invitation to the party

"You'll

never change." Alex says with folded arms leaning on the pillar of the

basketball shed. In front of him Raven is sitting absentmindedly on the iron

bench. They just finished practicing basketball and it's almost evening.

Everyone has gone home already. After showering Raven kept sitting here so Alex

too doesn't leave. Raven joined basketball club a week ago as the boys of the

basketball club persuaded him nonstop.

"Do you have

to bother me every time you see me? Why don't you just fuckin go home?" Raven

is pissed. He just wants to be alone now. God knows why he's feeling this way

suddenly. Is it because Norman is absent? Right Norman suddenly had flu 3 days

ago. His mom came to school for leave of absence. He wanna visit Norman even

though Norman told him not to go to his house.

"Why are you

so rude to me 24/7? Can't I just talk to you normally?" Alex retorts back.

Raven is angry now. "Rude to you? Who is the one that insults me every now and

then by calling me fag and side bitch?! You never leave that incident alone and

always badmouth about me to people!" Alex keeps staring at him with a

emotionless face. "I remember apologizing the last time i spewed those in

Norman's home. And after that i never talked to you like that. Yet you're

dragging it."

Raven doesn't

wanna talk with him. He genuinely hates his gut and so he says his mind.

"Listen. I simply don't wanna talk with you. It irritates me a lot. So leave me

alone."

"I can't."

Alex mutters which gets easily heard by Raven. The orange sky of a late evening

in the beginning of august feels surreally aesthetic. So much happened in these

past months. A fragile relationship formed and it broke. Raven feels pity for

Norman. Even when Norman used to talk with him whenever someone uttered

Saffran's name his face would gleam like a child. Norman isn't that much

cheerful now as he was when Raven first met him. Looking at Norman he tried to

convince his heart to fall for this amazing, sweet and caring boy. But there is

a hole in his heart, not a physical hole. It's like raven feels its presence even

when he is surrounded by people.

The late

summer breeze hits both boys as one keeps staring at him confused and the other

looking at the skyline.

After a minute

of silence Alex looks at Raven with uncertain emotion laced on his face, his

facial structure looks ever so sharp under the aftertaste of an usual sunset.

"I can't leave you alone." Alex again says walking slowly towards Raven. "What

do you mean?" Raven asks and he doesn't know why his heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

"I....don't know." Alex towers over Raven and keeps his eyes fixed on Raven's

handsome face. It's like he's absorbing the beauty of the boy in front of him with

his eyes. Alex lifts his hand and hesitantly touches the front strands of

Raven's purple and blonde hair. Seeing Raven not resisting he tucks a strand

behind his ear.

"After that

night i seriously hated you somehow. You know i never planned to sleep with a

man even if all the women disappears. But-" Raven jerks Alex's hand which was

behind his ear. He glares at him but Alex remains calm. "But you've been around

me constantly for the past few months and i cant seem to ignore you even if i

want to. I admit I'm being ridiculous but whenever i see you i get a strong

urge to talk to you, tease you, watch your reaction, touch-" Alex stops and

Raven cocks his brows at him. "Touch?" Raven finally speaks.

Alex doesn't

say anything and like the pace of the sky changing it's colour to purple from

orange, Alex slowly captures the thin, soft lips of Raven.

...

Norman's mom

is worrying too much for his precious son and so she has brought him here at

Central Hospital. Norman has common cold and it'll heal after some days still

his mom doesn't listen. He and his mom is sitting at the lobby waiting for Norman's

name to get called. "Mom you're too much. You also took a paid leave." Norman

rolls his eyes at his mom's foolishness. He hates hospitals and wearing masks.

He keeps staring around as the time doesn't seem to pass. "It's for your own

good. What if there is some underlying sickness." Norman again rolls his eyes.

"We need to

know the baby's health time to time." Norman's heart skips a beat hearing a familiar

woman's voice. He looks back and meets the forest green eyes of a person he once

loved.

Saffran

looks equally surprised but the extra face he bears is of some lovesick early

aged teenager. And it makes Norman disgusted. He avoid his eyes and looks the

other way. Norman's mom doesn't notice Saffran from this far. Jess is with

Saffran and it looks like they've come here to get an ultrasonography. Norman's

gut twists in unpleasantness and his mom quickly catches on it. "Are you

feeling too much sick?" His mom asks seeing his face going pale. Norman nods

his head not wanting to worry his mom.

