Chapter 8: Friends?

Kate

“Can we be friends?”

Every word that he said to me started to sink inside my head. I don’t know whether I’ll accept it or not.

I sighed. “Why do you want to be friends with me?” I asked him.

“Why don’t you want to be friends with me?” He returned the question back to me.

If only it’s simple to tell him that I already have fallen for him that’s why I don’t want to be friends with him but saying that won’t do good.

“Can I go inside?” I slowly turn my head, avoiding the question.

“I’ll wait for your reply until tomorrow.” He said.

He unlocked the lock of the car’s door. I get out of the car and hurriedly head towards the house. I didn’t thank him for driving me home nor didn’t I even told him good bye. I just went out of the car without saying a word.

Why did I even fall to him easily? I should’ve just followed my instinct and continue to ignore a guy like him. Now, I’m suffering. I don’t know what to do and I don’t even know how to start forgetting him.

I went straight to my bedroom, ignoring my mother’s presence. I lie down my bed and hugged my pillow. I am confused and in the same time, angry. I’m angry for letting myself fall for someone whom I know from the start, will just break my heart.

Why do they do this kind of things?

I kept my eyes close and let everything inside my head to focus and think straight. Should I accept his offer of being friends?

I know that it’s not bad but if I want to move on and forget this little feelings I have for him, I shouldn’t.

--

I’ve been thinking about many things last night and in the end I were able to make up a conclusion.

If I tried accepting him in my life, I can start moving on. I don’t know but that’s what I thought and I think that it will be the best. It is because if I continued avoiding him, the more I think about him.

It’s not bad being friends with him and even if I have feelings for him, I know that it’ll be gone soon. I don’t intent to deepen my feelings for him because that’ll be a bad idea and I’m not that dumb.

If I let myself fall for him, I will just be some shit in the side walk. I don’t want that to happen and I promise that it won’t ever happen to me.

“Hey, Kate?” I heard Beth’s voice clinging into my ears.

I closed my locker and faced her, she was smiling.

“Yup?” I gave her my good and pleasing aura.

I don’t want to talk about last night because I should be the one who needs the apologizing. And I do admit that walking out of the cinema last night was my entire fault. I should have expected things like that and the fact that I should’ve listened to Beth’s stories more. Because if I did, I would knew who she was dating with.

Austin is a nice guy and he wasn’t like Dylan and Ryan who loves flirting and doing this skills to attract girls. I liked Austin for Beth and Beth for Austin. They match together and they look cute together. I just hope that no one will interfere whatever they have now because ruining the perfect moment isn’t good.

“Sorry about, uhh I—“ Beth started to talk about last night.

I hissed, “What about it, forget about what happened last night.” I cut off her sentence.

Let’s just focus on the most important things rather than what happened last night.

“Okay? Okay then.” She said, smiling. “What’s your next subject?”

I hugged both of my books, “Hmm. Let me see.”

I scratch the back of my neck and I suddenly felt discomfort. As if there is something wrong wherein there isn’t.

My heart was beating fast and I can feel its beat knocking and pounding against my chest. I felt sweaty and nervous in the same time.

I sat down at the floor, ignoring Beth’s worrisome face. I was breathing slowly and trying to get myself in focus.

“Hey Kate? Kate? Are you okay?” Beth started questioning me and I can’t seem to answer.

I started to see blurry images and shadows passing by in front of me. My sight wasn’t good and I felt like collapsing any second.

And minutes later, all I can see was black.

--

Dylan

I was walking at the hallways of our school. I glanced at my watch and there is five minutes left before I get myself late. No one wants that but not that I care though.

I sighed and remember what happened last night.

I asked Kate if we could be friends again and not that I want to flirt her or gain her trust. I just really want to be friends with her and being friends with her is something.

Something unexplainable and it gives me a never ending happiness. I haven’t felt that before but she’s comfortable being with and it made me really happy. It wasn’t a joke and I thought that she needs a friend too.

Whatever her reason of avoiding me, I knew that it has something or excusable for me to understand but I mean, it’s just being friends. What’s wrong with that right?

“Kate? Kate? Hey Kate?!” I heard a girl’s voice shouting and panicking. There are none of the students left in the hallway and that is because first period is coming up.

My eyes widen when I saw Beth and Kate in sight.

Kate was unconscious and Beth on the other hand was trying to get her up.

I hurriedly made my way towards them and carried Kate into my arms.

“What happened?!” I asked.

I was carrying Kate and we’re on our way to the clinic.

“I don’t know. She just started to seat down at the floor. I can’t understand what’s happening either and she can’t even answer me.” She had her eyes settled on Kate. She was panicking and in the same time, worried.

We head inside the clinic and called the nurse’s attention.

