Complicated Friendship {Leiken}

[Mia Bell]

Mia yawned as she walked through the doors of the Quarter Note. She had just gotten all of her classes done today; which were mostly tests, which she knew she passed all of them. The past month was stressful for a lot of people because of the tests and overbearing homework that the teachers gave out before winter break. However, it wasn’t stressful for Mia, she knew everything and was always one step ahead of everyone else. Although, she was glad winter break was just around the corner, it meant she could spend more time outside; which was always great.

Walking up the wall of guitars Mia picked a random acoustic one and walked over to the front counter. She sat on the edge of the counter facing the door that lead to the mall. She crossed her legs before looking around. She looked at one of the employees “Hey, have you seen my Uncle?” The worker just shook his head in respond to her question. She let out a long sigh; she was hoping for another lesson. But since Liam wasn’t here, she just started randomly plucking at the guitar strings she thought would go well together.

[Leiken Chu]

Leiken sighed softly as he sat upon the bench at the back of the store as he had become acustomed to doing quite often when he as stressed. He would have weaved his way into the place and gone right to the usual piano. Lifting the fall he would slid his fingers over the keys. Light bruising remaining on his skin though most of it was hidden by some article of clothing or another. His lips were pressed together as his fingers pressed into the keys, he began to press into the keys, playing a song. He spoke no words, nor did he sing, but he played with his heart. His eyes slid closed as he listened to the music flow from his soul to the keys beneath his fingers.

It hurt. To play, to move, to be in all honesty breathing. He knew it would pass, but first he had to let go of it. It was hard. He still felt attraction, empty of worth, as he had come to realize the truth of what he had thought were affections toward him. It was not the case in truth and now he was left to learn the hard lessons of emotions that one could only learn through experience.

[Mia Bell]

Mia heard the playing, she frowned at the sound. She hadn’t known anyone was playing the piano. She wondered how she had missed that. She looked behind her; trying to see if she could see the piano area from here, but she could not. She sighed, she wanted to see who it was but she also didn’t want to get up. Oh well, Mia couldn’t be lazy not when there was something that caught her attention.

Moving up of the counter, holding the guitar carefully as to not drop it or bang it against something. That was all she needed was for her to damage one of her uncle’s guitars. Mia walked over to the piano area and grinned when she saw the familiar dark hair of Lei. She was impressed by the song her was playing, it was beautiful and yet sad. She knew the song, and wanted to sing with his playing but if she did that than she would throw everything off.

Instead, she just waited for the boy to finish. She didn’t want to startle him and she wanted to keep listening.

[Leiken Chu]

Leiken's fingers moved against the keys with a skill that seemed not quite trained yet the sort that held a natural grace about it. His eyes had fallen closed as he played with every ounce of that emotion that was built up within him. His shoulders hunched slightly as he pressed forward, it was hard to play as well as he normally would have due to the blood-stained stof cast on his one arm, but it didn't matter to him; he did his best and ignored the pain.

However, that even he could do for only so long. The song would stop suddenly as he slid his arms over the top of the paino, pressing his face between them, exhaling a panted breath. His body aching all over, but it felt better upon his heart. Some part of the music had given him relief to an otherwise stressful release of emotion. It kept him from crying again at least.

"Acht.." he sputtered out as he lifted his head from his arms after a few moments. Seeing the familiar woman staring at him. "how... long have you been there?"

[Mia Bell]

Mia saw how much the song meant to Lei, and how much he connected to it. It made her sad just thinking about it; it was a pain she wished no one had to endure. If only she could take away his pain, mentally and physically. She looked at the cast on his arm and wondered what had happened to him; it made her worry.

When Lei looked at her, tears were rolling down her cheeks; like she was crying for him. She wiped them away quickly “I’m sorry… I just… Heard.. You playing and I had to see who it was.” She placed the guitar next to the piano, having it rest on it. She moved to sit next to him on the bench. “Long enough I guess…” She sighed “I’m sorry you’re in pain.. I wish I could take it away.” She said softly. She looked at him, wondering if she should offer “If you ever want to talk. I’m here for you.” Unlike a lot of people she didn’t go around gossiping and kept things to herself. Especially when they had nothing to do with her.

