Chapter 18

As soon as I leave the stage, I don't make contact with anyone and I am imprisoned in one of the back rooms where they keep boxes and old paintings.

This is so humiliating it was supposed to be my day, I crouch down in a corner and just cover my face, why a lump has risen in my throat and the urge to cry flooded me now I won't be able to look Noah in the face ever again.

Max comes in, runs to me, and hugs me spontaneously without thinking, his warmth is comforting, and I know he hears my weak cry.

"Shhh shhh shhh don't cry," he whispered as he hugged me and caressed my head, bringing me comfort and relief.

At that moment Noah enters, but Emily is not next to him.

Max notices and lets go of me and goes to his brother, I can only see him dragging him by the hand avoiding him to meet me, they both leave and the girls come in to ask me if I'm ok.

Caroline is upset, cursing, and swearing.

" What the hell was Noah doing at this exhibition, you invited him," she exclaims, pointing at me.

" Of course not, do you think I would like to humiliate myself?

" She's right, it's a little embarrassing for Noah to find out she's your muse, you pervert.

" Silly," he exclaimed at Izy's witticism.

" Well it's no big deal, it's just a painting, there are a lot of those nudes in the museum," says Caroline.

"I think he'll be flattered, your painting won first place and it's all because his balls are in the air," exclaims Izy mockingly.

" Shut up," I say, smiling.

My mood has changed, although deep down I feel worried.

POV Max

Why my dumb brother is here, he can't understand what makes her uncomfortable Melek, it's just like the meal the other day with how hard it's been for me to get Melek to smile again, making her decay again.

I brought him outside with me to talk even though Emily followed us.

" Could you give me a minute alone with my brother," I say in a harsh, dry tone.

" What's going on," says Noah in bewilderment.

" What are you doing here?

" Well, Emily is a friend of the promoter of the event and it was a surprise for me to see Melek and her painting even more," says Noah in shock.

" Why are you so excited," I say in an annoyed and vociferous tone.

" Hey, what's wrong with you, why are you getting angry?

This is so desperate that I feel my blood boil, simply in a fit I am honest with Noah, I want him to understand that his kindness hurts him.

" She is in love with you, so much so that she loves you enough to paint you in her paintings," I say with disappointment in my words.

Noah is perplexed at my confession, which says nothing has no answer.

" Now you get it, ever since she found out you have a girlfriend she has given up on her feelings, suffering in silence and I have been there for her all this time, you think she wanted you to find out this way, why did you have to show up AH... " I sigh in annoyance as I rant.

"You don't know how much she has done but she hasn't forgotten you, you're a lucky guy, no brother, you have the girl of your dreams as your girlfriend and now you have my girl.

Noah, stunned, does not react to Max's words, confused because in his opinion he had not made any mistake, he had only shown kindness that was perhaps misinterpreted.

" Just go, Noah, your girlfriend is waiting for you," I exclaimed in a cold tone of voice, completely irritated.

I ran my hand over my hair tousling my hair, this infuriating jealousy invaded me horribly, I wanted to hit my brother but not because he had done something wrong, but to realize that maybe Melek is not completely over him, how he did such a ridiculous thing of drawing him, just him, Fuck....

So many beautiful faces in the world and you fall in love with my brother and make a second portrait of him.

You're going to kill me chubby with disgust or jealousy, but I'm going to get something.

if I didn't control myself, this would have been a disaster.

I came back but Chubby is no longer there, she left with her friends.

You leave without even saying goodbye to me, it's serious now you make me feel like I'm one of those paintings stuck to the wall.

I want to call her, but I'm hesitating, I don't know what I'll say when she answers so I decide not to, I go back to my bedroom.

Two days later

POV Melek.

I'm lying in bed, kind of sad about what happened, the girls brought me ice cream and we're watching movies it's the weekend so we have the weekend off.

When I receive a sudden call.

It's Noah, I get hyped up and leave the girls as I walk out of the room, and I respond a little nervously.

" Hello, Melek, you can talk.

" Yes, you can speak freely.

" You are busy, you have something to do.

" I'm not just resting.

" We can meet for a moment.

