An explosive mixture of humors

So what if it was pouring? The rain didn't bother me in the slightest – quite the opposite, it was obvious I wasn't going to give up a trip to the city just because I'd be soaking wet after a few minutes. By "city," I mean the center of Częstochowa, where I live. However, my house is located on the outskirts (read: "in the middle of nowhere") of the city, so I was rather happy to wander around the shops downtown, which happens rarely (only once a week) because, unfortunately, I don't have time for frequent trips and sightseeing in my own home. The end of the school year was fast approaching, so I had to spend a lot of time studying (i.e., racking my brain over certain subjects).

That day (which was such a beautiful one, by the way...) I was as happy as a lark, and nothing could really dampen my spirits. Well, almost nothing. My mom was kind enough to yell at me right before I left (I was already standing in the doorway) for the mess in my room and for not doing my homework. So what if it was Saturday? So on the way to the bus stop, I kicked all the nearby trash cans that rolled under my feet (read "none" – there are no trash cans in my wonderful neighborhood). Finally, I lashed out at a pole for not wanting to get out of my way. Then I started jumping up and down in pain until a small child started clapping with joy. See? The mere sight of me makes children happy, let alone my personality...

"What are you staring at, you brat?!!! You haven't seen me when I'm angry yet!!! And believe me – you don't want to see me then!!!

After that beautiful text and that adorable little boy's run (he ran after his first words), I felt instantly relieved. By the time I got to the bus stop, I was in a great mood. But alas, happiness doesn't last forever. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't stop the bus... Even persuasion, like wringing my skirt out of water, didn't work—the nasty driver not only slammed the door in my face but also splashed me. And the fact that the driver wasn't visible anyway (the rain had done its job) had nothing to do with it. The urge to kill was boiling inside me again. This time, however, I found a trash can. I wanted to do what they usually show with it in manga, but alas—life isn't that easy—the kick did so much that my leg ached like a thud. The can remained in place... Coming to the conclusion that climbing under the awning wouldn't help me anyway, I released my negative energy by pacing around the bus stop. By the time the next bus arrived, I had completely exhausted the thunderbolts that had previously been burning in my eyes. With a smile, I climbed the steps onto the vehicle and didn't even "stroke" the validator pole with my boot when the latter refused to validate my soaked ticket.

All the seats were taken, so I stopped at that awful ticket machine. I was having a great time until I had a brilliant idea. Specifically, I took a book out of my bag and started reading, thus weakening my sensitivity to all external attacks... I know I'm writing incoherently, but please don't read this sentence a hundred times trying to find the meaning... Because you probably won't find it there, just like in most of the nonsense I write here...

And I was driving along, engrossed in reading, and surprisingly, I didn't even lose my sense of humor, but unfortunately, something had to interrupt these beautiful moments... Something turned out to be a particularly nasty curve that suddenly appeared in the bus's path and, out of nowhere, caused havoc... What I mean is that as I was turning, I reacted too late and didn't have time to grab on tighter, which resulted in me falling backward in a beautiful fashion. I bumped into several passengers, bouncing off them one after another, and ended up in a young man's lap.

The young man gave me a disapproving look, which immediately unsettled me. How dare he look at me in such a repulsive manner?! The turn ended, but not only did I not get up, but I also started looking at the boy like he was a bug I could easily trample...

"I understand you're comfortable, but maybe you could consider others?" the lovely little bug blurted out sarcastically. I noticed he was quite handsome – brunette with steel-blue eyes. His hair was arranged charmingly on that oh-so-smart head...

"Comfortable? On your bony knees? What else..." I said ironically, then stood up, letting him know I was simply acting too late. Only after a moment did I realize that this wasn't the best idea after all...

"Better now! Instead of reading those ridiculous crime novels, you'd be better off looking straight ahead, beautiful.

" "Beautiful?" You seem intent on completely ruining my mood...' I said, wondering if he was mocking me or being serious.

'What? If you want it so badly, I can call you ugly...' he replied in a remarkably dismissive tone.

'I prefer the first version... I wonder why...? And as for my crime novels, it's better to read them than nothing, besides, they stimulate the brain cells... You could use a few such "crime" sessions...

' 'Very funny, but I don't think I'll use them, I prefer science books...

