The New KISS High School

Ch 6: Move On (Gene)

I looked at the clock before letting out a relieved sigh as Anne walked out of the back room, giving me a smile. "Alright you lucky bastard, you're off the clock. I'll catch you at closing on Monday," she said. Grinning, I pulled off my apron. "Can't wait. Have fun with all two customers in the shop," I said, clocking out and hanging up my apron before walking out of the coffee shop. 

"Hey Gene." 

I nearly jumped out of my skin, whirling to find Bruce leaning against the wall. "Bruce! Shit, you startled me. What uh...were you like looking for me?" I asked, almost hoping the answer was no. He shrugged. "Yeah, I was. We haven't really had a chance to catch up," he said casually. There was a silence as I tried desperately not to panic before I forced a smile. "So uh...why'd you leave Lester?" I asked, and as his mouth pressed into a thin line I felt my heart sink. "You know why."

"You didn't have to leave. No one remembers," I said weakly. "No one remembers because I left," he countered, arching an eyebrow, and I just wished desperately that the ground would swallow me up. "I'm sorry. I should've taken the fall," I whispered, but he shook his head. "That wouldn't have helped. No one would've believed that. It's alright. It's in the past and you're right, no one remembers," he said gently, but I still felt sick just thinking about it.

"I'm sorry," I said again, but he put a hand on my shoulder. "Gene. It's alright. I want to forget about it too, I want you to forget about it, that's why I wanted to talk to you. Let's just be friends," he said. "The way we were." The last part was almost an afterthought but it somehow still cut deepest. "Yeah," I mumbled. He let out a sigh, dropping his hand from my shoulder. "Look, that's why I came here, because I wanted to talk to you outside of school. So that people wouldn't...so that there wouldn't be a risk of anyone we know overhearing. We were good friends the first two years of high school, I have missed talking to you. And damn Gene we need to clear things up between us because if we have to wrestle each other and things are still really awkward it's going to ruin the whole season," he said with a faint grin. 

"Hah, y-yeah," I said, running a hand through my hair. There was another pause before I gave him a weak smile. "So did you want to get a coffee? I could get it for you, since I've got an employee discount and all, and you could like just pay me back," I said, unsure why I was being so panicked around him. "Paul does that all the time," I added. Bruce laughed. "Ah, sounds like Paul. He still the same?" he asked, and I nodded. "Yep. Same old Paul," I said with a smile. "At least some things never change," he said, before giving me a much more genuine smile and shaking his head. "But no, I'm alright. I just wanted to stop by and talk to you."

"How'd you know I worked here?" I asked, and he shrugged. "Eric told me. Singer. Not Carr, I haven't talked to him. Guess I will tonight though, since I'm going over to his place for dinner." "Oh he invited you over?" I asked, stunned at how bold Eric was being. Bruce chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, turns out his older sister is dating my older brother, she invited my family over. I don't even know if Eric knows, to be honest," he mused. "Oh, I could give you his number if you wanted to text him," I said. "He said he wants to get to know you more." 

 To my surprise and relief, Bruce's face grew pink. "Oh, he...he does?" he asked, and I nodded. "Yeah, he doesn't remember you from sophomore year and he wants to get to know you more. Tell him I say hi when you see him," I said with a smile. His face grew even pinker and he started to look flustered. "Oh. Well uh-um I'll have to...do that tonight," he said, putting Eric's number in his phone as I gave it to him. There was yet another pause before he gave me a quick hug. "Anyway. I'll see you around. It was nice talking to you," he said, and I nodded. "Yeah, same. I'll see you Monday," I said, giving him a wave as he walked off. 

I let out a sigh once he had walked away, running a hand through my hair. He had said he had forgiven me, that it was alright and we should just both forget about it and move on, just like everyone else had, but I just couldn't bring myself to let it go and forgive myself the way he had forgiven me. The buzzing of my phone snapped me out of it and I looked at the text from Eric with a smile. 

Eric: Hi hello why the hell did Bruce just text me that he was coming over to my house for dinner??? Tonight??????

Because Loretta is dating his brother and she invited him over ig
I gave him ur number tho, hope u don't mind

Eric: If this backfires on me I will v much mind but for rn thanks bc u know I'm way too shy to ask him for it myself lmao

I do know that, which is why I gave him ur number
Ur welcome

Eric: Thanks Gene love u

Lol love u too

I shook my head with a smile, heading to my car and sending a text to Paul telling him I was finally coming over and apologizing for being late. He pulled the door open the instant I rang the doorbell, giving me a smile. "Took you long enough! What was the holdup?" he asked. "Oh, ran into Bruce when I got off work and lost track of time talking to him. But anyway, come on. I'm supposed to be tutoring you, let's get going for that," I said, giving him a friendly shove and walking into his house. 

"I mean it's only the SAT, we could do something fun today," he asked, big brown eyes giving me a hopeful look, but I just shook my head. "We can do that after. But for now, I'm gonna help you study. You barely scraped an 800 on the last one, you're gonna have to do better than that," I teased. He  rolled his eyes, flopping onto the couch. "Ugh fine. 800 is pretty solid though," he protested. "We're getting you to at least 1000. Go get your prep book." "Go gEt yOuR pRep bOoK," he mocked under his breath, but nonetheless jumped to his feet, lovingly flipping me off before walking out of the room.

I just smiled, shaking my head, grateful that Bruce was right about Paul, because some things never changed and my friendship with him was still as good as it always had been.

I could only hope it would stay that way.