12. Awkward

All the people in the flat said hi before going back to their chats, which left the protector really confused because no one introduced themselves, nor that he wanted to introduce himself with his nickname.

The boy guided him to one of the back rooms in the place, none of them had doors, the windows were adorned with curtains with simple colors and the furniture in every room was made up of some chairs, sofas and small tables, some with empty cans of soda or beer, some empty plates that could had been occupied by snacks, more than food.

“Sorry for all the mess, I’d like to lie to you and tell you that it’s not always like this but… we’re pretty messy,” he said while sweeping off some crumbs of one of the couches before seating in it. The protector kept quiet when he seated without trying to see if it was clean.

“So, what’s this place? Are they gonna sell me drugs or something? Or they’ll wait until I fall sleep before drinking whatever they’ll give me?” The last words were still leaving his mouth when the boy started to laugh really loud, making some of the others came to peep out from the entrance, for a moment the protector couldn’t tell if they’re worried of him doing something to the boy or if they wanted to know what made him laugh. Either way, he felt even more awkward as when he had to say his nickname.

“Ow man, I knew having you here would be so funny.” The boy cleaned the tears that came out from his eyes because his outburst. “Relax, we’re not even a secret society, sect or cult, we’re just us, some misfits that come to this place looking for a refuge of their daily lives”.

His explanation, Teshal thought, left a lot to be desired. He didn’t know how much of it was true, it sounded like a club of misfits from high school, a place for nerds and bullied people. But seeing that there were some women and men with more that thirty years, and even teenagers talking to some of them like they’re in their group age; made him thought thoroughly. Besides, he was able to see that in some rooms were old looking computers, shelves full of different books and magazines.

“Ok, from your face I can tell it’s not enough the cheesy description.” The boy thought for some seconds before restarting. “Most of the members you saw in the social network’s group are people who gave up in their dreams for them to have a normal and more easy life, or any other reason.”

“Some of them became hobbyist in what it could had been their dream job: hobbyist writers, painters, designers, singers, musicians, chefs, bartenders, teachers and a long etcetera of lost dreams. There the meaning of the group’s name.” To the room came a girl, her age around his own, apparently, who gave to them canned soda before leaving. Teshal was still thinking about the group’s description to remember if the girl said something or how she looked like.

“And who are you?” finally asked the protector.

“Are you willing to say what you lost?” the boy looked at him right in the eye, this time the protector turned away. “Relax, it’s not a rule, but if you want to people to open up, you need to loosen up a bit too.” He gave him a pat in the back before talking again. “Here I’m Awkward Galaxy. Yes, most of us have ridiculous names, yours, by the way, it’s awesome.”

“Uhm thanks… I guess…” He didn’t want to give him another reason to laugh hard if he was teasing him. Only that this time he looked really serious about his praise.

“And, you didn’t ask so I wan to tell you,” the Awkward boy, as Teshal decided it suited best, said while watching his soda. “I didn’t lose a dream but a person. My sister had cancer and it took her away three months ago, I was already in this group, though. Because I had to give up on college so I could work and help my parents to pay for my sister’s treatment.”

“Then you’d had given your life if that gave her more years to live?”

“Yeah, lately I can’t take off from my head that impossible desire. I don’t think that even the Protector can do that… I wonder if someone outside can... although its too late to be useful”. His usual easygoing smile came back, even if in his eyes remained the sorrow.