Nic's Story

Part 5

Chapter 5.

I decided to lay low until I absolutely had to face Hugo. I thought I was safe for the next two weeks. There were no classes, boxing training sessions were rearranged to a different time. But Hugo showed up without warning the next evening.

"We need to talk". He said.  

Shit.

I showed him into the kitchen and offered a drink to buy time. I had to get my thoughts together. The conversation that was about to happen was very important and I was just cheated out of the needed two weeks to prepare for it. I sat down unnecessarily far from Hugo after I gave him his Americano. He stared at the black coffee in a square cup and smiled. I realised why he was smiling.

"It was not intentional". I explained. "George had it for ages".

"I know"

Of course he knew. They all know each other here, know things about each other. And I was the outsider, who knows nothing and ruins things.

"Do you have a crush on me or something?" Hugo asked.

Oh, that's what horror feels like. My tanned skin turned to chalk white, if that was possible. Hugo did not beat around the bush. He went straight into it.

"No", I said, swallowing half of my voice.

"It is ok if you do. It happens", he said.

"I do not have a crush on you". I insisted.

"You kissed me".

He was not letting it go.

"It was a friendly kiss, a thank you, which I meant for your cheek and missed", I explained.

"And ran away..."

"I had bad tummy...from the cake".

Not a bad story, I thought, considering it was an improv.

Hugo opened his backpack and took out one of my drawing pads.

"You forgot it at Sophia's. Do not worry, only I saw it".

The penny did not drop straight away. Then I remembered. I used that notebook for sketches for when Sofia would leave me to my own devices to answer a business call. It had pretty compromising art work at the back. Specifically of a man on a bike. It also had "I love you, Hugo" written hundred times around it.

"Shit". I said out loud this time and buried my face into my sweaty palms.

I wished the world would end then so I would not have to deal with it all. Where is this promised apocalypses? I felt like it was long due.

"You are very good". Hugo said. "I suspected Maths was not your favourite subject".

"I like both".

Hugo opened the notebook. On the very first page it had "I hate Maths" in thick angry font.

"Please stop." I begged.

He closed the notebook and came up to me. He gently put his hand on my shoulder.

"I didn't mean to read it. I opened it to see whose it was. I knew for some time, Nic, I but didn't mention anything until..."

"Until I kissed you". I said through the shield of my fingers. "I am sorry".

"You do not need to apologise. But I hope you understand that it is impossible?"

I suspected his response would be something along those lines, but you do hope till the last nanosecond for "I love you too, we should never be apart".

 I dropped my hands to see his face. He seemed calm and friendly.

"It will pass" I said thinking it so won't.

"I wish I was in love too...or had a crush on someone. That is a beautiful feeling." Hugo said. I know it might feel devastating now, but you are very young, you have your whole life in front of you to meet someone special and hopefully more or less your age".

"Ok". I pretended to agree.

Hugo grinned that lovely grin he had. He was simply gorgeous.