Social Pariah

BRAVE

 Lucas had never been as nervous as he was right now. Today was the day he would meet his real mother. He had been so curious on what she looks like and how she acts. He even silently wished for her to be really cruel so that he wouldn't be tempted to leave his stepmother.

Lucas decided that he would have to call Namya and ask her opinion on what he should do or say in front of his real mother.

"Hello?"

Lucas sighed. He and Namya used to be really close friends back then. Now, they're not as close as they were once before but he didn't want to call any of Kyle's friends and he didn't have anyone to trust in school so he called Namya instead.

"Lucas? Is this you?" asked Namya.

"Yes," Lucas replied," I really need help right now."

"Fire away."

"I'm going to meet my real mother today."

"Are you serious?!" Namya shrieked.

Lucas winced. "I am and be quiet! Someone might hear you."

Namya chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry. I forgot that we're not that close anymore."

"It's not about that." Lucas rolled his eyes. "Mom might here you downstairs."

And so Lucas asked Namya on what he should do and how he should act – "Just be yourself," said Namya – and what he should wear – "I'm not a fashion guru!" complained Namya – and their talk was pretty successful, much to Lucas's delight.

Lucas had never been helped before let alone talked for so long. He was changing, he knew, and this kind of change was something he liked, not the change that he had to act upon whenever he's in school.

"I did miss you, Lucas," said Namya, her voice trembling on the phone.

Lucas let out a small smile. "Me too, Namya, me too."

"I guess what you did to Kyle have made me afraid that you might do it to me too," explained Namya seriously. "I never hated you, you know. You were like an older brother to me but I hurt you and I'm really sorry for that. I should've known that it was because of your father – "

"Namya, it's in the past," replied Lucas, cutting of Namya's explanation after hearing about his father. He was really keen on avoiding his father on conversations. "It's all in the past. Let's just start anew."

Namya sighed in relief. "Thank you for giving me a chance to be your friend again, Lucas! Good luck on meeting your real mother later! I hope it goes well." She paused for a moment. "Oh, and by the way, can I call you Luke? That was my nickname for you before."

Lucas laughed. "Of course and I'll call you Nam then, if it's alright?"

"Of course, Luke! Bye!"

Namya hung up and Lucas felt braver than he had in years. Maybe his father wasn't that brave at all. Maybe he was afraid of the consequences if he let Lucas meet his real mother. Maybe his mother loved him after all and there was just a very important reason that caused her to leave him. Lucas smiled genuinely at the mirror.

I'm brave enough to do this.