Chapter 10 #2
We moved every two to three years, just long enough to feel comfortable and at ‘home’ before my dad was assigned to a new unit at another military base somewhere around the globe.
Of course, I tried to make connections, friends in school or in extracurricular programs, but sooner or later one of us would end up moving.
That was just the reality of going to school on a military base.
At first, they would stay in touch, but only until they found someone to replace me at their new home.
It just became easier to not get attached to anyone.
I wasn’t a complete loner, I had ‘friends’, people I spoke to at school, but I always built a barrier, a line that they couldn’t cross as they tried to weave themselves into my life.
When we inevitably parted ways, I didn’t bother trying to stay in touch because then I wouldn’t deal with the rejection when they didn’t reciprocate.
I learned quickly that relationships take effort from both parties, and I was done being the only one trying. It made me feel desperate and lame.
When my dad retired almost five years ago, we settled for the first time in my life in one location for the foreseeable future.
Jae lived here and I was excited to have a built-in friend.
He was the only constant in my life other than my siblings, and it was easy to let him in because he was family.
I’d spent time with Jae during holidays or when we visited during my dad’s deployments, but when we moved here, I actually got to know him on a deeper level.
I’d known that he was a reserved person in most situations, quiet, an observer, but I didn’t think that he would be friendless.
Apparently, he had gotten bullied in middle school, and he was just as eager to have a friend to start high school with.
Over the years, we grew to be pretty inseparable and no one else joined our friend group.
We weren’t avoiding others, we were just comfortable.
Jae had a girlfriend for about a month last summer, but otherwise it had just been the two of us.
And since I would be leaving for the military at the end of the school year, I wasn’t planning on expanding our duo.
Until Shiloh happened.
Even though she could use some manners, I voluntarily wanted to spend more time with Shiloh outside of tutoring.
I liked that she didn’t care about being overly nice.
It amused me how blunt she was, and, my God, did she have the mouth of a sailor.
I mean, sure, I swore on occasion when I felt it was necessary, being surrounded by military folk my whole life meant I knew every swear word in the book, but Shiloh seemed to swear just for the sake of swearing.
I couldn’t put my finger on it, but whatever the reason she acted the way she did—cold, brash and unapologetic, almost ruthless—it wasn’t enough to push me away.
So, asking Jae to help me be on the lookout for Shiloh was completely out of character. It was even more out of character when I nudged him in the chest and gestured towards Shiloh sitting at a table alone in the corner of the cafeteria.
“Let’s go sit with her,” I said, although it sounded more like a question as I wanted him to know he had a choice in the matter.
He hesitated for a moment before shrugging, “Sure. Anything for lover boy.”
I could tell by his voice that he was teasing, and I knocked into him as he unscrewed the cap to his water bottle, causing it to slosh over the sides as he tipped it towards his mouth. I chuckled to myself and ignored his annoyed groan as I continued in a bee line for Shiloh’s table.
“Hey,” I said, leaning my knees against the bench opposite her.
She looked up, startled momentarily, before beginning to slowly chew the food in her mouth as if she wasn’t just scarfing it down like she was in a timed competition. She gave me a look as if to say, ‘what do you want?’ and I motioned to the table.
“Can we sit?” I asked, watching as she looked over my shoulder. Her body tensed, her eyes narrowing. “I promise not to interrupt your plotting for murder,” I joked with a half-grin.
She eventually swallowed and rolled her eyes, “I thought you’d know by now that this is just my natural state,” she deadpanned, pointing to her scowling face.
Jae laughed awkwardly beside me, and Shiloh shook her head.
“Fine, but you should know you’ll be moved up a spot on my hit list.”
“Duly noted,” I said with a grin, quickly taking a seat, Jae following suit.
“Nice to see you again,” Jae said as he pulled out his lunch from his backpack, reminding me to do the same. “Did you make up with your boyfriend?”
“Sorry, he’s nosy,” I explained, kicking Jae under the table.
She clenched her jaw and gave me a deathly glare, “Did you just fucking kick me?”
“Oh, shit! Sorry!”
My whole body was buzzing with the heat of embarrassment as Jae cackled beside us.
“Whatever,” she muttered, beginning to eat more of her food, pausing mid-bite to look back up at me with her hazel eyes. “What the fuck did you guys want?”
I licked my lips and shrugged, “Nothing. Just saw you sitting alone and thought we’d join you.”
She flicked her attention back to her food and I gingerly took a bite of my sandwich.
I looked over to see Jae raise his brows in silent communication to tell me, ‘This was your idea’, or something along those lines.
It was nice being able to read each other’s facial expressions without having to speak.
I wondered if I would be able to read Shiloh like that if we spent enough time together.
Cheese and rice, maybe Jae’s right. Maybe I am developing a crush.
The sounds of us eating filled the awkward silence among us and I cleared my throat preparing something to say to break the tension.
“So, you don’t listen to music, you’re friends with my brother-in-law, and you’re a math genius. What else should we know about you?”
She looked up at me with a raised brow.
“You know, so we can get to know you,” I smiled.
“Why?”
She seemed genuinely bewildered.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, I’m a little rusty, I haven’t done this in years, but…I’m pretty sure this is how you become friends with someone. Right?”
I glanced at Jae who nodded in agreement, and we waited for Shiloh to speak.
