Daffodils

Chapter 13

Last four days went really fast. I met Lisa four days back and since then I didn't left my room. Not even once. I didn't even go to school. Kim called me two days back. I told him that I wasn't feeling well so he came to meet me. We spent almost an hour talking. It was nice, but it didn't feel like before. I didn't feel that excitement. Kim even tried kissing me but I stopped him and excused to use use washroom. When I came out of the washroom he was already on call with his father. He had to go back. He bid his goodbye. We hugged and then he left. And again I started thinking about my meeting with Lisa and how she reacted when I confessed to her.
••••
"W-what? You mean- you like me? As in-" She didnt expect this coming from me. She was really shocked.

"Lisa, look. I always stopped myself. Even I didn't want to feel like that and-"

"You know that this is crime, right?" She glared right into my eyes.

"Lisa I know. I know I shouldn't have felt that way. I tried controlling. But what should I do? You tell me. What should I do? I can't resist myself to fall for you." I broke the eye contact and hung my head low.

"A-and what about Kim? Did he know all this?"

"N-no." Tears started rolling down. And my voice broke. "I directly came here to confess to you."

"Rick, I think I should leave. And-" She lifted my head with her index finger. "This is not our last meeting." She gave a broken smile and left. I was just confused of her reaction. I became a crying mess at that time. I fell on the ground and just cried my eyes out. After almost half an hour I stood up and got back to home.
••••

And since then, I couldn't forget her smile. That broken yet calming smile. And the way she reacted. She wasn't happy yet she wasn't angry too.

It was a rainy day and I was just casually sitting on the window sill of my room, thinking. Dad knocked. I walked towards the door and open it for him. He entered my room and sat on the bed.

"Are you really going to ignore everything so easily and try to cut yourself from everyone?" Dad was just staring at the floor while talking.

"Wha-" He looked up at me and gestured me to sit near him. I sat a little distant from him.

"Look, Rick. I don't know what had happened to you and trust me, I don't even want to know. It matters to me what you are going through. And seeing you in pain is what hurts me and your dady the most. But we will not going to poke you and ask you what's wrong, it is your life and you have to solve your problems by yourself as we are not going to be there forever to solve all your problems." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "But we can't see you like this. Whatever you are going through, just fix it. You know what, you can't run away from everything forever, nobody can. You have to face it otherwise. Then why to hide on the first place. Just face the situation, create the mess. And you know what, the one who creates the mess alot is the one who knows how to clear it up. Just trust yourself and stop running from situations." He got up and walked out of my room. I was totally numb and was just sitting there.
----
Two days passed since the encounter with my dad. And finally I decided to show up in school. I got up from the bed and went to do my morning routines and get ready for school. I went downstairs, took my lunch and bid good bye to dads. Dads were happy seeing me going to school. Dady approached me to hug and later gave me a forehead kiss before I left for school.

I was standing in front of school gate and debating between whether to go inside or go back. I suddenly felt something hard hit my back and I fell on the ground. When I tried to look back, something turned me around and sat on my stomach. And suddenly I felt a hard punch on my face.

"Aghh-" I whined and was about to shout at the person but he punched me once again.

"Where the fuck were you, bitch?" I wasn't able to see clearly but with that cursing, I assumed that it was Andrew.

"L-let me speak." And with that, I received another punch.

"Now you want to speak. After leaving us hanging for a week without answering our calls, without letting us come in your house." Brad shouted at me and kicked me on my side. Mark picked me up by my collar.

"Hey- hey. Let him speak." Kim came to save me before Mark landed a punch on my face. Mark left my collar and folded his hands in front of his chest and gave me deadly glare.

"L-look, I was ill. I wasn't feeling w-well." I couldn't speak properly with all those punches I received.

"Wasn't feeling well doesn't mean you have to ignore everyone, Rick." Joe arrived from somewhere and said in a worried tone. And Jack hugged me from behind. I was so overwhelmed with all these words. They never showed this soft side of themselves.

While we were busy in all this, my eyes caught something. It was Lisa. She was seeing us from the classroom window. As soon as she saw me staring at her, she went away. I assumed that she still didn't forgive me.

The school bell rang. We all went to our classrooms. I and Kim were walking together. While climbing the stairs on the way to our class, he intertwined our fingers. When I looked at him, he gave me a bright smile. I usually feeling so calm when he smiled at me, but that day, I wasn't feeling like before. I just gave him a forced smile and we continued walking together.

In the class, I saw Lisa sitting on the last row and was scribbling something on her notebook. I gave a glance and walked towards my seat. I and Kim sat together as usual and the class started.

I startled with the sound of school bell, as I was sleeping. It indicates that it was already lunch break. Kim smack my head and ran away towards the canteen. I smiled by his childish act. I got up and collect my belongings and move towards canteen. I was about to pass through the class door when someone called me from behind which made me stop.

"Hey, Rick."