Yovani Yate: Eighteen

Yovani Yate is eighteen years old. He has been eighteen years old for 2 months now, He has also been an orphan for two months now, and he's been planning to wander the country for exactly one week.

Thanks to living in a small town, Yovani nearly knew everyone, which was very helpful for selling off everything that wasn't food or memorials from his parents. His friends and the townsfolk had been very helpful, if not confused about the young man's choice, several offering to takecare of him, all denied with a tired smile and a small bow of thanks. He had already shipped off everything important to his distant relatives and was ready to leave, having finished saying goodbye to the ones important to him.

Yovani was now quite a far bit out of town, battling the weather as he was dragging his suitcase behind him. his cloak fluttered in the wind... Perhaps he should've waited for a sunny day to start his grand adventure, instead, he was dealing with a horrible day of rain.

He grumbled under his breath, pausing as the loud honking of a car horn attracted his attention. Yovani pushed his hair out of his face, the dark circles under his eyes clear as he observed the car.

The side window rolled out as a middle-aged man looked out to Yovani, giving the young man barely a minute to think before Coach Barl barked an order at Yovani

"Get your ass in the car before your scrawny ass gets blown away in the storm."

Yovani cringed slightly, but quickly got in, placing his giant suitcase on his lap awkwardly.

Coach Barl was Yovani's former Gym and music teacher. A serious man built like a wall with a shiny bald head, he was known to treat every lesson like it was a military exercise, whether it be playing a game of soccer or learning to play baa baa Black sheep on a violin.

There was an awkward silence as the car started moving again, surprisingly not turning around but continuing forwards, out of town.

Yovani decided to break the silence.

"You're, uh, not taking me back? Thought you were gonna pull a.'Yer an idiot Kid, whatta ya doing!' On me."

The Coach scoffed, eyes focused on the road as he opened his mouth.

"Thing is, yer ain't a kid no more. You're a grown man, maybe not all there in the head, but still. This is your decision, I ain't gonna stop ya."

Yovani smiled lightly, before tilting his head.

"Sooo, what's with the car ride then? I hope you don't plan to kidnap me, because I make for a very loud hostage."

There was an audible groan from the coach.

"I said it was your decision, what I left was the fact it was a dumbass decision. You clearly have no idea what you're doing Yate. What kind of moron goes wandering out in this weather?!"

Yovani frowned at being called a moron, a defensive remark crawling its way to his throat only to die on his tongue... The Coach was right, as always.

Yovani just shook his head, eyes turning to the road as he reached to fiddle with the radio, only to get his hand-

SLAP

slapped... He turned to the coach and the coach turned to him... before focusing on the road again. Yovani reached for the radio once more....

SLAP

He decided to give up for now.

He sighed, before his eyes widened in realisation, looking back at the coach

"Hey, You never did explain where you were taking me?"

Coach Barl squinted slightly, sighing before speaking. The older man didn't seem be bothered with explaining, but Yovani's curious gazed kept on him... also, if he didn't say anything, it might end up looking like a kidnapping.

"Ugh, A few hours out is some shitty motel. Should be a good enough place to rest until the weather is gone. And don't worry, I'll give ya enough money to actually last a day."

Yovani nodded, before crunching up his eyebrows. He looked over, tilting his head slightly.

"Okay, That's all coolio, but it still doesn't answer my biggest question, why? Not offense Coach, but you ain't exactly a saint or anything."

Coach Barl stared at Yovani from the corner of his eye, causing him to quickly bring up his hands infront of himself, waving them around as his mouth worked fast."

"Not to say you aren't nice or anything! In fact, I'd said you're one of the nicest people around, in town, in the state even! They sing songs about how cool the great Coach Barl is, with bards travelling-"

"Stop, stop it! You're speaking like we're in some dumbass fantasy story! Listen, I'm just doin' this because I don't wanna see a good kid like you end up killing themselves with himself due to a stupid ass decision like this."

Yovani, just looked down slightly. He had to admit, he was a bit ashamed. If someone like Coach Barl, who barely showed any emotion other than mild annoyance and extreme annoyance, then everyone else must've lost their mind. If he ever came back here, it would only be with the biggest apology flowers money could buy.

Yovani turned back to Coach Barl, opening and closing his mouth blankly not able to let out even a sorry... Though judging by the look on the Coach's face, maybe the conversation ending there was for a best. Yovani let out a small sigh, his eyes wandering around the car before finding their way back to the radio.

He reached a hand out-

SLAP