How To Stay Afloat (BxB)

Chapter 15: So many secrets

On our way home Nora and I smoke a bit and she tells me she can sell me some weed, which I happily accept, since my weed is almost gone.

My mom gives me a questioning look when I get home with Nora, but she doesn't ask. Nora's eyes are red from crying, maybe my mom saw that and didn't say anything because of it.

We sit down in my room and talk. She tells me about how she realized she was a lesbian and how her mother told her she'd disown her child if they were gay.

She also tells me about how she got into this situation with Austin. After her mom kept asking about boyfriends Nora felt pressured to try out dating a guy. That guy happened to be Austin.

They hooked up, but Nora didn't like it. She ended up convincing Austin to play her boyfriend. She doesn't tell me how she convinced him. It doesn't seem like he would do that for no reason.

They became good friends while pretending to be a couple.

"And what exactly happened that made your mom want you to break up?" I ask her. I remember her saying it was about his cuts.

She takes a deep breath. "Two weeks ago Austin called me saying that he screwed up. He didn't wanna tell me what he did, just to come over." She says. "He has called me a few times when he was feeling very bad. This time he got into an argument with his stupid dad again and he cut himself." She explains.

I don't wanna hear this. I mean, I really do. But I can't imagine Austin feeling so sad and hopeless that he would do that. The evidence on his arm is clear as day, but I just can't bring myself to visualize him doing that.

Two weeks ago. That was the week after I was at his place. My gut feeling wasn't so wrong after all.

"He cut deeper than usual. Like really deep. It didn't stop bleeding and I freaked out because I thought he was gonna die. So I wanted to call an ambulance, but he begged me not to. Who I ended up calling was my mother since she's a doc."

I nod, impatiently waiting for her to continue. Did he intentionally cut too deep? He called for help, so hopefully it was accidental.

"She stitched his cut and made sure it wouldn't get infected and stuff like that. She told him that he should stay away from me as he doesn't see the worth of his life and therefore must be the worst boyfriend ever."

"Oh god, your mom is horrible." I say shocked.

"Tell me something I don't know." She says frustratedly. "She told me how irresponsible I was to date him and told me to never speak to him again. Of course I still texted him secretly. But then a few days later he came by to get some stuff I had in my room and my mom came home early and saw him in my room and she took away my phone and guess who texted me? You guessed it, my girlfriend."

Oh. Well, that's a plot twist. I definitely did not guess that.

"Wait, you have a girlfriend?" I ask her, surprised.

"Had. I had a girlfriend. So my bitch mother got angry and kicked me out. So now I'm sleeping on a friend's sofa, trying to get by somehow."

"Nora, I'm so sorry. You deserve so much better." I say to her.

"I know it's not Austin's fault. I really don't regret calling my mom that night, I just wish he hadn't cut himself in the first place." She says. "I'm just hurt and frustrated and Austin wasn't there for me the way I hoped he would after fake dating for almost half a year."

"Some people can't see others hurting when they are in pain themselves." I explain.

"Oh how poetic. No, I just think I took our friendship way more seriously than he did. He started caring less and less over the last few weeks." She explains.