Kashmir [BxB]

Chapter 17 - A dubious handkercheif

"Hi."

My short breath of a greeting comes out as tense as I feel, rather than the curt hello I wished for. It's Friday lunch, and the gang's all back together.

Apparently, Nate had bribed Esme with Taco Bell yesterday to keep her away from the cafeteria and from blowing up at Kade. Now though, they're all sat there, around the table, leaving only one chair left for me.

The one between Kade and Nate.

"Hi!"

Kade's greeting is surprisingly exciting, and his smile is wide. He even pulls out the chair for me, and for a moment I think he's trying to make me fall.

"Oh! How's that... fuck is it called? James, help me!", Dan whines, trying to come up with whatever word.

"Diwali!", James pretends to whisper, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Diwali!", Dan exclaims, lighting up like one of our diyas, "How was Diwali?"

"It was good.", I nod, taking a fork full of salad.

"That's it? 'Good'? C'mon, I thought it was like Christmas to you!"

I shrug, but look up with a genuine smile.

"More like New Years, but yeah. It was great, all fun with food and gifts and family. I don't know what to tell you though. I was kind of stressed about missing school to be honest."

"Oh c'mon, you're fine. What do you have to worry about?", Nate bumps my shoulder.

"The fucking English essay, dude. It's killing me.", I groan, rubbing my forehead. The fucking English essay. It was a coed project that I did together with a girl called Lena where we were supposed to compare how punishment was presented between 'Othello' and 'Inferno'.

It was hell, pun fully intended.

"I swear to god, I've read 'Othello' like, three times now, and the plot is lost on me. Why the fuck would a handkerchief be a reason to murder someone?", I complain, stabbing my salad.

"Well, it's not the handkerchief per see. It's like a symbol of love and fidelity to Othello, so he takes it as a sign of his wife cheating when Cassio gets a hold of it."

The table quiets and everyone, including me, turn to Kade.

"What? I read it last year.", he shrugs.

Of course the gorgeous man is also well-read, as if I needed more reason to adore him.

"That's great! You can help Kash out then!"

"What?", I say, meeting Kade's eyes that surprisingly, don't speak of any ill-will against James' suggestion.

"Yeah, that's a great plan!", Nate adds, a beat too late, before turning to bump our seething friend."Don't you think so too, Esme?"

"...fine.", she bites out, glaring daggers at the man beside me. Esme's fine with this?

I thought she would've flown off the handle at that, and Nate was the one who suggested Kade and I stay away from each other for a while. What's going on?

I survey Kade, expecting him to pull the breaks to get out as fast as possible. But the idea is good... even though it feels nerve-wracking to be alone with him, I do need help with the essay. And he did apologize yesterday, even though it was weird...

"I mean, I'm okay with it. If you are, I mean. Of course you don't have to, I just-"

"I'll do it!"

I let out a breath at his interruption, searching for any emotion in his eyes that could reveal his thoughts, but come up short.