Nic's Story

Part 11

"You missed a lot." Aaron said as we were sitting on my balcony. It was nice of him to come and check upon me. He heard about the funeral, that my teacher died. I could not tell him more or did not want to. He was chewing the second hotdog that he brought for me.

"The Principle is getting a divorce." He said with a ketchup circle around his mouth. I was not interested in teachers' lives but Aaron was, so I pretended I cared.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" Aaron leaned forward to examine me. Not finding alarming signs he clarified "Remember the sextexts from little Ms Smith on his phone?"

"Our history teacher?"

"Yes"

I shrugged my shoulders. This was new information to me. I could see Aaron's face light up like it was Christmas. This almost never happened to my friend that he forgot to pass on a piece of gossip. "Have I not told you?"

"No"

Aaron satisfactorily licked the grease off his fingers and wiped the rest of it on the bottom of his t-shirt. He leaned against the railing for more comfort and thoroughly cleared his throat. He was savouring the moment of my cluelessness before the big reveal.

I was worried his story was going to be too long. But I did find it slightly amusing that the Principal's wife discovered raunchy correspondence on her husband's phone. 

'I guess that's why she missed my detention" I said and realised I intentionally omitted Caleb's name from that sentence.

"You should have seen what she did to the Principle's bike! Forty smashes with a baseball bat." said Aaron. "She is a strong woman"

"She wacked a bike?"

"Yes, I saw her do it."

I pointed onto the wall with the leftovers of my transport "I think it might have been my bike that got her wrath".

"At some point I did think it looked like yours." Aaron said as a matter of fact.

For some reason, I felt relieved that it was not Caleb's doing.

"Well, I am glad you stopped her," I noted sarcastically.

"I am not crazy to approach an upset woman with a bat."

"No, you are right, sorry".

I took out a donut that was also meant for me and gave it to Aaron. He accepted the peace offering.

"You are also kind of famous." He added.

Caleb was in bad books again. I knew he would not be able to keep my gay a secret. 

"A video of you and that zombies band went viral."

"Ah?" I completely forgot about that. I have not seen Lo since that Friday and I did not know if she finished the edit. 

"Everyone says you look fit. Check it out."

I was not going to but I nodded. I wondered if it went viral partly due to Aaron's efforts. It was a mistake to tell him I was helping Lo with the video. Though at the time I did not know I was going to be in it.

"Even Caleb shared it on his wall"

"Whaaaaat?....what did he say?"

"Nothing. He just shared it. By the way, Rachel is having a big party next weekend. She invited the whole class. This means you."

I shook my head.

"I'm not in a party mood."

"It might be good distraction. You should not be alone right now. Besides, it will be at Caleb's place, you know - pool, jacuzzi, girls in bikinis. And I heard Marcy is really into you."

"I will think about it"

"Can you maybe ask the Stinky Slippers to come?"

I grinned. That's why they wanted me there. They were hoping to hang out with the band. I voiced my suspicions to Aaron. My distrust seemed to annoy him, which was peculiar.

"Since when are you on their side?" I quizzed him.

'Not everyone is out there to get you, Nic. Try being open for a change. Everyone knows you are going through a hard time and want to support you. Besides, it was Caleb who lost his family member. Have you asked him how he is holding up?"

I have not, actually.

"In times like this there is no us and them. It is just all of us being together."

I was looking at Aaron with my eyes wide open, stunned. I missed the moment when he grew up.