A Lover's Play

02- INCIDENTS

Wednesday 9:32 AM

After what felt like an endless horror movie, the first period was finally over and Nova, James and Jean were on the way to the cafeteria. They brought Thomas with them so they could introduce him to Kele and Carl, who were sitting at the mid-centred table of the canteen.

"Oh there you are", Kele said as they finally reached the table. It wasn't easy to get there, as it was a bit crowded around Kele and Carl. 'Freaking bad to be popular sometimes', Nova thought.
  "As we can see, you're now four instead of three. Oi, aren't you that cute boy from primary school? Yes, I remember. What's your name again?", Carl asked.

"Oh, I'm Thomas, but you can call me Tom, if you want to", the boy quickly responded, gave Carl a foxy grin and sat down next to Kele.
Kele stretched out his hand. "Tommy it is! Welcome Tommy everybody!"
"Actually, only my parents are allowed to call me that- "
"Okay, from now on you see me as a father-figure!"
With a shocked expression, Thomas stared at him but refused to say another word and looked down.

"Carly, d'you have something to eat? I'm starving as I wasn't able to have breakfast this morning", Nova asked her boyfriend and settled down on his lap, looking innocently at Carl, after throwing an angry look at Kele.
"Sure", he answered and grabbed his breakfast, a cheese sandwich with ham and lettuce, out of his rucksack. Nova smiled brightly and took happily a huge bite.

Then all of the sudden, Thomas started to look around, as if he was searching for someone. Then he waved at two boys and shouted: "Over here!"

"What?" Jean asked confused and looked at Thomas slightly shocked.
"Oh, two friends of mine are going to this school too. They are in year eleven." Either Thomas completely ignored Jean's reaction to that, because he didn't care enough, which was nearly impossible; or he just didn't realise.
"Wait, aren't we enough already? Do we actually need to be eight?", Jean sighed and watched the two boys coming over to their table. "Ehh, Nova?"
"Hmm?", Nova made, as she wasn't able to speak, while chewing the bread. But instead of responding with words, Jean just pointed at the boys' direction. Nova followed his finger and her eyes widened.
Now the two of them finally reached the friend group and literally everyone but Thomas fell silent. Kele dropped his phone, he just had drawn out and one of the boys' mouths fell open, while the other just grinned widely.
Carl was the first to speak.
"Hi. Petre, Winston." He gave them a little nod and looked at Thomas with big eyes.
"Wait, you know each other?", Thomas asked surprised and Kele, who seemed like to get out of his state of shock, responded with a quiet 'yes'. "How?" Thomas's voice now sounded excited.
Nova breathed in heavily, recovering from being paralyzed as well. She was about to say something, but the boy who seemed to be Winston was faster.

"I rejected her." His eyes fell on Nova.

***

'Why have I been so stupid. I shouldn't have asked him out', Nova thought while sitting on the toilet, sobbing. It was her third week of her first year of college and she already wished, she would be dead by now. She just ended a relationship and was now crying out her eyes instead of being in the classroom.
She used the excuse that she needed to have a wee, but it has been half an hour by now and Nova just can't stop crying. 'I can never talk to him again. I'm so stupid.'
She sobbed another fifteen minutes on the loo and fixed hair and make-up, before she decided to come out. The corridor was so overcrowded again, it must have been lunch break. She hurried into the cafeteria and searched for her brothers, till she finally found them.
"Thank god, you're here..."
"What? To be honest, it was a long arse time, for just needing to use the restroom! Where have you been?", Jean asked. "You almost missed the whole first period!"
"I know that. I'll explain to you two later, when we are at home. Listen, is James anywhere nearby?"