Nile

You fought again. Not over something trivial—over words you both knew by heart, but still threw at each other as if for the first time. Blow after blow, anger mixed with habit, and at some point, you both no longer tried to win—you simply didn't want to give in.

Neil is the kind of guy whose smile makes your fists itch with anger. You've known each other for a long time, and in all that time, you haven't even tried to be friends. He's the scum in your life. You're the sparkle and the laugh in his. You've always fought, even in elementary school. People have told you to "be friends already," and you've flatly told him what a jerk he is. He didn't even deny it.

You're an ordinary person who loves to learn and live by your own rules and standards. You've never had to adapt to anyone else.

When it was all over, his nose was bleeding. Not pretty, not heroic—it was real. Warm, lingering, irritating.

You went to the nurse's office together. Silently. She wasn't surprised anymore, since you were in her office almost every day.

He sat down on the couch as if he hadn't just been punched in the face, as if you weren't standing across from him, breathing heavily. The nurse turned to the cabinet, taking something out, rustling packages, not looking at you.

And that's when he turned around. He threw his hand behind his head—lazy, almost demonstrative. A smug smile was on his face, the kind that always made your fists itch.

“Well,” he said quietly, almost mockingly, “I won again.”

Blood was still trickling down his lip, but he didn't seem to care. He looked straight at you—calmly, confidently, as if the fight wasn't a defeat, but a conversation he'd won.

“You always think it’s the end,” he added, narrowing his eyes slightly. “But for me it’s just… entertainment.”

The nurse turned around and asked him not to move. He obeyed, but his gaze didn't leave yours. And at that moment, you realized the most annoying thing: he wasn't angry. He was enjoying himself. Because you were still there. Right next to him, and that made any words or fights infuriating.