41 ✒ Chapter 29 : Hungry hearts

CENTER carefully reached for the grapes on the table beside his bed. He sat with his back against the wall and started chewing the fruit. He got bandages wrapped around his head and a dextrose hanging beside his bed.

The door swayed open as Ethan entered the room. Center was about to celebrate as if an angel has paid him a visit but Khein and Rei came too.

"Why is Satan and the reaper here?" Center asked bitterly. Staring at each other, Khein and Rei sighed.

"I told you, it's not a good idea to see his dying face." Khein said bitterly.

"But at least we gotta see his face before he says goodbye to Ethan." Rei added dramatically.

"You motherfuckers! I'm not going to die!" Center shouted as his veins popped out from his neck and forehead. He kept throwing grapes towards Khein and Rei as the two hid behind Ethan.

"Stop it!" Ethan shouted which made the spoiled brat froze and the two behind him smirking, teasing Center secretly.

"Just go home, you two. I can take care of him myself, thank you for coming." Ethan said with a sincere voice.

"We never planned on going back here either, bye!" Khein said bitterly and stormed out of the room. Rei followed the rebel guy immediately.

"You too should leave now" Center said seriously. He just made a decision that might hurt him Ethan again. But that was the best option Center could do.

"What are you up to, Center?" Ethan asked, confused.

"I don't want to see you around anymore. I'm being serious this time. I don't wanna fool around anymore." Center said while bowing his head. He couldn't bare to see Ethan's hurt face and he might end up taking back everything he just said.

"Stay away from me. I don't need you around anymore. I have lots of friends. I can hang out with them often. If it weren't because of you, I could always have a good time. Sticking around you..." Center managed not to cry as he continued, "...is boring."

Ethan made a heavy sigh and bit his bottom lip so he won't cry. He was not able to hold back his tears as he bowed his head as if he was giving up.

"I don't get it." Ethan said while barely breathing.

"I just don't get you, Center." Ethan said, still his head bowing down in front of Center. Center decided to get rid of his feelings for Ethan. He knew that Ethan would never like him back. If Center keeps on pushing himself towards Ethan, it would make Ethan hate him. He never wanted Ethan to hate him for that reason. He would rather make Ethan hate him for being stupid again.

"You were always like this. I can't understand what you're thinking at all. You'll suddenly push me away. You'll make friends with me again. And now, you're planning to get rid of me again. I just don't get you." Ethan said while clenching his teeth.

"I've had enough of you, Center. You're done fooling around? Fine! Don't ever come back in my life! You think you're the only friend I could have? How conceited you are!" Ethan said angrily, he was hurt. All those times he thought everything was back to normal. He thought Center would never push him away again.

"I thought you were my best friend. You told me you won't ever abandon me again. You said you'll stay with me until the end! You said you are my friend! What a liar. You know what? You deserve this. You should have died instead!" Ethan said angrily. He didn't want to say those painful words towards Center but he felt so low. He felt he was being played by Center.

"Do you know how happy I am when you said you wanted to make everything up to me? Do you even know what I told my father about not hating you again? Do you even know how happy my father was when he knew that we made up? Do you even realize how this year changed because I was able to spend it with you?" Ethan said while sobbing. He felt like choking as he saw Center was not even letting out a single tear. Center just made a straight face and said, "Can you leave now?"

Ethan gulped and wiped his tears away. He glared at Center as he licked his dried and trembling lips.

"I'll never forgive you, not for hurting me but for giving my father wrong expectations of you. He thought that you changed. Good thing that you are injured right now. Because you know what?..." Ethan said with a clenched jaw as he continued saying, "...I badly want to punch your face until you'll realize how worse you've become. Be happy with your life."

Ethan left Center in his room and went home directly.

Center remained silent for at least half a minute after Ethan left him. He stared at the closed door as his tears fell on his cheeks. He cried so badly that he went mad. His head hurt as he avoided to shout. He cried the whole time as he remembered every word Ethan has said to him.

"Come back to me!"

"I'm sorry!"

"I love you so much but I'm scared!"

"If I'll tell you I loved you for all those times. You will hate me even more. You will remember everything that has happened in the past. You'll remember the ones who bullied you. You'll remember your miserable life because of what I did. You'll feel sorry for your father. And you'll feel sorry for yourself again." Center thought painfully.

"I'm sorry, Ethan. I love you." Center said and closed his eyes as he decided to sleep.

He wanted to forget about everything.

Everything.

Including Ethan.

•••

ETHAN'S father was making dinner and greeted his son while standing on the kitchen.

"Ethan?! I cooked dinner for us! Hurry up and change so you could taste our special dinner!" Ethan's father said happily. Ethan silently went towards his father and hugged the old man from the back.

"What's wrong, son?" Ethan's father asked as he realized his son's tears penetrated on his back. Ethan buried his face deeper into his father's back as he exhaled helplessly.

With trembling lips and painful chest, Ethan said while sobbing, "I'm so hungry."

Ethan cried so bad that he kept repeating the words, "I'm so hungry."

Ethan's father knew that something was wrong with his son. He kept finishing his cooking while slowly tapping Ethan's hands around his waist.

"Okay okay, dinner will be ready after two minutes." the old man declared with a forced chuckle.