Chapter 7: Boyfriend
I was a bit surprised that Nina didn’t show up like she said she would, but I wasn’t gonna be childish about it and whine or anything. Maybe she was busy. People had lives outside of sitting in hospital rooms with injured classmates.
’It’s not like we’re actually friends yet,’ I told myself. ’She doesn’t owe me anything.’
That night I spent most of my time scrolling through TikTok on my phone. The videos were the usual stuff - people dancing, stupid pranks, random comedy skits. Nothing that really held my attention, but it kept my brain busy.
I told myself I was fine, but honestly? Part of my heart was hurt. I had been looking forward to seeing her again, to continuing our conversation from yesterday. The room felt way too quiet without her there.
’Don’t be stupid,’ I thought. ’You barely know this girl. Why are you getting attached already?’
But I couldn’t help it. Yesterday had been the first time in months that I had actually enjoyed talking to someone. The first time I had felt like someone actually cared about what I had to say.
’Guess that’s what I get for getting my hopes up.’
The next day came and I was lying there watching some crappy daytime TV when someone knocked on my door around 13:00. My heart jumped a little, thinking it might be Nina.
The door opened and it really was her. She walked in with that bright smile of hers, and seeing her made me way happier than it should have. But right behind her was this guy I had never seen before.
’Oh,’ I thought, and my stomach dropped. ’Oh shit.’
The guy was tall, probably around our age, with this confident way of walking that screamed popular kid. He had his arm around Nina’s waist like it was the most natural thing in the world.