Dodging Decisions

After some time, Oliver finally calmed down, the tears still fresh in his memory but the initial sting starting to fade. He moved to his laptop, staring at the screen with a mix of determination and uncertainty. His finger hovered over the "submit" button for his university applications. "What if they accept me, and I regret it?" he thought, anxiety bubbling in his chest.

The following Monday, Oliver ventured back downstairs for the first time since his confession. He glanced around the kitchen, hoping to catch a glimpse of Noah, but the house was quiet—Noah was still out. A pang of disappointment hit him, but he brushed it aside as he made his way to school.

In class, he was met by a whirlwind of energy as Eli burst through the door. "OLIVER! I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED! I'M GOING TO STUDY AT MY DREAM UNIVERSITY!" Eli exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement.

Oliver forced a smile, but his heart felt heavy. "That's amazing, Eli! Congratulations!" he replied, trying to sound genuinely enthusiastic.

"What about you? What are your plans?" Eli asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Oliver's heart raced. "Oh, uh…" he stammered, quickly scanning the room for an escape. "Hey, do you see that bird outside? Looks like it's got a nest!" He pointed out the window, diverting the conversation with the urgency of a magician performing a sleight of hand.

Eli frowned but shrugged it off. "Alright, but you can't avoid it forever!"

The rest of the day was a series of similar encounters. Every time someone brought up future plans or universities, Oliver found a way to dodge the question. He turned discussions to favorite TV shows, asked about homework, or even dramatically declared, "I GOTTA POO!" before sprinting away from the conversation.

But deep down, the questions lingered—What was he going to do? Could he really move forward after everything that happened with Noah? Each diversion felt like a temporary fix, but Oliver knew he couldn't avoid his feelings or his future forever.