Chapter 2

I get awoken by a loud ringing, coming from my phone. It's a… call. I get nervous and choose to ignore it. After a short while, the call gets broken off and I see a mountain of texts from an unknown number.

7:20

[„ Good morning, Vill!"]

[„ Is it possible for us to meet today?"]

[„ Hello?"]

7:50

[„ Are you ignoring me on purpose?!"]

[„ If you don't answer me, I'll come over to your place, that's fine, right?"]

8:25

[„ VILL WHERE ARE YOU PLEASE"]

8:40

*one missed call*

Oh it's probably just Simin. Wait, is he coming over? Please tell me he's not coming over… Let's quickly get dressed just in case.

8:55

[{Vill}: „I just woke up, sorry for the belated answer. Let's meet up today! Though I'd prefer for us to meet at your place, mine is a bit of a mess right now."]

[{Simin}: „Just meet me at school in about twenty minutes."]

[{Vill}: „I'll do that."]

Jeez, my summer just started and I'm already stuck with these uncomfortable feelings. Why is it, that I'm the only one that has to feel this way. Everyone else loves meeting with friends so why do I hate it so much.

The weather is nice and it's damn hot. Now is not the right time to start sweating. What'll he think of me…

Ah, I see him. Right next to him, there is someone else. Her posture indicates, that she is bored out of her mind. She's quite literally shaking Simin out of boredom. Wonder who she is?

Hopefully she's not someone from school, that'd be awkward.

{Vill}: „Hey, Simin. I'm here."

{Simin}: „Right, hello. This is my twin sister, her name is Occam."

I try to keep calm but my heart is beating. I hate meeting new people and she already looks like the type to judge me. Better play it safe and keep the conversation flowing.

{Vill}: „Oh, Like the philosopher?"

{Occam}: „I'm sorry, I hate my name as well! Gosh, this is such an awkward meeting now, thank you, brother."

She's good at this. Her bashful reaction made my mind naturally relax and it sets the atmosphere perfectly for a laid back talk. Jeez, how can I compare to a social god like her? Do I have to be as outgoing as her to find friends?

{Vill}: „I think it's an awesome name. Anyways…"

{Simin}: „Let's talk business. Vill, this is your application for the DEC. I'm guessing you read my mails about the school and our plan?"

What mails?

{Vill}: „Yeah."

{Simin}: „Then just take this with you and apply as soon as you get home. As mentioned in the letters, my sister will also take part in this and you are free to introduce me to people, who you deem worthy for our plan as well."

{Vill}: „Sorry, I don't have any friends to be quite honest with you."

{Occam}: „Haha, that's fine. We can be your friends from now on. You know, Simin was like that at first too, haha."

{Simin}: „Yeah, dude. After all, we'll have to stick together if we want to survive in the DEC."

Yeah right. As if these people actually liked me.

{Vill}: „Sure… So is there anything we still have to discuss?"

{Simin}: „You're free to go."

{Vill}: „Yeah, see you. Bye Occam."

{Occam}: „Byee. Don't forget to write Simin, so he doesn't keep pestering me~"

As soon as I got home, I signed the application Simin wrote for me and used the DEC exclusive system of parallel application, where students apply in a group. To do it is quite easy, you just have to write the corresponding code under your actual application.

The DEC, huh? If I'm gonna apply for arts, aren't I fucked? Simin assured me, that I had talent but that doesn't mean, that I can survive the cutthroat competition in the DEC. It's not like Simin can help me if I fall behind.

At the end of the day, they have expectations for me but who am I to fulfill those expectations? What does Simin see in me?

In the end, I gave in and spent the rest of my summer break drawing and practicing. There was an insane amount of improvement and I grew more and more confident. That was, until I lost that initial spark, which Simin predicted would happen. Every drawing made me more and more depressed and Simin noticed that over our talks on the phone.

That's how it came to this…

{Simin}: „I'll have the number 137 and for drinks, I think I'll settle for apple juice."

„ Sure."

{Occam}: „For starters, I'll take the spring rolls and I'll have uhh… The E5."

„ For drinks?"

{Occam}: „Ah, no drinks. No no."

„ For you, sir?"

{Vill}: „U-Um, just 112 and some water."

„ Will that be medium?"

{Vill}: „Huh?"

„ If you want your water to be carbonated."

{Vill}: „Nah. Keep it still, I think."

„ Thank you."

{Occam}: „HAHAHA, Vill you are so awkward it's genuinely so funny."

{Simin}: „You might be the most socially awkward person I know."

{Vill}: „You're one to speak! Why did you repeat it thrice, that you don't want a drink?"

{Occam}: „It's called talking comfortably, you should try it. You're always so on edge."

{Simin}: „What did I tell you about speaking respectfully?"

{Occam}: „Tsk."

{Vill}: „So… Why meet up?"

{Occam}: „Do we need a reason to meet up? We're friends."

{Simin}: „Actually, I noticed, that you had some trouble recently, so I thought this would lighten your mood."

What is this feeling? But why would they do that for me, I just don't understand.