" can I come in ? ", I ask him.
" Uhmm..okay.", he nods and moves from the door, letting me walk in.
" You didn't go to class after noon ?", I ask as it is strange he already reached here and changed his clothes. The bell had only rung a few minutes ago.
" No, I didn't. It t..took me some time to w..wash out all that sauce. And then I didn't feel like g..going.", he replied.
" Nate, I am sorry.", I said feeling guilty all over again.
" Then I g..guess, you will've to tell me s..sorry everyday.", he said. He is right. Probably I will have to tell him sorry every day. And there's no point in saying sorry after not trying to help him. Not only that I didn’t help him but also I stood along with those people who bullied him and laughed at him.
" You can sit.", he says pointing at the two chairs. I nod and take a seat on one of the chairs while he goes and sits on his bed.
" You don't have a roommate?", I ask.
" No. I don't yet.", he replies " Let's talk about the a..assignment."
I nod. " Yeah..okay. I was actually sleeping and I didn't hear anything. Mr Jacob said it's important but he didn't say what it is about."
" It's actually s..simple. We need to Prepare as much q..questions from every chapter before Mr..Mr Jacob starts teaching the chapters. And we will conduct a q..quiz with those questions. Next week we...we've to prepare q..questions from first chapter.", he says struggling with his words. But it was kind of cute.
" Oh..I see. That's why this assignment lasts this whole sem.", I say irritably. Why the hell do they have to give such assignments ? Hmm..I see, Mr Jacob won't be teaching anything. He would be simply discussing the questions we prepared and then will be asking us to prepare questions for next chapter. Oh how easy !
" We'll need a n..notebook for this. And..we'll have to s..submit it to Mr Jacob at the end of this sem. ", Nate then says.
" And we've to work in groups of two or three. So who is your partner ?", I asked.
" I-I don't have a partner. I'm d..doing it alone.", Nate replies.
" Why ?", I asks but he doesn't reply. He looks away as if it's none of my business. "But Mr Jacob said we won't get a good score if we are doing it alone.", I continue.
" Yeah, he said that.", Nate cuts me. " The marks I g..get by doing it alone is enough for me.", he adds blankly.
" But why can't you work in group ? It'd be easier too. Look, I don't have a partner. Can you let me be your partner ?", I ask. He furrows his eyebrows and looks at me intently for a few moments.
" No.", Finally he utters.
" Why ?", I ask.
He opens his mouth to say something but then closes it. He does this one more time and fiddles with his fingers, long slender fingers, I notice. His legs are also long.
" Is it because you are scared of my friends?", I ask.
" Yes. They..they won't like it. They'd t..trouble me more.", he says worried.
" They won't know. They are not in that class. Even if they know, I would tell them it was Mr Jacob who made us into team. They won't hurt you because of this.", I try to assure him. But I am not really sure he won't get beaten because of this.
" I don't want to. I'd rather d..do it alone.", He says, his voice nervous. He might be afraid about my reaction. He might be thinking I'll beat him. Yeah, I think I should let him do it alone. Why would I drag him to more troubles? I shall better work alone this week and then join with some other team from next week. So that they would do all work and I just have to copy their work. But if Nate was my partner, I could have got a bit closer to him. Oh why do I want to get closer to him ? Why invite more troubles ?
I am about to say 'Okay' but then he speaks. " They...they won't know ?"
" No ?", I say. It sounds more like a question.
" You...uhm....like to work with me ?", he asks biting down on his bottom lips. Cute. I think again.
" Yeah. But mostly because I don't know anyone else from that class. So the two options in front of me is to either work alone or work with you.", I reply.
" Ahmm..okay. Let's work together.", he says surprising me a bit. Isn't t he the one who just said he would rather work alone ? Why did he finally decide to agree ? Is it because I look like his dead friend?
" Okay.", I smile at him. " Tell me when you want to start working on it. Oh give me your phone number.", I say more like demand, fishing my phone out of my pocket and stretching it to him. Nate takes my phone without much hesitation. