“What happened, man? You look like you haven’t slept properly.” Kyle pops up behind my shoulder and asks me. I reply with a yawn. I am still half asleep. I hadn’t got a night of proper rest because of the swirling thoughts disturbing me. At best, I properly slept for 3 hours before I was forced out of my slumber.

“Yeah, last night had been quite shitty. I can probably catch up some sleep during the boring classes.”

“No worries, man. I’ll look out for you. We always got our backs together like the singer you like. Daryl & Hall, right?”

“It’s Daryl & Oates, you fuck, Daryl Hall is his full name.” I couldn’t help but laugh at him.

“Ah whatever, your tastes are really cheesy.” Kyle retorts as he smiles back at me, shrugging his embarrassment.

“At least act like you care.”

“But I only care about you,” Kyle says as femininely as he could. It was an ongoing joke between us and our bromance. Though Kyle acts like this, it was mainly playing around. Thanks to his antics, half the girls had some weird fantasies about both of us.

“Ahaha, bro, I ain’t gay alright. I told you to stop doing that before any girl stops approaching us.”

“Stops approaching me? Do you mean yourself? Ever since I have done this, my popularity is just soaring.” He flaunts and gives me a cheeky smile.

“Fuck off, just let me sleep right now.” Sometimes Kyle could be an ass though, but a lovable one despite that.

“Sure, but it looks like the ladies are already on about us.” His words make me regain my attention. I try to hear the murmuring whispers of the girls near.

“Oh god, Kyle is so hot today. I am so lucky to get to see their daily morning routine.”

“Kyle and Mike are such a wonderful couple. Probably the best in our school.”

“Do you think Kyle would be bottom or top? I just get horny thinking about it.”

“Kyle would be bottom obviously, he is too cute to be the dominant one. Just imagining him getting abused by Mike as he receives his long rod, gosh I feel so excited!” I feel like vomiting after hearing their incessant chatter and screeches. I stare at Kyle, who seems to enjoy himself.

“How the heck aren’t you bothered by their rubbish talks,” I say with as much disgust as I could muster.

“Any publicity is good publicity, though I’d like to be on top too.”

I ignore his dumb remark and continue. “Well, your publicity is fucking up my reputation. I don’t want to be seen as a gay icon for the girls to masturbate to.”

“Hey, at least you can become popular like me.”

I began ignoring him. He isn’t letting me sleep at this rate. I cover my head using my arms, hiding away from Kyle and his stupid grin. I had more serious things to deal with this afternoon. Slowly, I become drowsy and sleep again.

I didn’t know how much time had passed, but my surroundings have become noisy. I hear the door sliding. There’s a ruckus going on in our class. I quickly turn my head and pay attention to what’s happening. What greets me is something I never expect.

“Susan?” I ask myself. She was standing by the doorway, holding two packets of boxed lunch. Her eyes wander a bit before she notices me. She cheerfully smiles and starts heading here. Eh? Don’t tell me she came to our class just to meet me?

But before she got any closer, Kyle got in her way.

“State your business.” He rudely cuts in, not allowing her to get through him.

“Move, I’m here to meet Mike,” Susan replies with her own glare.

“Well, you can just tell me then. He’s busy right now.” The crowd murmurs, they whisper to each other wondering what is happening.

“Hey what’s going on, why are the most popular people in our school fighting amongst each other?” Someone from the crowd whispers around.

“Don’t tell me, is it a lover’s quarrel?”

“This is some hot news, I need to tell my friends about it.”

Some people even start taking video clips. It just came to show how popular both of them were.

I quickly got up before the atmosphere got worse. They were catching too much attention. I clasp both their arms and drag them away. The crowd looks at me in confusion, wondering how I am involved with both of them. After reaching an isolated area in the hallway, I spoke to them.

“Susan, why did you come here? Weren’t we supposed to meet later?”

“I just wanted to thank you for agreeing to help me.” Her doe-like-eyes look up to me. She cutely makes a disappointed expression, as if I am the one who wronged her.

“Wait, you promised to meet her? Didn’t I tell you to stay away from her?”

“Kyle, please, just leave us alone for a second,” I request. Both of them would just make the situation worse.

“Why does this have anything to do with you, why don’t you want me to be with him?” Susan questions him in return.

“I am his best friend. Of course, I have a say in this! Don’t you have a boyfriend too? What kind of sloppy woman are you who’s trying to two-time with another man!” he retorts.

“Wait, why do you know I have a boyfriend? Mike, why did you tell him!?”

“Everyone, stop! Stop!” I shout. The situation was getting worse by the second. These two were like oil and water, none of them wants to back down from the argument.

“Kyle, she is right. Let me handle my relationships, you can’t always act as my guardian. Kindly leave please.” I know I sound rude but I need my words to get through him. He clicks his tongue and turns around before leaving, but not before giving Susan a deep glare. She glares back at him again, unwilling to back off. Both of them harrumph before Kyle left. Only me and Susan are now alone together.

“Susan, why did you come to my class during the break?”

“As I said before, I wanted to thank you because you accepted my request. I know how troublesome it was for you, so I wanted to return the favour. I even packed lunch boxes for you.” They were for me? I honestly feel touched. This was the first time a girl made food for me other than my mother.

I smile and thank her. “Thank you, Susan. I appreciate it.” She silently cheers with a fist pump, Susan really looks cute while doing that.

“But…” I interject her self celebration. I need to make set things straight with her. She stares at me nervously, wondering what I was about to speak.

“Kyle is right, you have a boyfriend. You can’t just come to me out of the blue. Others will think both of us have a relationship. Not to mention, having lunch together will spread such rumours further. Aren’t you worried about what your boyfriend will think when he hears them?” I reprimand her. She fidgets a bit and gives a guilt-ridden look.

“I don’t mind what others think. My childhood friend is much more important than some silly rumours. And my boyfriend isn’t so short-minded that he will prevent me from meeting any male friends. He trusts me fully, we have an unconditional bond between us.” Hearing her, I felt pangs of jealousy gouge my flesh again. It wasn’t the time to reminisce though, I had to be clear-cut with her.

“You need to consider your popularity, too. Though it won’t be a problem for you, your actions still affect me. If people were to think we are a couple, then there would be many problems on my half too. It would be harder for me to get along with other girls as well.” I convey my honest thoughts.

Susan seems to be in a daze for a second. She looks at me seriously and asks. “Mike, do you have a girlfriend?” I feel shivers run down my spine for a second, but that feeling instantly goes away, as if it never happened. What was that? Susan was just standing before me with her lovable smile. It must be because of my lack of sleep.

“Ah no, I still haven’t got a girlfriend yet,” I admit shyly, I was reluctant to admit it though.

“Is that so? I know many girls who are looking for a boyfriend. Ah! Maybe I could help you out by introducing a girl at the same time!”

“Wait, really?” I was honestly quite happy to hear that. I expected nothing in return for helping Susan, but this was beyond what I could’ve possibly hoped to achieve. Since Susan is so popular, there will surely be some girls who should be just as pretty as her. It could help me forget about my feelings for Susan.

“Yeah, for sure! But you will have to first help me out alright?”

“You got yourself a deal, you can count on me!” I was too busy revelling in the prospect of getting a girlfriend that I miss Susan’s reaction. I can finally graduate from being single!