IDIOT AND THE BEAST

CHAPTER 24 — A TEXT MESSAGE

[ZACH]

He left without even saying a single word to me — he didn't even wish me, I note sourly.

It's been three long days since I last talked to him. Not that I didn't want to, it was because of the stupid, stupid agreement I made with him. God, honestly, what the fuck was I thinking?

That boy will travel to the edge of the world to keep being in denial and I, so moronically assumed he wouldn't lie to me. The urge to smash my head against a wall repeatedly has skyrocketed ever since. And since today is my birthday, I am not going to lie, I have been expecting him to come up to me and just at least wish me.

I thought maybe if he did, then to hell with the deal, I will go after him again. And there were moments — tiny, teeny moments when it seemed like he was going to approach me but someone else will intervene and then he'd disappear. It is actually creepy how he can disappear in a flash, or maybe I am just imagining that I see him at every corner I turned.

Whatever, the bottom line is Dan hasn't come up to me and it seems like he never is going to and I am utterly and terribly fucked.

It certainly doesn't help that suddenly all of my friends have their own boyfriend or girlfriend. I, as always, am the bitter single guy — usually I won't be bitter, but today I am. Before although I was not explicitly committed to anyone, in a way, for me, I was. But now... well I don't know.

I check the time — it is nearing half past nine. Yes, I am still expecting him to wish me. I am a naturally optimistic person — my parents are too and that is how I have been brought up, to always look on the brighter side.

I supposed that is why I haven't given up on Danesh yet. There are plenty of other people that I can choose to pursue, but none of them makes me feel like he does. No one has made my heart race just by standing before me. None has ever made me want to look in their eyes all day long and get lost in them. And no one has ever made me feel like I can conquer the whole world just by having them by my side.

Sure, we are just teenagers — we don't have any sort of 'life experiences' and there is more to life than a 'high school relationship' but that doesn't mean I have to ignore my feelings, does it? I feel what I feel, there is no going around it. All I know right now is that I love him — thoroughly and truly.

Sighing to myself, I bring back my focus to my small group of friends standing before me. There is Josh, my best friend, his eyes glued to his phone, a secret smile on his lips, it is clear as day who he is texting with right then — I already told him that he can leave if he wanted to, but he insisted that he wanted to stay, which came off as a definite surprise to every one of us. Josh never hung out for long with us, he always left at the first given opportunity. And then there is Valerie, my other best friend and Dan's twin sister — twins but polar opposites the both of them are. She is with Ming, her girlfriend, they are standing so close they might have been glued together, whispering something to each other and giggling. And then there is Polina with Richard (after the winter formal, both of them had gotten together), Edwin with Hanna (his girlfriend); Richard and Edwin are some of the guys I hang out with regularly. We aren't tight-knit like me, Josh and Val but they are good friends.

We went out to Grillz, a fast-food diner situated near school, after the cake cutting and wiping and spraying cream on each other. We entered the diner looking like we'd just escaped from a circus and of course earned some stares but it was fun, all in all. It has been a while since all of us hung out together.

After filling our stomachs, we are now parked in front of my house — my car is still in the school's parking lot. Val has promised to have my car dry cleaned and have it delivered in its proper condition. I have been very much anxious when we drove up to our house, not knowing who we will see there, but kept my concerns silent as to not raise any suspicions and is relieved when I find the front lawn of my house empty.

I sit on the hood of Edwin's car, Josh is perched on his car while the others stand around us, chatting freely. And then as it was starting to get late, Edwin, Richard and their girlfriends left, saying their goodbyes. Since Edwin had taken his car, I sit on the pavement — Josh is still glued to his phone and the girls are absorbed with each other.

"Hello," I exclaim loudly, waving my hand, "Single human being here,"

That gets Val's and Ming's attention but not Josh's. I pick up a small pebble and throw at him and only then he even looks up.

"Huh what?" he asks and then looks around confused, "Wait, where are the others?"

"They turned into dust,"

"We sacrificed them to the wolves,"

"Got kidnapped by aliens,"

Ming, Val and I all reply sarcastically at the same time and then look at each other surprised and start laughing, except for Josh who gives us a dry look.

"Ha ha, very funny,"

We talk some more and around half past ten, my mom comes home. It is rather awkward as all of us know about the affair and well, Josh is there too. She passes us a small smile and then walks in. The worst part is that my friends think that it is over and all we have to do is try to move on from it, only I know that it isn't anywhere near over. Fucking hell, I have to do something about it before it all comes to blow up in our faces.

And then the three of them take off as well, but not before Val telling me once again to cover for Dan if her parents asked for him — apparently, he is at his friend's again. I huff and then check the time again — 11.30 pm. Just as I lock my phone screen, I receive a new message. By that time, I had let go of the hope that he'd wish me that I almost dismiss the notification without checking the message or who the sender is. But curiosity gets the better part of me and I unlock the screen, my breath getting knocked out of me as soon as I do.

BEAST :–
Happy Birthday, Zacharrine

He wished me.

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