' 'Yes...? What kind, for example?' I asked, intensely interested in the topic. I'd completely forgotten about my anger at the whole world.

'Anything I can get my hands on,' he replied, looking at me with a strange look in his eyes, in which I detected no trace of irony or anything of the sort.

"So you don't read novels at all?" I asked, like a journalist or a detective.

"I do, often, but I prefer not crime novels... I prefer something more worthwhile...

" "What does it convey, as they say? A bunch of nonsense, that's all. If you want to, you can find messages everywhere, even in crime novels. And if you don't care, you won't see them even in the greatest works. I generally read everything I can get my hands on. Not just rubbish like this.

" "I know, and you might be right about that. An intelligent person would come up with most of these "supposed" messages themselves...

" "What do you know?

" "That you don't just read crime novels.

" "Where?" I asked, oblivious. In the meantime, I had managed to take a closer look at my victim. Unfortunately, his hair wasn't long, but he was dressed entirely in black, with a anklet and beautiful, scratched combat boots...

"I've seen you spin around on that tube more than once, with a book in your hand... And the title isn't that hard to spot... Although some of us don't even notice the bend approaching...

" "I'd say it's not the bend approaching, but us approaching the bend, but since you care so much... They say you shouldn't argue with crazy people...

" "Not bad," he said, then laughed.

At that same moment, I noticed we were just pulling away from the stop where I should have gotten off.

"Oh shit!" I said, feeling my welcome bad luck resurfacing.

"What happened?" the surprised boy asked.

"I should have gotten off there..." I blurted out, feeling I was about to hear another brilliant line. Surprisingly, I wasn't wrong...

"I told you you weren't particularly observant, were you?" Well, if that's the case, you'll have to walk around in the rain for a while... Unless you don't have anything special to do there?

- Actually, I don't, I just go to the city center every Saturday, and today I left the house more out of habit than necessity...

- It's not bad, you can skip the shops, it's pouring anyway...

- So what? Go home where I can be bored in peace? A lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon...

- No, well... Actually, I had something else in mind, but since you're so keen on getting wet...

- And what did you mean? - I asked, looking at him suspiciously.

- I wanted to show you my book collection.

And at that moment, the bus stopped. My new friend stood up and got off, pulling me with him. I didn't even try to resist...

- "I'm Marek," he said casually.

"Kasia," I replied, wondering whether to go with him or not. But could I have been even more unlucky? Yes... But that's for later – first, a few words about me. I'm a sweet fifteen-year-old girl who, as you already know, loves reading books and is notoriously moody and always goes from good to bad. I have long, dark brown hair, usually tied in braids, amber eyes, and a sweet, childlike face, so no one ever takes me seriously. The only thing that makes me look serious are my beloved glasses, which I couldn't live without. I'm small, slim, and like to play dumb. I don't know why, but I find it very funny.

Jumping off the bus, Marek simply grabbed my hand, and now that we were outside, he didn't seem to want to let go. On the contrary, he held my hand in his, and I shuffled obediently alongside. I didn't even consider the danger of what I was doing.

"Do you live nearby?" "I guess so," he replied, resuming the conversation.

"I guess so," he replied without even looking at me. I felt irritated by his calm demeanor. Why the hell is he dragging me along?!

"Hey, why the hell are you dragging me along?" "Oh yes..." I asked the question as soon as it had formed in my head, in other words, mindlessly... without considering the consequences...

"What? You don't want to?" he asked, this time not only looking straight into my beautiful eyes but also stopping at the same moment... But he didn't let go of my hand...

"Not that I don't want to, but I'm just wondering why the hell you're taking a girl you don't even know to your house...

" "Oh! I see! You're probably scared..." he asked, looking at me with a look that actually made me afraid.

"Couldn't you just answer the question?

" "What?"

Silence. Do I have to repeat this damn question?

"Are you kidding...?" I asked, hoping so...

"It's simple.

" "What?"

- An answer.

- What? Now I don't understand anything at all!

- No? That's a shame...

- You're starting to annoy me...

- Yes? I wonder why...?

- So what about that answer?

- What?

- Simple...

- I like you - he finally said as if nothing had happened.

And this very simple answer had a strange effect on me. I started to feel suspicious.

- What?!

- That...

- What is that?!

- Should I repeat...? Are you deaf?

