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 anything.’
That night I spent most of my ti scrolling through TikTok on my phone. The videos were the usual stuff - people dancing, stupid pranks, random cody 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 ti in months that I had actually enjoyed talking to soone. The first ti I had felt like soone actually cared about what I had to say.
’Guess that’s what I get for getting my hopes up.’
The next day ca and I was lying there watching so crappy dayti TV when soone 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 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 scread popular kid. He had his arm around Nina’s waist like it was the most natural thing in the world.
’That’s probably her boyfriend,’ I realized, and sothing twisted in my chest.
Nina ca over to my bed with that sa worried expression she had yesterday.
"Hey, Kofi," she said. "How are you feeling today?"
"Better," I said, trying to keep my voice normal. "Still sore, but better."
"I’m so sorry I couldn’t co yesterday," she said, and she actually looked guilty about it. "My boyfriend took out for our anniversary and it ran way later than I expected."
’Anniversary,’ I thought. ’Right. Of course.’
The boyfriend stepped forward and extended his hand. "Hey man, I’m Tyler. Nina’s told a lot about you."
I shook his hand, trying to size him up. He seed like a pretty chill guy, actually. Not the kind of asshole I was hoping he’d be so I could hate him.
"Nice to et you," I said.
"What you did for Nina was really brave," he said. "I can’t thank you enough for keeping her safe."
’Great,’ I thought. ’He’s actually a decent person. That makes this so much worse.’
Nina pulled out a container from her bag and set it on my bedside table.
"I brought you lunch again," she said. "And Mr. Imms asked to give you this."
She handed my test paper. There was a big red ’A-’ written at the top.
"Nice work," she said, smiling. "He said you did really well considering the circumstances."
"Thanks," I said, staring at the grade.
"We should probably get going," Tyler said, checking his phone. "We’re supposed to et your friends at 14:00, rember?"
She nodded. "Right, sorry. I promised I’d hang out with everyone today."
She turned back to . "I’ll try to co by tomorrow if I can, okay?"
"Yeah, okay," I said.
The words ca out flatter than I ant them to, and I saw Nina stop and stare at for a second. There was this look in her eyes like she knew exactly why I sounded disappointed.
But then again, it wasn’t like we knew each other that well. She probably just thought I was tired or sothing.
After they left, I sat there staring at the container of food she’d brought. It slled just as good as yesterday, but I didn’t have much of an appetite anymore.
’Stop being such a baby,’ I told myself. ’You knew this was temporary.’
I had known, logically, that Nina was just being nice because she felt guilty. I had known she probably had a boyfriend and friends and a whole life that didn’t include . But knowing sothing and actually seeing it were two different things.
I opened the container and started eating in silence. The food was delicious, just like before, but it tasted different sohow. Less... I don’t know. Less like soone had made it specifically for .
’You’re being ridiculous,’ I thought. ’She still made you food. She still ca to check on you. Just because she has a boyfriend doesn’t an she doesn’t care.’
But it did change things. It ant I couldn’t keep pretending that maybe, possibly, there might be sothing more here than just guilt and obligation.
I wasn’t going to cry about it or beat myself up over it. I was just going to move forward. That’s what I always did when things didn’t work out the way I wanted.
At least there was so good news. The doctor had co by earlier and said I could go ho tomorrow if my latest test results looked good. I was definitely ready to get out of this place and back to my own bed.
’Back to my normal life,’ I thought. ’Whatever that ans now.’
---
Nina’s POV
We walked out of the hospital and Tyler was being all quiet, which wasn’t like him at all. Usually he couldn’t shut up about sothing - basketball, his friends, whatever stupid thing happened that day.
"So," he said as we got to his car, "what was that anniversary thing you ntioned back there?"
I felt my stomach drop. ’crap. Why did I say that?’
"What do you an?" I asked, trying to play it off.
"You told that guy we were out for our anniversary yesterday," he said, giving this look. "But we’ve only been dating for a month. And we didn’t even hang out yesterday."
’Think, Nina. Think of sothing.’
"Oh, that," I said with a little laugh. "I ant like... our one month anniversary? You know how girls are about that stuff."
Tyler just stared at for a second. I could tell he wasn’t buying it, but he didn’t push it either.
"Right," he said finally. "Girls and their anniversaries."
Truth is... I was too busy shopping things for Kofi but I got embarrassed and ended up not bringing them.
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