My Sugarplum

Chapter 3

26th April 2022

The day after my birthday started like any other, but I had no idea that it would become one of the most pivotal days of my life. It was warm and sunny outside, and I was just getting ready to head to college when Kuku messaged me.

"I won't be coming to college today. Family stuff."

I shrugged it off. Kuku was often caught up with her family, so it wasn't unusual. That left just me, Bugs, Patty, Siraj, and Shaan to hang out after classes. Patty and Shaan had been getting along so well lately—it wouldn't be surprising if they ended up in a relationship within the next week. Their little flirty exchanges were adorable to watch, like those cute couples who giggle over inside jokes no one else understands. It made me wonder what it would feel like to be in that kind of relationship again, but this time with someone who wasn't Kuku.

I couldn't help but let my thoughts wander. What if I actually got into a relationship again? Would it be like my last one? Would it be better? I thought about Kuku for a moment. She and I were close, but she hadn't really made any serious moves on me, so it seemed like it wasn't going anywhere.

As the lectures finished, Bugs and I stayed back, talking about nothing in particular—just the way we always did. I never thought of Bugs romantically. She was part of our close group, one of the people I could count on, but nothing about our friendship had ever felt... well, romantic.

We walked out of college together, chatting as usual, when she suddenly leaned in close, so close that her breath brushed against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

"I love you," she whispered.

At first, I thought she was joking. My heart stopped for a moment, then started racing, thudding so loudly in my chest I was sure she could hear it. Her words hung in the air, as real and tangible as the sunlight that warmed my skin. This wasn't like last time, when my friends dared Aksha to confess and propose me. This was real. This time, someone had said it to me, unprompted. It felt strange, foreign even, to hear those words from her lips.

I couldn't think straight, my mind spinning in a thousand directions. I remembered how Jenny once described me to Bugs. "Barry is really caring and sweet," she'd said. "He's friendly, takes care of himself, and is way smarter than people give him credit for." Jenny was like a sister to me, but her words replayed in my mind, reminding me of the things that made me... me.

And now Bugs was waiting. For what? My response? I didn't even know what to say. So, without thinking—without even giving it a second thought—I said, "Yes."

Just like that. I had agreed to be her boyfriend. Why? Why did I respond so quickly? Why didn't I stop to process what was happening? A part of me was confused, unsure of how to navigate this situation. I didn't feel the same way about Bugs as I had about Kuku. Was this even the right decision? But the other part of me—the part that had been secretly hoping for someone to choose me for once—was relieved. For the first time, I wasn't the one confessing, hoping, or wishing. Bugs had made the first move, and there was something undeniably thrilling about that.

As we walked together down the street, I thought about Kuku. She had never outright said she liked me, let alone confessed her feelings. But if she did have feelings for me, why hadn't she said anything? Why hadn't she taken a chance, like Bugs just did? Bugs hadn't hesitated, and that had to count for something, right? In the end, I was in a relationship now, even if it hadn't been with the person I thought it might be.

The next day, Kuku was back at college, and the mood had shifted. Bugs had pulled me aside earlier and asked to keep our relationship a secret—for now, at least. She was terrified of her dad finding out. Her father was strict, and when he had caught her on a video call with her ex, he had lost it, hitting her with a metal chair. The thought of it made my blood boil, but I understood her fear. She didn't want to get caught again, and she definitely didn't want to jeopardize the bonds within our group.