From Day 1 ❦ BrightWin ✔

[16]

It's the start of the Christmas holidays the Monday after the weekend of Bright's party, and Win is dreading Thursday. Thursday means Christmas; Christmas means having the Chivarees over for dinner and presents.

Every year, it is tradition for Win and Bright to make each other presents. Win has a collection of childish drawings, finger puppets and home-made CDs hidden at the back of his wardrobe (which he will not admit to crying over whenever he and Bright have an argument).

This year, Win knows there is a wrapped piece of cardboard in his wardrobe, covered in pictures of the two boys, right from when they were small up to just the other week, when they joked about with Win's camera in front of the mirror.

Win already feels butterflies in his stomach at the thought of giving it to Bright, but he knows, deep down, that he will go through with it – even after what has happened.

Win has opened the text conversation on his phone between him and Bright a few times since the party, thinking about sending a message, but he can never pluck up the courage to do it.

Instead, he finds himself scrolling back through every silly conversation they've had between them. He doesn't know why he does it; it's just a constant reminder of how much he doesn't want to lose his best friend - which he really doesn't need right now.

You see, Win keeps telling himself that his main emotion is anger towards Bright for lying to him, and that's why he won't talk to him and basically doesn't feel like seeing him again – which seems stupid now, because it's not as if he can tell Bright to not drink alcohol - but the thing is, he knows, deep down, that he is mainly just upset because of the feeling of rejection.

He was rejected by the person who he really thought could love him, and that takes a lot to heal.

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The first couple of days pass extremely sluggishly, with Win often feeling very bored and finding himself bugging Manu, playing pointless games on the computer or texting Saint, Tay or New.

On Wednesday morning, the phone beeps with a complaint of low battery, before it buzzes with a text, waking Win up from his lengthy lie-in.

From: Brightie :)

Thanks so much for the tickets. Make sure 10th May is free ^-^

Win sighs, his fingertips hovering just above the touch screen, thinking about what he could say to reply. When he draws a blank, he huffs out a breath and locks the phone again, planning on just letting it die. Oh the envelope had two Scrubb concert tickets.

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"Merry Christmas!"

Win hears loud exclamations of merry joy erupting from the hallway, where his mum has just opened the door to let in their guests.

"Let me come and help you in the kitchen," he hears Kulap say. "I've brought sweets!"

The adults walk straight past where Win is sat on the sofa, studying his new iPad carefully.

"Look! Win has an iPad!"

The boy soon finds himself surrounded by two girls, all fighting for their turn.

"Hey, hey. Be careful with it!" Win exclaims jokily, handing it cautiously into the hands of Jiya who accepts it with a grin. "Supervise," Win tells her. Jiya carries the device across to the other sofa, and her sister to follow.

After a moment, Bright plops down into the space beside Win. "Hi," he says.

There's a beat before Win replies. "Hi."

The two boys sit in silence, watching the commotion happening over the iPad as they each take it in turns playing on the few games Win had already installed.

"Win," Bright says when the tension has built to a painful level.

"Yeah?" Win responds, trying his hardest to stay calm.

"Can't we just forget what happened? Even if it's just for today?"

Win stops and considers saying 'yes', thinking about how much easier the Christmas celebrations could be if the two boys were getting along. He opens his mouth to voice the positive, before snapping it closed and shaking his head. 

"I'll never forget. You hurt me." He is vaguely aware of how ridiculously dramatic he sounds, but he doesn't care. He's speaking the truth and that's all that matters.

Bright twists in his seat and tugs and Win's sleeve to get him to look at him properly. "I know I did, Win. I was such a tw-" he pauses, conscious of the younger children in the room, "-idiot. I wouldn't ever hurt you on purpose, you know that. I was stupid, and I haven't even forgiven myself yet."

"Then why should I?" Win snaps, turning away from Bright's eyes so he wouldn't drown in the honest pools of blue.

"I'm not saying forgive me – I'm saying can we just try and go back?"

"Look, Bright." Win turns to face him again, inwardly scolding himself because even through his anger, he is still calling him by his nickname. "I will be civil with you today, and that is it. I will not be your friend, let alone your best friend. We will be civil... acquaintances."

"Bu-"

"Is everything okay?" Jiya interrupts, raising her eyebrows pointedly and directing the boys' attention to the other people in the room.

"Everything's fine," Win mumbles, standing up and leaving the room.

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Well, Win babiiee is hurrrttt :(

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