"Who is

Norman?" The ward boy shouts and both Norman and his mom goes inside the

doctor's chamber.

.....

"Norm." A

soft call that feels so familiarly unfamiliar but manages to make Norman's

heartbeat skyrocket. His mom got a sudden call from the hospital telling that

she had to go urgently so she told Norman to go home alone. He looks back and

sees the love of his painful past. Even though it hasn't been that long to call

it past yet, Norman desperately tries to forget him.

Saffran's

eyes waver and it seems like his hair has become slightly long. Norman doesn't

wanna stare at him for long knowing his heart can change decisions in a minute in

front of this prettiest boy. Against his wish, his instincts he turns back and

gives the prescription of medicines to the counter man. "Are you sick?"

Saffran's voice trembles and it stings Norman's heart seeing him so vulnerable

and messy. Saffran lost weight, his complexion is no good. Norman doesn't say

anything. It has been 1 month since that incident in the abandoned room. Since

then school has become a vacation spot for Saffran. And whenever he came he

tried everything in his power to talk to Norman. But Norman didn't let him one

chance.

"Take care

of yourself and rest a-" "Tsk." Norman glares at him but Saffran looks so defenseless

and petty, his eyes are of a dying man but seeing Norman there's a tiniest glow

in his pupils that Norman can't ignore even if he wants to. Norman's face

softens but his heart is in a turtle shell. He just can't.....can't love the boy

again like he used to.

Saffran

smiles sadly and after a brief apology like a rejected puppy he turns back. Was

he on verge of tears? Norman's every organ seems like shifting inside. Why does

it hurt so much? When Saffran's the one who hurt him then why his heart longs

for him so frickin bad?

....

"I'm

throwing a party in my house!" Jeromy screams entering the classroom. Almost

everyone's ears perk up hearing the news including Norman. Norman is back to

school after a week. He doesn't know why Raven is sitting so quietly. Usually

Raven chats nonstop with Norman until his mouth tires up. But now he is only

giving attention to the blue sky and green trees outside of the window. The

teacher is absence or else Jeromy would definitely get detention for shouting

so loudly.

"You're

inviting the whole school?" "What bout your parents?" "Make sure to arrange the

finest wines." "Woah calm down. There will be everything available so you guys don't

have to tell me separately. I'm planning this with the boys from soccer."

Jeromy again looks at Norman. Norman is least interested in Jeromy's stupid

party. Even though Jeromy kept on trying to talk with him, after that traumatic

incident Norman lost all his reasons to talk with this rich kid.

Seeing Jeromy

coming at him table Norman tries to engage in the book in front of him. "Hey."

Everybody in the class looks at him suspiciously and Norman hates being the

center of attention. What is irritating Norman the most is that Raven's not

talking with him at all. "Go away." Norman solemnly says. "I will but do come

to the party." Jeromy says in a soft tone and it makes every girl in the class

burn with jealously. Jeromy personally inviting this boy for his party and no

girl is taking it well. They think Norman actually cast a spell on all the

handsome boys in this school. "No." Norman boringly declines his offer. "Are

you still mad bout that incident? I'm trying everything i can to cheer you up

but-" "Who the f*ck asked you to cheer me up?" Norman says in sickeningly mad

voice that no one dares to utter a word after. His eyes holds the hatred for

whole school and everyone can pick it up. "Norm. I'm truly sorry. I know what I've

done is unforgivable but for how long will you shut me out?" Jeromy looks

genuinely hurt but Norman just can't forgive him. He watched silently when he

got beaten up bad and now he's being dramatic here. "You may have a chance if

you tell me why you didn't say anything when i was getting beaten up?" Norman

has no emotion laced on his face. Jeromy stiffen hearing his words. "Fine. But

not here. We can talk in private." "So you can beat him up again?" Raven

finally speaks up glaring at Jeromy. "He doesn't need any explanation. He wont

go to your stupid and lame party!" Jeromy doesn't react much at Raven's harsh

lines. Cause he knows how this weird boy's temper is. "I won't even touch his

single hair and if you worry that much you can tag along." Jeromy rolls his

eyes. Norman doesn't know what he should do. So he agrees to Jeromy. "Okay."