She told us to let her lie down the bed. She examined her and she knew what she’s doing. She was calm and not a single hint of panic was evident on her face.

“Don’t worry. She just needs some rest. She’s currently experiencing fatigue.”

She placed a blanket over Kate’s body, “Just go back to your classrooms. I’ll watch over her, just visit her later.” She assured.

I pat Beth’s shoulder, getting her attention. She slowly turned her face to face me. She was worried with Kate’s condition and it was evident on her face.

“You can go, I’ll just take it from here.” I said politely. I don’t mind not attending my first class. I have done it several times.

“You sure?” She turn her head and look at Kate who was lying on the bed, unconscious.

“Yes. It’s okay. I’ll take it from here. You can just visit her after your subject is over.” I suggests.

She nodded and followed what I suggested. She talk to the nurse, told me that she’ll be going and then took off.

Kate is lucky to have a friend like her because it’s seldom to see a good and true friend now a days.

“Excuse me?” The nurse called my attention.

I came to face her, “Yes?”

“Aren’t you going back to your class?” She asks as she jot down notes on her report book.

“Uh—yeah.” What kind of excuse shall I give this time? “Our teacher instructed me to accompany her until she regain her consciousness.” And that’s the excuse that I was able to come up with.

“Oh, okay then.” She head back to her mini room that was inside of the clinic that we’re into. It’s like a room built in another room.

She was away from my sight and all I can see was the empty beds in the clinic and Kate who was lying on the bed in front of me.

I take a seat on the chair beside the bed that she was lying on. It wasn’t comfortable but I have nothing else to seat.

I focused my eyes unto her face. Is she stress? Is she not feeling well that’s why she collapsed? Is she skipping meals? Does her mother knows about this?

I have many things inside my head right now and one of those things includes Kate. Kate must have been experiencing a lot of problems that is why she ended up here.

I wanted to help her, if she only want to be friends with me.

I tucked some few strands of her hair behind her ear and fixed the blanket that was placed over to her body.

I sighed as I finally realized that I have nothing else to do but wait for her to wake up.

She’s cute when she’s sleeping and even cuter when she’s awake.

What the hell am I saying? Did I just said she’s cute?

I shake my head, removing everything that was starting to formulate inside of this brain of mine.

“So, are you her boyfriend or something?” I flinch as soon as I heard the nurse who was already standing beside me and I haven’t even noticed it.

“Uh—no. She’s an acquaintance.” I put both of my hands together and smiled on the nurse who was looking at Kate.

“Acquaintance huh? It’s kind of odd for an acquaintance to wait for her to wake up when she’s not even close to her.” She started questioning me.

What is her problem? It’s not like I’m a rapist or stranger who have this thing for her. I’m not any of those things.

“Well, it’s complicated.” I sighed.

She glance on her watch, “Okay then. Call me when she’s up already.” She took off.

“What is her problem?” I said to myself.

I take a look at Kate and she started moving.

“Kate?” I said, calmly.

She gently opened her eyes, regaining her consciousness.

She slowly turn her head to face me, “What am I doing here? Why are you here?” She shoots me questions that I don’t feel like answering.

“Are you feeling okay?” I asked her, avoiding the questions that she launched upon me.

She slowly sits up, “That hurts.” She said as she rubs her forehead.

“Just lie down. You need to rest.” I accompanied her, helping her lie down in the bed which I knew that she can handle herself but it was good that she wasn’t even complaining.

I called the nurse’s attention and she gave her a medicine to take. The nurse insisted her to get back to sleep and she just nodded without complaining.

The nurse went back to her desk and I just kept my mouth shut.

Kate slowly opened her eyes, “Thank you.” She whispered.

She take a hold of my wrist and smiled at me.

“No problem.” I said in a low tone of voice.

She removed her hand that was clasp around my wrist and smiled again.

It was odd but not that I don’t like it though.

“About last night.” She said.

“What about it?”

“Yes.” She nodded.

Yes for what? I don’t get what she was saying to me.

She started saying words that I can’t understand and it’s because her voice is too soft.

I slowly moved my face towards her, “What?” I said.

She sighed, “I said, yes!” She exclaimed in a low tone of voice.

“Yes what?” I was still confused.

“Yes Dylan.” She rolled her eyes, “We can be friends.”

A smile started to form into my lips and I was really happy about it.

I placed my hand over her forehead, “Are you really conscious or do you think you’re in a dream?” I asked, joking. I just can’t believe what she was saying.

“Stupid.” She rolled her eyes once more and followed it with a smile.

She offered her hand for me to shake, “Let’s be good friends.”

I shake her hand back, “Let’s be good friends, Kate.” I said, smiling.