New Friends open! :p

Days went by since Emi got to Mahoutokoro. Now the school is really moving. Three mornings. She did not have a single real talk with anyone. Starting lessons felt weird like walking on ground. There was a moment of quiet that almost made everything okay. Almost. Emi’s fingers touched the surface of the pale pink cloth that was wrapped around her arms. A flash of color bright for the dim light moved across the glass roof above.

New students walked through that sunbeam stopping for a second to point at the cloth that was flowing around them. The colors were not really fixed. They looked different when you glanced at them twice. One of them said it only changed when you blinked. Maybe that is why Emi looked up. It is stuck in her memory now. Okāsan mum talked about it years ago. Otōsan dad nodded, then he did not say anything. It seemed like they wanted to keep it a secret. Regardless, it made Emi curious.

Emi just kept going. Her steps were quiet and slow on the floorboards. The sound went behind her like smoke rising. Down the hallways light comes through the big windows and warms the floors. Beyond that down below the water shines under the open sky. The sea cuts into the air like it is made of sharp glass. Every time Emi sees it her breath stops. Getting used to being this high feels impossible. In the distance some students are moving slowly. Their words disappear before they reach her. One couple is walking ahead at a pace while others talk easily as they walk.

Emi stopped walking. Her eyes looked to the side toward a shape by the window. Something moved. A person was standing where the light touched the wall. She stopped. She took one step. Time felt really slow. Then it was quiet again. The truth is, how do people start talking to each other? Maybe just saying hello would be okay. Even that feels weird.

Emi looked away silently her eyes focusing on something away. She shifted quickly nervously. She waited. Not now. Not at this moment. Is she ready? No not really. Emi started walking as if moving away could make her thoughts quieter.

She almost ran into someone carrying books. She stopped in time her arms moving to her chest without thinking. There was silence. Oh no she almost hit them again. Why does this keep happening? Emi looked up briefly then again. She blinked fast her eyes finding the ground. Her fingers curled into the edge of her sleeve pulling on it without thinking. The cloth stretched a little.

Just say something. It is not that hard. Silence lasted longer than expected. Now things feel awkward. Emi took a breath and words came out quieter than she meant them to.
Uh... She shifted away feeling uneasy when there was no response. Was anyone listening?

She tried again raising her voice a bit. Hey. Soon as she said it her shoulders got tight. Alright fine. She said hello something ordinary that happens every day. As she shifted her weight Emi felt something inside her settle down. Her eyes stayed down avoiding eye contact.

Wait. Stopping there feels strange.
Hi. I’m Emi...? There was silence again. Maybe should say something but could I make things worse? She breathed lightly her hands relaxing a bit.

Well... I just started at the school maybe...um… Do… Do you want t-to walk around… school together…? Her words trailed off taken away by thoughts.
Damn it. She did not mean to say it suddenly.
Did I just ask to walk around together? Her voice went ahead before her thoughts caught up. Emi froze.
Did those words really come out of my mouth that quickly? That felt rushed. Maybe maybe if it feels right it is okay either way.

Her words slowed down fading away like a breath lost in air....
That did not go well did it? She stood still her pulse, under her skin.
What now? There was no answer.. Still... She tried.