Simply Genius

I have never experienced nerves like these before. For all the schools we have been to, we have never actually had to fit in before. Let’s face it, we never used to fit in anywhere because of our age. At ten, we were in year eight. At seventeen, we had finished a three year course of college.
So it was granted that we would never fit in.
This time it’s different though, for the second time we were in high school, not for the education, but for the normalcy.
My best friend Ben is who I have been referring to, I have known him my whole life and I live with him and his parents. We barely do anything without each other; we have been through our short period of different schools together, which is why I know for certain that Ben is just as nervous as I.
Ben was just coming to talk, as he knew I would have not slept all night either.
His short dark hair, cut with a fringe facing to the left, was covered in his usual beanie, his piercings gleaming in the dim light coming through my curtains. We shared a quiet laugh when he tripped over the skateboard sitting next to my bed.
‘Didn’t ma ever tell you not to leave that thing lying around?’ He pretended to be severe at me, but we both knew what the other was really thinking...or trying not to think.
‘Yessir, but ma always says I’m allowed to pull tricks on you.’ I call his mother, Dianne, ma because she is basically my own mother as well; I have been living with them since I was ten. It helps that Ben and I are crazy close.
‘Oh be quiet you. Ready for school today?’ We both knew the answer, and we both knew that wasn’t really the question. The question is, are we ready for the teenagers and the drama we have seen so much on television? Though we both know, television is unreliable, but it is our only source of information at this point. We were very much focused on school when we went through high school the first time.
‘No way, I’m actually a little scared. You are my only friend, and I don’t even know how I managed that.’ I replied honestly. Ben smiled, a smile I was so used to, that he didn’t even need to say anything anymore, I was simply comforted.
‘Well, it was my charming rattle skills and baby chatter that hooked you.’ He joked, though turning serious after a few laughs. ‘To be honest, I don’t know how I managed getting you as my best friend, and I know you inside out.’ We both sighed, perfectly in sync.
‘Maybe it will just come to us. It’s not like we’re shy, just socially inept.’ I said hopefully, eyes glued to his face, analysing what he would be thinking at that point. He was hopeful too, just a little bit more than I.
‘That’s true. Maybe we should have taken a human behavioural class in college too...’ I laughed with him, shaking my head at him.
‘I have a feeling that wouldn’t have helped. I think we just need to loosen up. It’s not like we’re going through this by ourselves.’ As I said this, Ben took my hands. You will never know the instant comfort that his touch gives me. It is better than any remedy for nerves that I know.
That is how we fell asleep at one in the morning, curled up into each other.