[Leiken Chu]

Seeing mia there, in tears, confused him to say the least. Though when he heard her words those walls of his defenses iced over once again. He lowered his head a bit looking to the keys. "Oh.. i see. " he stated plainly. He'd almost forgotten entirely that he'd wanted to speak to her recently as well. Though it did occur to him after a few moments of listening to her say things like that she wished to take awy his pain.

"Great..." he murmured as she had told him she'd been there long enough. "Do not lie." he stated in a murmur as his fingers slid behind his neck beneath the strands of his hair. he unhooked the necklace there. taking the necklace he'd given her off and setting it on the keys infront of her. "I don't need anymore empty gestures in my life. Why did you bother to try to make someone feel significant when you gave the same trinket to someone else?" he stated of course meaning cam.

"Thanks.. but no thanks" he stated in a pained tone.

[Mia Bell]

Mia glared at him “I’m not lying! I know what it feels like to be in pain, I know that sorrow of the song. I don’t want anyone to feel that way especially not you.” What did she have to do for him to believe her? She knew all her words were empty till she could prove them but she didn’t know how.

Mia looked at the necklace and then at Lei “It wasn’t an empty gesture!” She picked the necklace up and held onto it tightly. “Yes I’ve given a few people guitar pick necklaces. But they were all the people I call friends! They were all friends.” There was only one way Lei could have known about her giving necklaces to someone else. “I gave Cameron his necklace on our first date. Did he even tell you that?” More tears rolled down her cheeks. She held out the necklace “If you want it still, than take it. I’m not going to force you.”

[Leiken Chu]

"Especially not me? What's so special about me to make me anyone that you would give a rats ass about other than your own selfish need to feel worth by trying to make others happy instead of yourself?" he snapped at her. Though it was his own emotional state that had caused him to do so in the first placee.


"Sure..then why did you give cam one too?" He questioned as he huffed toward her. "Giving something like that to someone and making them think for a second that they might be deemed worth something only to yank that away by repeating the action with many people makes it less meaningful you know. " he stated with a firm tone. "No. All he said was that you gave him one like it. " he stated as he shifted off of the bench. A pained sound escaping his lips as his sore body ached with every movement.

"ugh..Don't cry about it. Just do better." he stated with an irritated tone. "If you want me to think of you as a friend stop treating me like someone who is easily fooled. " though he was he didn't want her to think that he was.

[Mia Bell]

“Especially not you because I can tell you’ve been through a lot… You don’t deserve anymore pain.” She sighed “It’s not about my worth! It’s about yours! I’ve been through a lot, just like you. But unlike you I care about everyone else and I don’t want them to go through the same pain.” She snapped back “Just because you don’t give a damn about anyone other than yourself doesn’t mean everyone is like that!”

“Because… Because he was my best friend… He was the first friend I made at Hammel.. And.. Because… I.. Fell in love with him..” This was the first time she had admitted to loving Cameron. It was the reason why she was so scared when he had admitted he was in love with her. But now it was just biting her in the ass like it had the last time. “I’m sorry! Okay I’m sorry I made you feel that way! But other than Cameron, the other two people I’ve given a necklace to are my best friends, Fer and Noah. Other than them I had given a guitar pick bracelet to a friend I had shared my dark secret with…” She sighed "I spend hours on these necklaces! I'm not doing to give them away unless they have meaning behind them."

Mia looked at him, getting up and moving to his side. “Are you okay? Do you went to rest in the back? There’s a very comfortable couch…” She sighed “Figures… He doesn’t seem to care.” She mumbled.

“Ugh! I’m not treating you like someone who is easily fooled! I’m treating you like I treat all my friends! Except the part where I called you a self-absorbed ass..”

[Leiken Chu]

Leiken made a pained sound, hugging his arms around himself, "How can you possibly tell that?" he stated with a stubborn tone. "Just because i don't want people bothering me doesn't mean that i don't care about anyone other than myself. Why do you fucking think i make people leave me alone? Have you not seen my trainer? He tried to help me when i lost control of my powers and he's covered in bruises now thanks to me. DO YOU REALLY want to become another person I have to cry over?" He stated firmly toward her.

