Man. My brain hurts. Anyway here's chapter three, enjoy.

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Finally school was over. Mono waited by the entrance stairs for Six and Tato and Taylor had already left. Tato had piano lessons and Taylor was going home to play videogames like he usually did.

So, Mono was alone. He felt a little awkward thinking about the upcoming meeting with Six and part of him hoped she'd ditch him or something. But the other part of him felt a little interested in the quiet girl, wondering what made her the way she was.

He heard the doors open and looked up, waiving a little when he seen her.

"Six, hey!"

She waved back, then hugged herself as she stopped to stand beside him.

"How was your first day? The last few classes can suck huh."

She nodded, looking back at the school with a tired expression.

"Do you live around here?"

She looked at him again and hesitated, making Mono cringe internally.

"I. Uh, sorry that sounds creepy. I was just asking in case you wanted me to walk you home?"

She hesitated again but pointed towards the street, starting to walk. Mono followed, and for a while the walk was silent before Mono spoke again.

"So...sorry if this is a sensitive topic but, why don't you talk?"

Glancing up at Mono, Six frowned slightly and shook her head.

"Oh, ok well..how do we communicate then?"

She raised a brow and Mono smiled a little bit.

"Our project. We both have to talk to present."

She sighed, stopping. She turned to Mono and looked up at him, crossing her arms.

"I...don't like to talk..at all..sorry."

Her voice was softer than Mono figured, and for some reason made his cheeks warm, which he quickly tried to mask by shrugging.

"It's not a problem but we will have to talk eventually right?"

She shrugged back and continued walking again, Mono following like before. It was awkward because he wanted to know more about her but she didn't give any chances to do that. So Mono started talking about whatever came to mind to pass the time.

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Six felt a little bad. It was clear Mono was trying to be friendly but Six just... didn't trust him that much. She did, however, like listening to him talk. He had lots of stories about when he used to go hunting with his dad and uncle, and how his uncle had a cabin in a section of woods. He always used a shotgun too, not a sniper or rifle or even crossbow. A shotgun.

"One time I tried to shoot it and let me tell you." Mono laughed lightly, shaking his head at the memory.

"Nocked me on my ass really quick. Never shot it again after that."

Six felt herself smile just slightly at the thought of him yeeting himself with a shotgun, and when she looked up at Mono she seen him looking back, a smile on his own face. She held his gaze for a second before the smile dropped and she stopped walking again.

Mono stopped and looked past her at the apartment complex.

"This it?"

She nodded, awkwardly looking down at her feet. Did she wave? Hug him? No hugging was way too much. Just. Walk away? But that was rude-. She contemplated everything when suddenly Monos voice snapped her back to reality. (whoop there goes gravity- sorry.)

"Well, it was nice walking with you. You'll be at school tomorrow right?"

She nodded once again and Mono smiled.

"Alright! I'll see you in class then."

He waved at her and she waved back, glad he figured out something before she did. She watched him walk away before turning and entering her house, closing the door behind her.

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Boy did he feel dumb. Mono called Tato as he walked home, needing to rant. Which he did. For fifteen minutes straight.

"Dude, you haven't breathed in two minutes calm down-."

Mono took a second and gasped, letting his body have oxygen again. Tato sighed.

"There you go. You're gonna pass out if you keep doing that."

"Sorry I just feel very stupid right now."

"You're not stupid, it's the first day for both of you. Give it time."

"Yeah... you're right. Thanks man."

"No problem, now I gotta go before my cat claws my leg off."

"Good luck."

Hanging up Mono rubbed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on. Give it time. Time wasn't something he felt like he had much of. When he got home he was a little surprised to see his dad was awake, sitting at the kitchen table. He was writing something as Mono sat down beside him.

"I didn't know you'd be up dad."

"I wasn't planning on it, but I couldn't sleep."

"Oh...you hungery or anything?"

"No, I'm alright. Go do your homework or something, I'll be fine."

Mono felt a little off about that but he did, taking his bag to his room. He had a lot of work to do. Powering through assignment after assignment Mono was on autopilot. Six smiled..again. But it seemed like she didn't want to smile.

So far both times she did she pushed the smile away, looking almost sad once she did. She was a mystery...

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Six went through her usual routine, cooking dinner, cleaning up, treating her mother and doing her homework before leaving for work. Usually she would busy her mind with music or something else to avoid getting tired too quickly, but this time her mind was a little occupied by a certain someone.

How could Mono make her smile twice in one day? Doesn't seem like much but for her, someone who rarely felt good enough to smile, it was a lot.

As she thought about him she found herself looking forward to school the next day, even going so far as to think about sitting with them during lunch again. She was thinking so much she didn't even mind all the looks she still was getting from coworkers.

Getting home late after work she collapsed onto bed, happy she didn't come home to more broken glass. She was exhausted, physically and mentally, and more than happy when she got to  fall asleep.

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Mmmmmmmmmmmman 1076 words less goooo. It's a shorter chapter this time cause I'm tired and have some depressing stuff to deal with later so yeahhhh.

I hope you're liking this so far though, it's fun to write. In the next chapter or so we may start touching on heavy topics so I'll put a warning before then.

Anyway, imma go sleep. Stay safe, drink water, and get some rest.

Mono out.