" All right.

I lie to the girls, I'm on my way to meet Noah, my heart pounding with nerves, arrived at the Cafestore with a nice garden.

When I see him sitting at a table, I recoil for fear of what he will say to me.

I slowly approach the table and sit down, he orders coffee.

Then I feel an awkward silence so I decided to speak first.

" What is the reason why you asked to see me," I say, frightened.

"First of all, congratulations, I know you won the art exhibition.

" Thank you," I answer with my eyes lowered, I can't even look him in the eye.

" I don't know how to say this, but Max reprimanded me yesterday, he told me about your feelings and it was a total coincidence that I came to that exhibition, I was very surprised to see your painting, but I think I owe you an apology Melek, forgive me, I hope you didn't get hurt because of me, I thought about it and I think I made some mistakes with you, my kindness could have led to misunderstandings," explains Noah uncomfortably.

This is more humiliating than the naked paint, why did Max have to tell Noah about how I felt, I squeeze the coffee cup, why this is pathetic Noah is blaming himself thinking he made for me to misunderstand him and it's not.

" It was just nice to me, many people ignore others you are not like that, I am dumb and labeled for love, so please forget it as for the painting I think that appreciation made me get inspired by you and I ended up making that painting I hope you didn't take it wrong, nor Emily either," I say with awkwardness in my words.

My stomach is in turmoil, and my mind is in chaos I don't know what nonsense I'm saying but I hope I can just get out of this pathetic situation, being rejected when I didn't even go to confession, thank God this stays here and Noah decides we should leave because he has another engagement he's running late.

We retired he offered to drop me off near the university but I prefer to take a cab back, but I don't go to my dorm I go where max is I know they are training on the weekends so I head to the pool.

I see him with his friends and the other team members working out.

I call it would be.

" Come, I want to talk to you," I exclaimed in exasperation.

He gets up from where he was and approaches me with uncertainty about what I will tell him.

Mattew mutters before Max leaves.

" What did you do to Melek, his tone of voice is annoying.

Max lifts his shoulders in response that he has no idea.

Melek is outside the gym where no one can hear them.

" You will tell me what is wrong with you and why you are giving me that creepy look.

" Why did you talk to Noah?

"What!" says Max in confusion.

" Yes, you told him I liked him, who do you think you are and why do that, I just saw me with him he apologized, he thinks he made a mistake, do you realize how pathetic I felt, that the one I like has to feel bad for the simple reason that he likes me, why do you have to stick your nose in my life, why to make me feel that way that gives you the right to make me feel miserable .", I shouted annoyed.

" You were crying, you were feeling bad and my silly brother just showed up and I had to get him out of there, so at one point in the conversation I, told him in annoyance.

" And why you, AH.

" I read your letter and I knew how much he meant to you, I just didn't want you to suffer.

" You did what? I threw that letter away.

" I picked it up and read it.

" Why do you do that, why are you a meddler, throw that letter was to stay in the dumpster, are you me, why tell your brother, I would have preferred him to see me crying to think that he was wrong, you had fun to see me as an idiot for your brother," I shouted annoyed and pushed him.

" No, Melek, do you see in my face that I enjoyed it, do you think I said that to my brother because I enjoy seeing you like that, who cares what he thinks, I respect you but if you don't like yourself and act like a fool who is ashamed, who is going to like you? " exclaims Max angrily.

My eyes become teary when Max leaves after telling me the crudest words of my life.

Those words broke something in me why he is absent, I am a loser who is ashamed of everything, I am a fool .

Everything has become very complicated today breaking my friendship with Max and being rejected by Noah all in one day.

I go back to the bedroom and there's Caroline in my room.

" You got lost, what happened?

I tell her everything, and Izy also joins the conversation.

"Max did the right thing," exclaims Caroline.

" What are you talking about, you are defending him.

" You needed a reality check and he's given it to you or else you'd still be here drooling over Noah, who let me tell you never showed any interest.

" How cruel you are," I say to Caroline with a worried look on my face.

"Life is cruel," says Izy.

The three of us are lying on my bed.

girls, you are all right, I must move on and get on with my life.