Assumptions
Three
So, in lieu of Patrick, Melissa had bribed her best friend to be her date for Prom-night. There were some proposals from other guys, though, and she was determined to turn them down. In the week of the big event, Melissa saw little of Patrick. She suddenly hoped she had thought to ask for his number. For whenever she did see him, he was always with Adrian, who seemed to be able to detect that she was in the area and would drag Patrick away as quickly as he could.
If it wasn’t for the fact that Patrick had shown an interest in her earlier, she would have been convinced that something was going on between the two boys. Why was Adrian so protective, if not possessive, of Patrick?
“Obviously,” Christian, her Prom date, rolled his eyes as they watched Adrian and Patrick eating lunch together in the cafeteria. “Because Adrian is in love with your Patrick. He’s determined to convert him to our side. If I wasn’t your friend, I wouldn’t be complaining. Who wouldn’t want Patrick to be gay?”
As though to underline what Christian said, Adrian brought out a small thermos from his bag and offered it to Patrick.
Melissa laughed cruelly. “He’s not doing a good job, though, is he?” she said as Patrick grimaced visibly after drinking whatever was on the thermos. Adrian seemed indifferent to his reaction; he had brought out a book and was starting to read it. “He was a bit flirty with me when we were alone together.” She had, of course already told Christian the whole story of her precious few minutes with Patrick. But recounting it every now and then gave her immense thrill.
“You’re lucky,” Christian said. “If you hadn’t shown an interest in Patrick, he would have probably given in. Adrian’s a looker himself, after all. If only he got rid of the tower of books that are by his side all the time. You know, I was going to ask him out, but then you bribe me with Fabian’s number.”
Melissa raised her eyebrow. “You realize you italicize your words too much?”
Christian stared at her, confused. “What?”
*
The days leading to Prom Night passed by in a blur. The day before the actual event, all preparations were completed. When classes finished for the day, Melissa thought to drop by the gym to know what to expect.
The decorations committee had done an eyesore of a job with the gymnasium. Everything was either pink or red or dirty white. It looked very warm, thought Melissa when she took a peek inside it. “It looks like the inside of a vagina,” Christian said indelicately, his face bearing signs of disgust.
“How would you know what the inside of a vagina looks like?” Melissa asked, already used to her friend’s manner of talking to be scandalized. “You shriek at the sight of the outside.”
But Christian wasn’t listening. He was looking at something in the distance. Melissa followed his gaze and she saw Adrian and Patrick making their way out of school. The gym was close enough to the exit for Melissa to see that Patrick did not look well. He was very pale in the face and he was trembling, despite being wrapped in Adrian’s jacket. He seemed unable to walk properly, too, for Adrian was supporting him.
She thought to approach the two to ask them what was wrong, but as always, Adrian sensed her presence and, after giving her a ‘leave-us-alone’ look, he coaxed Patrick to walk faster.
“Whoa,” Christian said. “He looked like shit.”
Melissa could not help but agree. Was Patrick sick of something? Was that what they meant by an ‘appointment’? She shivered involuntarily, hoping—praying that whatever Patrick was sick of wasn’t anything too serious.
If it wasn’t for the fact that Patrick had shown an interest in her earlier, she would have been convinced that something was going on between the two boys. Why was Adrian so protective, if not possessive, of Patrick?
“Obviously,” Christian, her Prom date, rolled his eyes as they watched Adrian and Patrick eating lunch together in the cafeteria. “Because Adrian is in love with your Patrick. He’s determined to convert him to our side. If I wasn’t your friend, I wouldn’t be complaining. Who wouldn’t want Patrick to be gay?”
As though to underline what Christian said, Adrian brought out a small thermos from his bag and offered it to Patrick.
Melissa laughed cruelly. “He’s not doing a good job, though, is he?” she said as Patrick grimaced visibly after drinking whatever was on the thermos. Adrian seemed indifferent to his reaction; he had brought out a book and was starting to read it. “He was a bit flirty with me when we were alone together.” She had, of course already told Christian the whole story of her precious few minutes with Patrick. But recounting it every now and then gave her immense thrill.
“You’re lucky,” Christian said. “If you hadn’t shown an interest in Patrick, he would have probably given in. Adrian’s a looker himself, after all. If only he got rid of the tower of books that are by his side all the time. You know, I was going to ask him out, but then you bribe me with Fabian’s number.”
Melissa raised her eyebrow. “You realize you italicize your words too much?”
Christian stared at her, confused. “What?”
*
The days leading to Prom Night passed by in a blur. The day before the actual event, all preparations were completed. When classes finished for the day, Melissa thought to drop by the gym to know what to expect.
The decorations committee had done an eyesore of a job with the gymnasium. Everything was either pink or red or dirty white. It looked very warm, thought Melissa when she took a peek inside it. “It looks like the inside of a vagina,” Christian said indelicately, his face bearing signs of disgust.
“How would you know what the inside of a vagina looks like?” Melissa asked, already used to her friend’s manner of talking to be scandalized. “You shriek at the sight of the outside.”
But Christian wasn’t listening. He was looking at something in the distance. Melissa followed his gaze and she saw Adrian and Patrick making their way out of school. The gym was close enough to the exit for Melissa to see that Patrick did not look well. He was very pale in the face and he was trembling, despite being wrapped in Adrian’s jacket. He seemed unable to walk properly, too, for Adrian was supporting him.
She thought to approach the two to ask them what was wrong, but as always, Adrian sensed her presence and, after giving her a ‘leave-us-alone’ look, he coaxed Patrick to walk faster.
“Whoa,” Christian said. “He looked like shit.”
Melissa could not help but agree. Was Patrick sick of something? Was that what they meant by an ‘appointment’? She shivered involuntarily, hoping—praying that whatever Patrick was sick of wasn’t anything too serious.