After moving into town, antisocial Novak Bennani begins to warm up to popular girl Kirsten, he has to learn to fall out of love when he learns the truth about her.
...
I gave one look to Novak and Talia and declared "You Talia, behave and you mister, don't bite her" and I left to join free who now stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, his arms folded across his chest, making his biceps bulge ever so deliciously.
Stop looking at him like a hungry wolf, Kirsten— I chided myself.
I think this 'talk' may have to do with the revelation that Talia presented me with.
"Hey, Everything okay, Freddie?" I asked, my hand resting on his forearm as a gesture of comfort.
"Firstly, Stop touching me, Kirsten"
"Uhh... Sorry"
This is the second time this has happened, I really need to start respecting peoples personal space.
"Secondly, what the fucking hell is that ass doing at our table?"
Ooooh, Novak. He hates Novak, if it wasn't apparent, it's clear as day now.
"I invited him, he sits alone and eats in the library, come on man, he isn't that bad" I tried fighting Novak's case.
"He treats you like shit, screams at you, behaves like you don't exist and yet you are putty in his hands" he ranted.
"Do you like being treated like that? Because I can start right now." he continued.
"he is just going through a lot and you don't know all of it," I said, now all defensive as Fred was near screaming.
"Sure, he is going through a lot, I have been through a lot too, and I have been there by your side, never once screamed at you because my father disowned me or my mother tried to send me to conversion church. Going through a lot is no excuse. You can do better, Kirsten"
"What is wrong with you, Fred? I have been there with you through all that, haven't I?"
"There's nothing wrong with me, I am just frustrated and Angry. I didn't want to do it like this but you are too god damn blind to see any of it"
"what do you mean?" I interrupted.
"I have been by your side for three years now and I have been smitten since the first time I saw you, too bad I was in a compromising position. I wish we met differently and I wish you didn't tag me as the gay best friend, I wish you had given me a chance, Because I love you, Kirsten Bravermen. I have loved you since the first time my eyes landed on you three years ago in the carnival bathroom"
"Wha—Oh"
"No, let me continue, let me get this over with. I have loved you through everything, every secret that I had to keep, every heartbreak that I had to listen to, through failures and crutches and nationals, Everything. I don't know what I did wrong or what happened but you choose to completely ignore all of the girlfriends I have had and stick me with the gay tag, its almost as if you are driving this narrative. You see me mostly with men because I can't stand a girl that isn't you, I love you dumbass. And yes, I hate Novak, he is a piece of work and you are gooey-eyed for him, it should have been me."
I stood there speechless, what is one supposed to do after this?
"I love you now and I will love you forever, I will still be here when you come around, yes, I am a fool for waiting patiently, but that's what love is, pathetic and blind," he said, he voices cracking through the sentence.
"I don't know what to say" I mumbled awkwardly, looking at my shoes.
"Is this all you have to say?" he asked, He then turned around and walked away from the cafeteria, then someone screamed "Ayee, don't goooo, we were enjoying the soap opera"
I then realized that the whole cafeteria was pin-drop silence and each and every one of them had heard Fred's screaming confession of love.
Oh, I am so mortified.
I stared at them wide-eyed and my skin began to crawl as they chanted in unison.
"CONFESS! CONFESS! CONFESS! CONFES—"
"Shut the fuck up" Novak barked.
All other voices almost immediately fell silent.
He placed his arm around my shoulder and steered me away from the cafeteria.
"Hey Kris, let's get out of here" he nearly whispered, leaning into me.
"Yes," I answered, I was overwhelmed with everything, Fred said the L-word, all of what he said was so heartbreaking, I couldn't function, my thought process felt choked up. My words stuck in my throat. High school was a rough place to be.
My feet had been leading me to where Novak's arm wrapped around my shoulder guided me, and I found myself in an obscure corner on the second floor.
He pushed opened a steel door, it almost looked like a fire entrance, what are we doing here? — I questioned myself, my brain regaining alertness. It led into the small open corridor behind the school, overlooking the Groves behind, the summer sun harshly yet beautiful lit everything up, I stood there admiring the view as I felt so exposed yet so hidden away from everyone, this was a nice spot.
When I turned around, Novak was sitting on the floor, a cigarette between his lips as he puffed out smoke, his eyes shut as his body visibly relaxed. Ah, the effects of nicotine.
Smoking is injurious to health, smoking is bad, one mustn't smoke, but why did he look so much more hotter with that carcinogenic roll between his lips?
His eyes fluttered open and I was caught checking him out in, I froze like a crashed software.
The cigarette now held daintily between his fingers as he offered it to me.
"I don't know, I can't" I refused.
"one puff won't hurt" he bargained.
"I don't know—"
"one puff, just one," he said, making it sound almost tempting.
"Fine, one puff"
I brought it to my lips and took a big inhale, the next thing I knew, I was coughing my lungs out while the morbid taste clung to my tongue and palate.
He laughed as he ran his hand on my back, lightly thumping me. Apparently, that was supposed to help me cough better or so I inferred.
Smoking was a no-no, never again. But Oh the things we do in the name of people we like.
