"So, what are you planning for today, Vane?" Emma's wavy hair brushed against the desk as she leaned over. "The girls want to go to a small concert at the downtown park today."
Vanesa smiled at Emma, amused by her childish posture during class.
"Don't you guys have extracurriculars to finish? What time does it start?" Vanesa whispered, casting a quick glance at the teacher.
"Oh, come on! They don't even care about extracurriculars," Emma started to whine. "It'll be fun. There will be guys there, and we really need a break from this past month's insane pressure."
"I don't know, Emma. I've been feeling pretty drained lately."
"That's exactly why you should go!" Emma hissed. "It'll get your mind off things. Who knows? Maybe you'll even find someone interested in you. I heard one of the band members is a friend of Luna's, and he's really hot."
Noticing Emma's mischievous smirk, Vanesa laughed.
"I'll think about it this afternoon and let you know before I decide," Vanesa said, playfully messing with Emma's hair before turning her attention back to the teacher. "Anyway… you know you can call me."
Vanesa gave Emma's hair one last tousle, and both ended up giggling under their breath.
When classes ended, Vanesa said goodbye to Emma and stood on the school corner, waiting for the bus. A couple of boys waiting nearby caught her attention with their conversation.
"Was it really him…? Damn, man..." one of the boys muttered.
"Yeah, it was definitely him. Didn't you see the way he looked at us?" his friend replied. Both looked visibly unsettled.
The bus is still not here... Vanesa thought. She checked her phone to look busy while keeping her ears open.
The boys were talking about Barry. Naturally, it was impossible for his presence to go unnoticed among so many students, especially when his situation was so humiliating. Vanesa was surprised by the mere mention of him; imagining him in the position those boys described was truly pathetic.
Finally, her ride arrived, and Vanesa's interest faded.
Two hours before the concert was supposed to start, Vanesa received a call from Emma while she was taking a bath.
"Have you finally decided? I'm having coffee with Luna," Emma's voice crackled through the speaker.
"Uh... yeah... but..."
"Yay! I knew you couldn't say no," Vanesa had to pull the phone away from her ear. "In fact... the guy I told you about is here with us," Emma whispered, "and he really is attractive."
A long silence followed, which Emma was quick to interpret.
"What happened? I know that silence of yours."
"Well, the thing is... I'm going, but... do you mind if I invited a friend along?"
"Huh?! A friend? You?!"
The shock in Emma's voice echoed through the bathroom.
"Wait... you don't have any friends except for that geek," on the other end, Emma got up and headed toward the café's restroom. "Don't tell me you invited him?" she asked, her tone dripping with disappointment once she was behind a closed door.
"The thing is..."
"No, no, no, and no. You know we've never gotten along with him. Besides, do you really think he's in any condition to go to an event like this? I mean, the guy was brutally beaten and sent to the hospital just recently."
"It's fine! I swear," Vanesa's voice sounded apologetic. "I talked to him, and he doesn't seem to have a problem with it..."
"You know that's not the point, Vane..." Emma's voice remained firm.
"Nothing will happen, I promise!" Vanesa started to step out of the bath. "I... well, I visited him to check on him because I was worried, and..." Vanesa's voice tried to hide her embarrassment, "he's changed a bit. He doesn't seem as 'weird' as everyone thinks anymore. I can even say that, at times, he acts just like any other guy."
The call went silent long enough for Vanesa to dry herself completely. On the other end, Emma was thinking meticulously. She couldn't help but be swayed by the poor impression Ima had always given.
"Well?" Vanesa prompted.
A long sigh came through the speaker.
"Fine, Vane. But neither of you better be late," Emma sighed again. "And remember, if he makes us look bad, we aren't going to be nice to him again."
"Y-yes, it'll be fine, I promise..."
"Good. I'll handle telling Luna. Hurry up, we'll see you here at the café."
II
Ima was in his room, lost in thought, as the last rays of the sun hit his chest, making him feel warm. The conversation with his mother had certainly taken a weight off his shoulders.
Still, thoughts about his place in the world continued to swirl in his mind. Compared to the constant reflections triggered by his new abilities, his old life seemed completely trivial—nothing fundamentally noteworthy. What should he do now that a strange creature had offered him the chance to improve his life? How could he stop feeling this way after letting himself be carried away by stats, causing the arrest of someone who arguably had many more opportunities than he did?
What do I do now? If I dare to... No, that wouldn't work, he thought again. For the last twenty-five minutes, he had replayed the same formula dozens of times: he would ask a question, toss his ideas or methods into the air, and then abruptly stop, convincing himself he would only generate more trouble.
"Maybe if I contact her again..." Ima sat up on the bed and unlocked his phone. "Hmm, I haven't checked this thing in days."
He opened the app and stared at the message: [For more information, click here]. His phone screen fogged up from his close, heavy breathing.
"Alright..."
The phone vibrated. An incoming call from an unknown number.
"Hello? Who is this?" Ima asked suspiciously.
He heard someone breathing on the other end, followed by a surprised gasp.
"Hello? I can hear you breathing."
"S-sorry, Ima," the other voice finally responded. "Am I interrupting something?" asked a familiar, sheepish voice.
"Vanesa?! Is that you?!" Ima shouted, his hand gripping his left knee.
"Yeah... sorry if this is unexpected."
"It is! But it doesn't matter. I mean... how do you have my number? I've never given it to anyone."
"Your mother gave it to me one of the days I tried to see you at the hospital. Even though they didn't let me in, she saw me and gave me her contact info, and yours too. Sorry for not mentioning it last time." Vanesa had lost her shyness once Ima recognized her, her voice turning calm. "I'm sorry, but... are you busy?"
"No, not at all. Did something happen...?" Ima stood up and began pacing his room.
"Well... I actually wanted to know if you'd be free to hang out."
"Hang out?"
"Yes. Do you remember the girls I usually hang out with? You met them, but you never dared to talk to them—I'm sure you remember," Vanesa cleared her throat. "They invited me to a concert downtown tonight, and I thought of inviting you. You're the only guy I can actually talk to."
"Me? Don't you think your friends...? Well, I don't think they really like me. You know, they knew about my... lewd behavior even before you did."
"Don't remind me... Regardless, I'm sure they'll accept it. You need to get out a bit, cheer up after everything that's happened lately. You'll be fine as long as you're with me and they see you're not as weird as they think. I've seen it for myself."
The cheerfulness in Vanesa's voice made Ima feel a strange warmth, though he felt like a fool.
"Alright... I'll go. I'd just be sinking into my own thoughts at home anyway." Vanesa's laugh chimed through the speaker. "Where should I meet you?"
"Can you make it to the West Station? If so, I'll be waiting for you there. We'll take the subway. The concert starts at 6."
"Fine, I'll try to get there as soon as I can. We should make it on time."
The call ended. As the call interface disappeared, the app's menu and its various sections reappeared. Ima let out a sharp exhale through his nose and put the phone away. It didn't take him long to decide what to wear after his shower, and his parents didn't deny him permission to go; they were clearly moved by a sense of joy at Ima's sudden sociability.