The Myth of the Fall

3 | Et Tunc Duo Erant

Caleb takes a couple steps and leans forward stealthily, "International Debate Competition" and presses the button for the lower-ground floor. "The one with Sophia?" Caleb looks at Josh with unnecessary perturbance, "Ask her yourself."

With a long sigh, I try to block their 'who's better' fight out. "You have reached the lower-ground floor." The mechanical voice informs us just as the elevator doors open. Caleb composes his gaze, "I'll see you in the next class, Densetsu" and storms out of the confined space.

I reach the button for 'first floor.' "What the hell is wrong with him?" Josh practically spats the words. Caleb can be infuriatingly difficult. "I honestly don't know, Josh."

I look around the elevator which seems as dingy as a neolithic dungeon, wooden planks line up against metal, apart from the mirror albeit cracked, "Maybe everything." Josh snorts and in less than a second begins outright cackling.

My eyes scrunch in concern for his broken humour. "You have reached the first floor." Thank god. I would have committed a grave sin if it had taken another second for the doors to open.

"So, international-e debat tier wett be werb?" I stare at him with my jaws hanging loose.

What the hell was that pronunciation?

"My pronunciation wasn't that horrible to receive a reaction like that." Wasn't that horrible? If you're speaking another language, then make sure it doesn't sound disrespectful because that was far from good.

I reach out for his shoulders with both of my hands and stop him in his tracks, "Josh, repeat after me. Okay?" I look at him to gauge his reaction, my words at a slow pace, "Say, Internationaler." He looks at me as if I have grown two heads, "International Debate Competition." If you want to speak in another language, respect it. Please. "Josh, say-"

He covers his ears with his hands and starts walking away singing an off-tune 'lalala.' "Josh, it is not 'laLALA,' it's actually-" He glances back at me and comes charging towards me like a bull seeing red.

We crash on the marble tiles with him using my only weakness against me. Tickles. "Josh Matthias Fawn, I-laughs-order you-laughs-to stop." He grins at me and increases the pace of tickles, "Not the government name, Alayna Jane Baker."

"Is this bad timing, Alayna?" Oh no, please don't let it be who I think it is. I did brilliantly at forgetting her existence in the morning.

"Not at all," Josh discontinues his onslaught of tickles and finally gets up from the floor, "I was just teaching her a lesson." I can hear Sophia's breath hitch. "It's not like that Sophia." I hurriedly ramble while ungracefully rising up from the floor.

"What is it not like?" I try to warn him with my most lethal eyes. His eyes, slowly, widen. Joshie finally reads the room. There's a first time for everything.

"Anyway," Sophia shifts her auburn gaze uncomfortably between me and Josh, "Did you read the mail?" I was about to before your lover boy stormed out of the lift. "Not yet." My voice is still a pitch higher than usual.

She playfully pushes Josh out of the way and walks to my side, taking out her, overrated, iPhone 13. She opens the mail, a very long one, "I'll sum it up for you, WE GOT QUALIFIED." She basically screams out the last part. Josh joins her in the screamfest while I'm opening the mail on my phone to confirm it.

Gosh, my internet sucks.

I eye Sophia and Josh while my mail loads. It's hard to believe how close they seem right now. I could have bet my name in the hall of fame a year ago that they dislike each other. Loathe would be a better word.