The New KISS High School

Ch 20: Stupid (Paul)

I frowned, staring at the wall opposite of me. It was beige, and boring, and didn't even have a window on it. All it had was some stupid framed print of a vase of flowers that I had stared at for so long it was probably burned into my retinas. There was a sudden knock on the door and I jumped, turning to look at it. Assuming it was my parents, I let out a sigh. "Come in," I said in a flat voice. To my pleasant surprise, Gene pushed open the door, walking in and setting a stack of homework on the table beside my bed. "Hey. Uh...how's the guest room?" he asked. "It's great, I love it," I said sarcastically. "Instead of being in my room, with things to do, I get to sit here and stare at the wall," I muttered, closing my eyes and leaning back against the pillows. 

"Fun. So I got your homework and stuff obviously but I also got you something else, you mind if I go grab it from my car?" he asked. I cracked open an eye, giving him a confused look. "Sure, what'd you get me?" I asked, but he just grinned. "Nah it's a surprise, I'll be back," he said, walking back out of my room. I sat up a bit more when he got back, wincing as I moved my leg and looking eagerly at the present in his hands. "What's that?" I asked. "Why don't you open it and see?" he said, sitting on the edge of my bed.

Rolling my eyes at the snarky comment, I ripped off the wrapping paper, which was nothing more than the Sunday comments from the newspaper last week. A smile spread across my face as I saw just about every single food and drink I had made an offhand comment about liking, on top of a brand new guitar strap and a box of picks. "Aw Gene," I murmured, giving him a smile, cheeks flushed pink. He smiled back, ruffling my hair. "Of course. Least I can do. I'm also here to give you the gift of studying for your SAT though, don't think I forgot." 

"Good, I need to get that up since I can't use football to get into college now," I said bitterly. He patted me on my good knee. "It takes four to eight weeks to heal. You'll take the rest of football season off probably and then you'll be all set for soccer. You're really good at soccer too." "Yeah but I'm not good enough to play in college!" I snapped. "Football was my one shot and it was kind of already almost a stretch, and now I've gone and ruined it because I had a season ending injury the first week of my senior season!" I cried, feeling tears pricking at my eyes. 'Don't cry, don't cry, don't you dare cry in front of him,' I thought to myself, trying desperately to fight back tears.

He leaned over, wrapping me in a hug. "It's fine. You're going to be fine, you're going to get into college and it'll all be okay," he said soothingly. I bit down on my quivering lip, feeling a lump rising in my throat. "I just really wanted to play football one last time," I choked, burying my face in his shoulder. "I know. But hey, you can still be a part of the team. I know your coaches will let you go to the games and be on the sidelines and stuff." "Great, the sidelines. I haven't been benched my entire football career, might as well start when I'm supposed to be on top of my game," I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice. 

He let out a sigh, patting me on the back before letting go. "I know. I'm really sorry. You should just lie back down though, you're really not supposed to be moving your knee that much." "I'm not. I just sit here on my bed with my leg propped up and the stupid brace on and ice it on and off all day and all night and I'm so fucking sick of this already," I grumbled. "Just two more days though, right? Then you're able to move a bit more?" he asked, and I nodded. "Mhm. They want me to walk around at home on Monday before seeing if I'm up for school on Tuesday. Wanna give me a ride since I can't do anything without crutches?" I asked, and he nodded.

"Of course. Oh, that reminds me. You need me to grab anything from your room?" Gene asked. I went back to leaning against the pillows with a sigh. "Nah, but thanks. You wanna stay for a bit to keep me company? I'm just stuck home alone all day," I said hopefully. "Yeah I was actually gonna ask if you wanted me to spend the night," he said, and I sat right back up, giving him an eager smile. "Really?! Oh wait you've got work, you'll be gone by five AM," I said, smile wavering. But to my shock, he shook his head. "Nah, I took off work tomorrow so I could stay with you longer," he said, and I practically melted into a puddle on the bedsheets. "But you never take off work." 

"Well you're usually not stuck in bed with a torn MCL," he countered with a grin. "But you always complain about never having any sick days and how much you hate using them! And-and how you hate taking off work because you need the money!" I protested. "That's true, but you're my friend and I want to do what I can to make you feel better. I mean come on, protest any more and I'm gonna think you don't want me here," he teased. I looked at him, at the smile curving his lips, before coming up with the stupidest of my life and kissing him, nearly smacking my face against his in my rush.

He immediately pushed me away. "Ohh Paul, I'm really sorry. I've got a girlfriend, you know that," he murmured, giving me such a sympathetic look that my insides curdled. All I wanted now was to run away but of course I couldn't move without crutches, and even if I did run it would just be a horribly slow hobble that would make things even more awkward, meaning we were just stuck there together. There was the longest and most uncomfortable silence of my life before I sank back to the pillows, burying my face in my hands. "Can we pretend that never happened?" I muttered. "Pretend what happened?" Gene asked mildly, and I bit back a sigh of relief. "Thanks. Anyway, uh...want something to eat? I haven't eaten since breakfast so I'm kinda hungry," I said, grabbing the pair of crutches and standing myself up.

I could feel his eyes on me, still all sympathetic, and mentally cursed up a storm at myself. Of course I'd kiss him when I was in the one place where I couldn't run away if it went wrong.