- No, not yet... But I'm inclined to assume I'm going deaf in my old age...

- Probably youth...

- Was that supposed to be a compliment...?

- Think what you want...

At that moment, we looked at each other and burst out laughing. What were we talking about?! Absolute nonsense! Standing still in this rain...

"First of all," I began, "we should move...

" "You can't get any wetter...

" "What are you talking about? Standing under an umbrella?" I scoffed.

"Under the umbrella of your smile, little one," he replied, and moved forward, still holding my hand. And I liked it. I really liked it. I felt important. I felt... loved? No, that's too strong a word. But my heart felt warm, even though we were standing in the rain. No, now we were walking in the rain... Soon we reached Marek's house. I wasn't even afraid when I crossed the threshold of his room. It wasn't particularly messy. The walls weren't plastered with posters like my brother's. Instead, they were lined with shelves. Shelves of books...

"Wow! There are so many!" I exclaimed, rushing to one of the shelves.

"I don't know, I've never counted..." he replied, as if thinking I'd asked a question...

"That's a shame," I replied, as if I'd actually asked...

"But you have a lot of books too, don't you?

" "Yes, but not in your room, and I mostly borrow books these days.

" "Maybe something here might interest you...?"

"I'm already interested... you won't throw me out anytime soon...

" "I don't care..."

I didn't let on that those words meant anything to me. And they did. And a lot... I felt somehow better. I looked at some books, pretending to be interested (I was thinking only of the living object sitting somewhere behind me, who knows, maybe preparing a knife to stab me...), then I turned to him and blurted out:

"How old are you?

" "What? Me? Nineteen... And why are you asking...?"

"I was wondering if you were a pedophile..."

Silence. Sepulchral. Oh, shit. Shouldn't I have said that...?"

"Wait... But it's only... four years difference?

I was completely speechless. How does he know such things about me?! I don't have a sign on my forehead that says 'I'm fifteen'...?"

"How do you know how old I am...?" I asked suspiciously.

"Sometimes you study on the bus...

" "And what does that have to do with anything?"

"I once checked at a bookstore to see which class the book you were studying from belonged to... Because I didn't see the sign, but I did see the cover...

" "Which bookstore ?

" "Matras...

" "Oh! You buy books at Matras?

" "Sometimes... It's close to my school...

" "So you probably know Ms. Sylwia and Ms. Ula?

" "No...

" "Boo... How can you! Don't make friends with the ladies from Matras...

" "You know, I can always fix that...

" "We'll have to..."

"But it's raining today...

" "So, some other time...

" "Wait, you only have time on Saturdays now?

" "I guess...

" "Shall we arrange next Saturday..."

"Okay...

" "But it'll be a date...

" "All the better..."

He looked at me. He studied me. He laughed. I found myself such a guy... And by golly – how on earth was such a guy interested in me?! Could anything have ruined my mood that day...?

On my way home, I tripped over a rock, fell onto the asphalt, and broke my leg. Going out on Saturday was definitely out of the question. I fell into a completely bad mood. That was until Marek called on Monday evening, saying he couldn't make it until Saturday. I told him about the broken leg.

"Great! Then I can visit you every day, and you won't be able to run away!

" "Hey, honey, how did you get my number? You weren't stalking me, were you?"

"I asked the gentleman from Matras...

" "Then visit me tomorrow, but don't you dare forget a romantic detail!

" "You mean flowers?

" "Yes...

" "I'm off to buy a daffodil...

" "Why a daffodil?

" "I should say I'm hoping for your speedy recovery, but seriously, I just know you like daffodils...

" "And how do you know such things?"

"I saw you once on the bus with a friend, you had a daffodil in your hands and you were singing Nirvana songs to it... And on top of that, you were trying to think of a name for it...

" "You know what? It'll soon turn out you know more about me than I do...

" "Quite possible..." But that doesn't really bother you, does it?

" "What do you think?

" "I think I have to beware of private detectives now...

" "You're right, honey...

" "See you tomorrow, silly...

" "See you tomorrow, my victim..."

That day I fell asleep with a blissful smile on my face. And the next day I didn't wake up on the wrong side of the bed." In the end, I didn't even get out of bed...

That's ridiculous, isn't it? But what can I do? I like meeting people in an original way...? It's not my fault..