her arms, pouting. "Tsk... Mino doesn't need crazy friends..."
"Yes, he does! He needs to get out of his shell."
"What did you say?!"
And it was at that moment that something strange happened.
Everyone heard a shout from the back. "BLIND, UNCONTROLLED GUY!!"
Everyone looked. A boy was running with a cane, shouting: "I NEED TO GET THERE SOON!!!"
"MY GOD!"
"HE'S GOING TO CRASH!"
"WATCH OUT FOR THE POST!"
THUMP!