“Okay. And why would I wanna be friends with you?” She asked as she slowly sat back in her chair with a wince. She’s definitely lying about not being injured in that car accident. Broken rib, maybe? I chuckled at her bluntness.
“Fair point. Uh, well, for starters I think we’re good company, like, we’re not mean or anything—”
“Yeah, we’re pretty awesome to be honest. Definitely the best friend options you’re gonna get at this school,” Jae added.
“Except for the time this fucktrumpet pointed out my deformed eyes. Then, as an apology, invited me to a fucking family reunion without telling me. Let me look like a fucking embarrassing piece of shit,” she said motioning to me with her middle finger.
“And let’s not forget how he just kicked me in the shin. ”
“What!” Jae almost shouted, spitting food bits across the table. Shiloh and I both cringed in disgust. “Dude, you made fun of her eyes?”
“Woah! I did not—” Jae interrupted me, holding up his finger.
“We’ll get to that in a minute. Fucktrumpet?” Jae repeated. “That’s the coolest curse I’ve ever heard and I’m stealing that word. And, also, that really wasn’t a family reunion. We have a family dinner, like, every week, so that wasn’t a special occasion or anything.”
“Exactly,” I nodded in agreement. About the last part, not about the bizarre insult she made up.
“Which is another reason to become friends, because we’re going to be spending time together anyways while you tutor me.
And to clarify,” I gave Jae and Shiloh pointed looks, “I did not make fun of your eyes. I was just curious and sometimes I lack a filter. And for the record, I think your eyes are beautiful.”
Shiloh sighed and rolled her eyes, clearly not believing me.
“So, you’re saying I should be friends with you because you filter-lacking fuckwits are nice and I’m already forced to hang out with one of you twice a week as it is,” Shiloh summarized.
“Well, Nox also has a car which is really convenient for those of us, aka me, who do not have one. Which basically means free rides wherever, whenever.”
Jae grinned at me, and I gave him a sarcastic smile back.
Shiloh pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked between the both of us. I don’t know why my palms started sweating with nerves. I didn’t think I cared so much that we became friends, but, apparently, I did.
“So, this dumbfuck is gonna pass math,” she said as she eyed Jae and motioned in my direction. Okay, ouch. I’m not that dumb. “What are you getting out of this relationship?”
“Spending time with your charming, bubbly self is enough for me,” he drawled with a smirk.
She let out an almost imperceptible exhale of amusement coupled with the flicker of a smile.
The hell? This fucktrumpet gets her to laugh after two seconds of speaking to her.
The most I’ve gotten is a sort-of half-smile that honestly could’ve just been her face twitching.
I resisted the urge to kick his shin under the table seeing as I missed the last time and let out a grumbled sigh instead.
“So?” I prompted her to respond. “What do you say, friends or not?”
She tapped her finger rhythmically against her water bottle and mumbled a ‘sure’. It wasn’t enthusiastic by any means, but I’d take what I could get.
“Great! Now back to getting to know each other. Someone,” Jae paused to give me a side eye, “always promises to wait to watch a show with me but ends up skipping ahead without me. Please tell me you like K-dramas, Shiloh.”
She scrunched up her face in confusion, flicking her gaze to me before focusing her attention back on Jae.
“The fuck is a K-drama?”
“You’re joking!” Jae gasped.
“Nope.”
Jae let out a sigh, placing his half-eaten sandwich down before leaning his elbows on the table.
“A K-drama is a Korean TV drama that is literally the best-produced series you will ever watch. I mean, disregarding the fact that the cast are always on point, Kim Yoo-Jung, IU…” Jae looked off as if he was daydreaming and I elbowed him.
“Sorry, besides the actors, the storylines and production are just...” he finished with the chef’s kiss gesture.
When she didn’t say anything, he groaned and slammed his hands down on the table, causing both of us to jump.
“That’s it! We’re binge-watching Black this weekend. I don’t wanna hear any excuses. We’ll start Friday after school.”
“But I—”
Jae quickly cut Shiloh off, holding up his hand, “No. No excuses. We’re watching it even if I have to tie you both to chairs.”
The bell rang, startling us all, and Jae groaned looking down at his remaining lunch.
“What class you got, Shiloh?” I asked as I packed up.
“Calculus,” she huffed as she awkwardly stood up. “Speaking of math, I won’t be working in the tutor center after school today if you were planning on going.”
She had to be in pain with the way she was moving her body so carefully. I wanted to ask if she needed anything, but I was almost positive it would just earn me an annoyed glare, so I didn’t mention it.
“Oh,” I tried to hide my disappointment. Not that I particularly wanted to study math, but I wouldn’t have minded spending time with Shiloh. “Well, Jae and I are headed towards that hall too, we can walk together.”
I ignored her eye roll and smiled as we waited for her to put her lunch tray away so we could leave.
“Dude, we just made a friend,” Jae whispered as he slapped my arm.
“I know,” I said as I slapped him back. “Didn’t think I’d have to do that until I left for basic.”
“Just think of it as practice,” he shrugged. “I mean she’s kinda ruthless, probably the closest thing you’re gonna find around here to an MTI.”
I chuckled and elbowed him to shut up. “We’re supposed to be nice, remember?”
“Right,” he responded, straightening up and saluting me. “Sir, yes sir.”
I rolled my eyes and shoved him, causing him to lose his balance and stumble. I watched Shiloh make her way back over to us, her red hair falling in her face as she focused on her feet. Friends. This year just got a hell of a lot more interesting.