Lei made a surprised sound, however, when she stated that she had fallen in love with cam. For some strange reason it panged a slight jealousy within him, but he didn't really understand why. "I see. I can see how you could. He's a wonderful date.. " he trailed off more calmly. "I'm sorry, that must be difficult for you now that he's seeing someone." he suggested. He listened to her explain herself further.

"i'll be fine. I'm a man. Not a weakling little boy."he stated though he didn't look forward to the bus ride back to campus. he hated riding in vehicles period, but he was in no shape to walk long distances. Which made him sad considering his favorite place to go was quite far away to walk. He'd only taken cam there, noone else, but it was still his favorite place to go.

Lei couldn't help but to choke out a laugh to her statement about being a self-absorbed ass. "W..well i never said that i wasn't." he admitted. Rubbing his face with a sigh. "jeeze... you're as stubborn as an ox."

[Mia Bell]

“I can tell because you try to push people away.. Lei we’re more alike than you think or care to admit. ” She sighed “That’s caring about their well being but it’s not what I was talking about. That’s not caring about their situations, their own pain, their own sorrows and what they’ve been through! That’s what I care about Lei. That’s what I’m talking about.” She shook her head “No, I don’t want to be another person you cry over. In any way.” She placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah… How did that go anyways?” It pained her to ask that question. Mia wanted to know if Lei had a good time though. She wasn’t going to be a selfish friend. “Yeah… It’s my fault though.” She shook her head “ugh.. Never mind.” She looked at the ceiling she thought she had been over the self-pity thing.

“I didn’t say you were one… But everyone has their limits.” She looked to the door that went into the backroom “Please, can you just do it for me?” She wanted him to relax, and not strain himself. She looked at the bruises on his neck and ran her fingertips along one of them. “Would you like to put some ice on these bruises? Or would you like some aspirin?” She didn’t think asking what happened would be a good idea. If he ever wanted to talk, then he could do it on his own time.

Mia smiled warmly “Hey I made you laugh!” She couldn’t help but think he was contradicting himself a little from what he said before and now. “True, you didn’t.” Mia laughed “Yeah I am. You’re going to have to get used to it.”

[Leiken Chu]

"Then don't get close to me. For your sake and mine as well." he stated pulling away from from her hand as he took ina breath. He wasn't sure if his ability would attack her at that point and he didn't want to risk it, he knew he was weak, and it wasn't likely at that point. however, he did not want to risk her getting injured. "And especially don't touch me. Not if you value your safety." he pleaded with her.

"oh..." he trailed off making an awkward expression. He wanted to tell her 'yeah bitch it went great and we flirted alot' but he didn't want to see her upset. "...it doesn't matter. I doubt i'll see him again anyway. " he stated though he had planned on going to bother him to cook and hang out, but given the state he was in he didn't want to give an explination for why he was so beaten up. The other man had praised him for being badass before. if he saw him now lei was afraid of what he might think. Though why did he even care? It confused lei to a point.

He exhaled heavily in defeat, "Alright...fine, just don't touch me, and don't let me miss my bus. I can't walk all the way back to campus before nightfall in this condition." he stated as he moved away from her touch again. "It's fine. I they'll go away soon. They're minor in comparison to what they were before. The doctor healed the majority before she grew tired. " He stated before he walked toward that room. Not mentioning that he had needed a breathing tube just to survive at that time.

Though he gave her an awkward smirk, "I guess you did. This time. " he stated as he moved into the backroom. "You sure it's okay for us to be back here?"

[Mia Bell]

Mia sighed “Alright… I’ll try not getting too close to you.” She wondered if he ever felt lonely not being able to be close to people. “I don’t value anything about myself..” She mumbled. But it was only because he mentioned himself that she won’t get too close to him. She didn’t care about her safety, she wasn’t afraid of getting hurt or dying.

“You’re lying… Cameron’s the type of person you always want to be around.. So you’ll see him again, and you know you will because you want to. Don’t sugar coat shit with me.” Besides, she had thought the same thing with Cameron the first time she met him. That she wouldn’t see him again, but look how that turned out.

