Blue Flower

Chapter 26

-Naomi-

I watched Chester peacefully sleeping on his bed. His face seemed tired after all those blows he received, but I knew he would gain his strength to get up again. He was a strong person. Up until now, I still don’t know why this thing happened to him. He only loved my cousin from the moment they met, doubted his gender and all. But leaking this secret to the public was one hell of a shame. I felt guilty for Chester. I didn’t help him when he needed me. It’s just that I was afraid to step out, for it might kill me. Now I have to make it up to him.

I also don’t understand that after all this time; Chester had hidden his feelings for Andrew. Every one of us, but little did I know that he was feeling something odd for my cousin. One-sided love? I guess that’s what they call it. I was shocked to know Chester was gay. But the bottomline was, I still accepted him as who he is. That’s what friends are for, right?

Chester woke up, and he looked at me. He must have sensed that I was staring at him.

“What are you looking at?” he said. His voice and eyes were both weak. Those eyes struck straight through me. It told me that he needed me now more than ever.

“Nothing. I’[m just thinking about something.” I lied, hiding my emotional torture.

“Okay.” He said and drifted back to sleep.

I hurriedly went out of the room. I rushed to the ladies’ bathroom, where I wanted to break down and cry.

-Andrew-

“I guess you already knew about it.” I said to Hayley, who was sitting beside me. She was as worried as I am. She couldn’t even give me a real smile- just a very slight one- when I saw her minutes ago. I didn’t leave the actual spot where Chester and I talked.

“Yeah.” She said, nodding her head. Disbelief was obvious in the way she looked. Her brother was gay, and it dug out the hell in her.

“I’m sorry.” I said, feeling so guilty of why Chester turned into such a person. If we weren’t just friends, he wouldn’t be put into a compromising situation. Doubting one’s gender is one of the craziest things in the world.

“No, don’t say that. I have to thank you.” she said.

I looked at her with utter confusion.

“Why?”

“You saved him.” she said shortly.

I smiled for that reason. She still remained poker-faced. I didn’t know what to say next, but then she spoke about him.

“I believe he’ll get through with this. He’s such a brave guy, and his bravery was the one thing I could never have.” she said, her mind was drifting somewhere beyond the place of man.

“What?”

“You don’t know him, Andrew. Chester is such a brave person. You might see him as a vulnerable kid, but he has the heart no one would ever dare to have. I remember when my boyfriend dumped me for a whore in our school before. I cried on his shoulders and ranted about my heartbreak. Little did I know that the next day, he rushed to my boyfriend’s room and beat him up until he can’t move a finger. He spilled the fruit shake in the whore’s face. He yelled at them, and also the next day, they broke up. It was also in that day when Chester was sent to the guidance office. I stood up for him because he almost got expelled. I scolded him, but he just smiled. His resolve didn’t weaken.”

After hearing her story, I didn’t feel any regret after saving him. But it seemed illogical for me why he didn’t fight back when he was being beaten up.

“You know what, Andrew? Chester is the one person I’m sure I could never be. He has the courage and the talent, and he sees life in a positive way. I seldom see him cry, but I always see his bright smile. As much as you love him, I love him too.” she added.

I didn’t know how to react with this. I still remained silent as I tried to absorb everything she said. This was Chester in his sister’s eyes, a bright guy, positive thinker and loving. In the eyes of people, he was filthy, and reality was driving him insane.

She stood up and walked up to Chester’s room. I was alone, contemplating on how Reese handled everything when this issue broke out. The argument we had flashed back in my mind.

I walked up to Reese’s room. I was beginning to feel uneasy after seeing on the computer monitor the scandal I had with Chester. Honestly, I’m not gay. I love Reese, and I also love Chester as my brother. Whoever spilled his secret would suffer under my cruel hands.

“What’s with all these?” Reese asked, throwing the pictures to my face. She printed them all.

I looked at her eyes. There were stained with sadness and anger. All at once, I picked up those scattered pictures. While looking at them, I had an intuitive guess that there must be a stalker following him, or even the two of us.

“What? You can’t answer me? Speak up!”

I gazed at her eyes and hugged her tightly. I eagerly hoped that it would comfort her. She pushed me out of the hug and looked at me sharply.

“Just tell me, Andrew. Are you gay?”

“No, I’m not gay, and I’ll never be one.”

“Really? Do you really think I’d believe you?”

Her glares seemed to cut me piece by piece. I could never take it when she gets mad. She meant a lot to me, and I wouldn’t take a risk to lose her.

“Do you want me to prove it?” I dared. I meant every word that I said, and in any way possible, just to give her proof of my love.

She fell silent. She just stared at me with almost teary eyes. I calmed myself before taking my steps toward her.

“What are you doing?” she asked hysterically.

And then it took place instantly. I took a couple of strides to her and pulled her close to me. I harshly pursed my lips against hers and kissed her to my heart’s content. At first, her lips were hard to soften, but the thought that I was kissing her finally sank in to her mind. She responded to my steamy kisses and ran her hand through my hair. I slid my hand on her waist and touched her like it was the key to my forever.

Our lips melted with each other, and as we continued kissing, I was able to prove that I love her, and that made us stronger than before.