Don't Forget

Mia wiped her palms on her pants as she approached the classroom door. The shade was drawn so she couldn't see inside. She wouldn't know if anyone was in there in the first place. This was all John’s fault. He said she had to have some extracurricular activities for her college applications. Mia wasn't even sure she wanted to go to college. Yet here she was standing outside the door to this dark classroom. She could just lie and say she went, but what else was she going to do with her free time? The last two school years had been exceedingly boring without Connor. All she spent her time doing was planning for him to come back. His homecoming seemed to always be disappointing, so there really was no point in continuing that tradition unless she wanted her heart broken again. Being at home alone wasn't an option either. When she was left alone, she was left alone with her thoughts and her memories. That was the last place she wanted to be, her own head. Stuck in between she stood in front of the door.

The door opened without her touching it scaring her a bit. A girl with olive toned skin and long black hair poked her head out. She had on wide white glass-less glasses with a hello kitty bow in the corner. She looked both ways down the hall as if to check if they were alone and then up at Mia.

“Were you followed?” She sounded like a secret agent.

Mia couldn't help but giggle, “Uh...no?”

The girl grabbed Mia’s forearm and drug her into the dim classroom. All the shades were drawn. The projector screen was down and an anime movie was playing. It was dubbed in English so there was no need for subtitles. The girl drug Mia to sit down beside a kid Mia assumed was a guy with his hood up. He was thoroughly engaged with his note pad and pencil.

“Uh…”

“Shh,” The girl said, “Lucky for you we just started.”

So Mia decided to focus on the screen. The anime movie was a bit confusing as far as the story-line but, Mia was easily caught up in the magic of Howl and his castle. Howl and Sophie did their last kiss before the credits rolled and Mia resisted the urge to applaud.

“Sugoine!” The girl said jumping to her feet. She pressed buttons on a remote Mia hadn't noticed before. The shades went up and the projector screen receded into the ceiling, “Eric,” The girl said to the boy sitting beside Mia, “Notebook away and hood off.” She ordered.

Eric rolled his eyes and compiled the the girl’s request. He seemed less foreign to her as far as his features. He was pale as if he didn't get out much. His hair was jet black. He had piercings all around the ear that Mia could see. Mia noticed bits of black that streaked across the bottom of the curve of his neck, a tattoo. Mia wondered if it was real.

“AC High’s Anime club welcomes our newest member,” The girl announced with a gesture bigger than her audience.

“Uhm Mia,” Mia said with a small wave.

“Mia! What a pretty name.” The girl said.

“Thank you.”

There was a knock at the classroom door and the girl went to answer it. The boy flipped open his notebook again. Mia slumped back in her seat again. Well this is easy enough.

“Eric!” The girl called. Mia turned to see the girl trying to balance three pizza boxes and two two liter sodas.

Eric and Mia went to assist her. The girl put the box of pizza she had been carrying on the large teacher's desk at the front of the room. Eric and Mia set their load down beside hers.

“Oh no,” the girl sighed sitting on a student desk in front of the teacher’s.

“What?” Mia asked. Did she forget napkins?

“We got another quiet one.” She pouted.

Oh Mia felt her face get hot.

“Jeez, B give her a break,” Eric said, “not everyone in the world need to fill the silence with their own voice.”

He had an accent. Mia wasn't sure where his accent was from, but it was weird to hear since she assumed he was Caucasian American. B dramatically clutched her chest.

“That hurts Eric.” She said. Eric rolled his eyes again and went back to his notebook at his seat, “Anyway, I’m Beatrice. Most people call me B I respond to both. Help yourself to the pizza. As usual there’s too much.”

“I don’t know who you expect to come to these meetings.” Eric said from behind his note book.

“You come.” Beatrice said.

“You’re my ride.” Eric snorted.

“I came.” Mia said.

“You’re one person.” Eric dismissed Mia, “Mr. Brown said you can’t call these meetings an actual club unless we have five people.” Eric held up his hand as if they didn't know what five meant.

“So we just need two more.” Mia shrugged, “How hard could it be?”

“Yay,” Beatrice cheered, “I finally have someone to combat the Emo.”⁽¹⁾

Beatrice stuck out her tongue at Eric. He stuck out his tongue back using his index finger to show the pink of his bottom eye lid. It was like Mia had been transported into a Shoujo Anime. She giggled. Mia picked up a piece of pizza and sat next to Eric again. She looked over his shoulder at what he was drawing. It was Sophie embracing Howl in his bird/beast form. Sophie seemed to glow white on the page surrounded by Howl's black feathers.

“Wow das rery goo.” Mia said with her mouth full.

“Thanks...I think.” Eric said laughing a little. He put the notebook away in an army print backpack with lots of pockets. He went to get four pieces of pizza on a paper plate then sat back down.

“What classes do you have this year?” Beatrice said to Mia.

“Mostly APs⁽²⁾ my dad says this and next years are the years colleges look at the most.”

“So you're here for the extra curricular.” Eric concluded.

“And because I like Anime.” Mia dismissed Eric. She said to Beatrice, “I was all about Sailor Moon and Dragonball.” Mia nudged Eric and he smirked at her.

“Ooh She brought up Dragonball, classic.” Beatrice said, “Ok you pass.”

“I didn't know there would be a test.” Mia laughed.

“You passed when you chose our dinky club.” Eric said under his breath.

“I can hear you, jerk!” Beatrice pointed, “keep ragging on my club and you’ll be taking the heel-toe-express home.”

“Fine I’ll go back to saying nothing then.”

They stuck out their tongues at each other again. For the first time, Mia was genuinely enjoying herself...without Connor...