“Fine. Though I can’t promise anything about the bus, though if you do miss it I’ll ask my Uncle if he can drive you back to Hammel.” She wasn’t sure if the man would, “And if he won’t I’ll give you Cameron’s number, I know he wouldn’t mind picking you up.” Yes she still had his number, she needed to delete it but could never bring herself to. “Alright. I’m glad your okay. Are you sure you don’t want some aspirin? Do you want a bottle of water or something?”

Before Mia started walking toward the backroom she looked at one of the employees “Hey! Could you put this back up for me?” She handed the worker the guitar as he came over to do as she asked. “Thank you! And don’t forget to do inventory.” Mia looked back at Lei and started walking with him. She nodded “Yep! It’s totally fine. I always hang out in here. “

Mia opened the door to the backroom, that was a studio, there was the studio part with the couch and coffee table.

[Leiken Chu]

"How can you say that? You should value yourself more than that, Mia." he stated firmly to her. She was alive and because of that she deserved to value herself. There was no life that wasn't valuable in some way or another to leiken. "Jeeze. Take a lesson from me. Love yourself more than you do others because even if you don't have anyone else, because people always leave, you'll at least yourself to love you." he stated firmly toward her still. Though he made a heavy breath of a sigh. The pain in his body seeming to ache only when he moved too much.

Lei's features flushed a bit as she spoke of cam in the way he would remember him. He looked away slightly before he spoke to her again, "You're right. I do plan to see him again, not because i want to be with him or anything, but because he's easy to talk to and has a good personality. " though he wouldn't go on to talk about how attractive he was or anything beyond that.

"Your uncle?" he questioned with a slight embarrassed tone to follow it. "I already have his number. " he informed her. "Some water would be nice." he'd almost forgotten that her uncle owned the place until she started ordering around the people in the back. "Oh-oh okay then. " he stated watching people go about their business. He followed her into the room there then. Moving immediately to the couch where he would sit down to rest his body somewhat. "I had no idea this was back here."

[Mia Bell]

“Let’s just say I’ve never been give a reason to value myself.” She didn’t even give herself a reason. There was nothing special about her, other than her hair but that was fake so it didn’t count. Granted she shouldn’t even be alive, and sometimes she wished she wasn’t. “But if no one else loves me, than why should I love myself? Shouldn’t there be a reason why people keep leaving? If that reason is legit than why should I love myself?” She shook her head “I’m not saying any of this to get attention, or to get pity from you. Just to let you know. I don’t need it.” It was just the way Mia felt.

“You’re lying again.. You do want to be with him.. I can tell, you’re getting flustered. Besides everybody wants to be with him. He just gives off that vibe that you want to be around forever.” The problem with that is, Cameron also wanted to be with everybody. Which had been the problem with them, even though Mia fell in love with him, she couldn’t trust him with her heart, because she knew Cameron didn’t truly love her and will never truly love her. That was obviously from how easily he had gotten over her. “You are right. He does have a good personality and is easy to talk to.” She looked at the ceiling “just be slightly careful with him alright… Don’t expect too much from him.” Half of her wondered if she should tell Lei what happened between them, how Cameron just seemed to stop caring for months about her after they started dating. She didn’t want Lei get hurt the same way she had.

“Yeah my uncle… He’s the only one I know who has a car.” Other than Cameron. “Alright then. If you miss your buss than you can just call him to ask if he could pick you up.” As if it would be that simple for Lei. Mia nodded “alright there’s a mini fridge in the backroom with bottled water.” Mia sat down on the couch after getting Lei a thing of water. She held it out for him to take. “Most people don’t… I mean really only the employees, their friends and a few random people my uncle tells or brings back here. Your actually the first person I personally have brought back here.” None of her other friends really came into this store, Cameron never seemed to want to go into this store, because apparently there was an even better music store downtown out of the mall. Other than Cam, Noah was the only other person who was passionate about music in her circle of friends. Though she didn’t think she had to bring him back here, she figured her uncle already had that or he had stumbled upon it himself.