#27 – Just A Scratch

“Ow! That stung!”

“Well it’s supposed to dummy!”

“Why are you even using that stuff? It’s just a scratch.”

“And a scratch can get infected.”

He rolled his eyes, resting his chin in his palm. He could hear her unwrapping a band aid, before placing it against the cut. They were quiet for a moment, his green eyes glancing at her. She was staring at the scratch, her eyebrows knitted together in thought. He wondered what she was thinking off, his head cocking to one side. Quietly, she looked up, a worried look in her eyes. He looked away almost immediately, looking at the First Aid job she had done, his right eye twitching slightly.

“Why is my band aide a My Little Pony band aide..?”

“It was that or Elmo.”

“At least Elmo’s a dude!” He paused, blinking for a moment, before holding his chin in thought. “At least… I think he’s a dude… But that’s beside the point! Don’t we have any normal band aides?”

“Yes we do.” She responded.

“… Then why didn’t you use one!?”

“Because.”

“Because…?”

“This is your punishment!” She stood up abruptly, putting everything back into the First Aid kit, snapping it shut. He stared at her for a moment, watching her leave, before racing after her.

“Punishment!? What did I do!?”

“You acted like an idiot!” She shouted, spinning around to face him. “You could’ve gotten killed!”

Her words caused him to freeze. He blinked sharp, green eyes, before rubbing the back of his neck. “Chi…”

“You could have died!” The thirteen year-old brunette snapped, poking him square in the chest, the teenage boy wincing as a result. He stared at her, his green eyes narrowed behind square glasses. Finally, he turned his nose up, sniffing indignantly as he turned around, arms crossing over his chest.

“I would not have died!”

“You almost got hit!” The girl, Chiaki, his best friend, screamed and he could hear her stomp her foot. He snorted as a result, uncrossing his arms and lacing them behind his head. “Are you even listening to me Mat!?”

“Nope,” he responded, though it wasn’t all true. She shrieked, and he winced feeling her foot collide with his rear. He stumbled, arms shooting out to the side to catch his balance, before he spun around. Her hands were in tight fists, tears shinning in her eyes.

“Why are you such an idiot!?”

“I’m not an idiot!” Matt shouted, pressing his forehead against hers angrily. “I wasn’t going to get hit! And I knew that!”

“How!?”

“Cause I’m a genius!” She snorted, and he growled, turning around sharply and storming off. Footsteps followed after him, and he didn’t need to look over his shoulder to know she was following, prepared to continue the argument. Grumbling, Matt shoved his hand into the front of his green hoody.

“Why did you even do-” He cut her off, pulling out a bright blue ball from his pocket, a faded name writing on it in black. Chiaki stopped, and her blue eyes widened. Matt scowled again, holding it out to her. “My… ball?”

“It rolled into the street,” he stated, quite simply. “You would’ve whined and cried if it got popped, so I went to get it.”

“That’s why…”

“The car was coming.” He stated, grabbing her hand and pressing the bright blue, medium sized ball into her tanner hands. “I didn’t want it to get popped.”

“But…”

“I went because I knew I wouldn’t get hit.” He smirked again, turning his nose up at her ever so slightly. “I’m just awesome like that.”

Chiaki was quiet, looking at the ball in her hands before up at him. He waited, expecting her to thank him. To apologize for being so rude. He waited, before yelping as she struck out, punching him across the face. Matt fell to the ground, his glasses falling off. He raised a hand to hold his face, shocked. Chiaki was shaking again, and tears raced down her face.

“You are such a jerk Matthew Corey!” She ran off, and Matt continued to sit there. Completely bewildered.