Beautiful Bully

Confession

Simon quickly got used to the newfound attention. Okay, maybe not so quickly. But still, it did not take as long as one would expect, given his previously non-existent social life. He got used to Isabel's friends greeting him and asking him to hang out with them, and even said yes when he had the time to do so. It pleased Isabel. She was delighted to see how she had successfully brought him out of his shell.

There was one of her friends though, who made her worry.

Even though Loren went to the cinema with and told the pair she was happy for them, she still acted weird around Simon. Isabel chalked it up to her still not being over her parents' deaths. Not that she could blame Loren. She couldn't imagine how much pain she would have felt had she lost her own parents at that age. No, she'd rather not think of it.

She decided to talk to Simon about this one day.

"Honey, I think you should talk to Loren about your history," she suggested. Her boyfriend put his book down with a sigh.

The boy said "I know you mean well, but she hates me."

"She was nice to you when we went to the cinema together, remember?"

"But wasn't that just for your sake?" asked Simon. Isabel frowned. She hadn't thought of it that way, but it was quite possible. There was a chance that was the only reason Loren played nice.

"Just think about it."

"Okay, baby. I will." Simon kissed her on the cheek and sprinted to his next class of the day, leaving Isabel with a smile on her beautiful face. She gently touched the spot where he pecked her, grinning madly.

.........

That afternoon, Simon had a free period.

He sat in the library with his book, reading. It was normally a peaceful exercise but that afternoon his mind was getting flooded with childhood memories he had long kept suppressed.

Loren was his closest friend. As kids, they always hung out together. But then that horrible accident had to happen and they fell out. He always told people he never blamed himself for it but it had soured birthdays for him and he had never celebrated another one.

Suddenly, someone sat down opposite him.

"Hey," Vanessa said.

He murmured "Hi. Free period as well?"

"Nah, I'm skipping Spanish."

"I see."

Vanessa looked at him for a moment before saying "Loren wants to see you after school today."

Simon set his book down. He looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Really?" asked Simon Vanessa nodded in confirmation. "And why does she want to see me?"

"No idea. You're gonna have to ask her yourself." A moment of silence passed before she told him "You never told me you guys were childhood friends." Simon raised his eyebrows at her, surprised.

"She told you?"

"Yup. Also told me how her parents died on their way to your birthday party." Simon winced and Vanessa quickly said "Oh, she never blamed you for that, by the way."

"What? No. No way. What do you mean she never blamed me?"

"I mean she really never blamed you! She said it herself. Told me she never considered it your fault that she lost them."

Simon couldn't believe it.

"No, there is no way she didn't. I mean, we stopped talking for years! After the accident we just stopped talking. She wouldn't reply when I greet her. Whenever I approached her she just turned around and walked in another direction. That was why I gave up. That was why I stopped trying."

Vanessa shrugged.

"I don't know. That was all she told me. You can ask her yourself why she stopped talking to you." Then Vanessa left the table, leaving Simon alone with his thoughts.

At the end of the school day, he said bye to Isabel, giving her a kiss. Then he went home.

When he reached home he found Loren waiting for him like Vanessa said she would be, just having biscuits with his parents.

"Hi," Loren said to Simon. Simon waved at her nervously. His parents looked at him before getting up and leaving the room.

He sat down next to her on the couch.

"So what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked her. "Vanessa told me you'd come by."

Loren looked nervous, completely unlike her normal self. It unsettled the boy, for he had no idea why she was acting this way. He hated not knowing what's going on. Her beautiful face displayed considerable stress. He wanted to say something to help set her at ease but had no idea which words to use. Simon always worried about saying the wrong thing and upsetting or annoying people.

Finally, the girl spoke.

"I was told that you think I blamed you for my parents' deaths."

Simon raised his eyebrows. "You're saying that as though it isn't true," he observed. The boy looked at her. As obtuse as he was he could tell that she was trying to decide whether to tell him something or not. He just didn't know what that particular something was.

"It isn't."

"What?"

"It isn't true, Simon. I never blamed you."

The boy grew more confused than ever. He looked at her and asked "Then why did you distance yourself from me after the-the accident?" Even after all those years it was difficult for him to talk about what happened that day.

Loren sighed.

"It's something else," she said. "Something that happened at about the same time. Only a bit earlier." Simon looked at her quizzically, with no idea what was going on.

"What is it then?"

"I was starting to fall in love with you."

...........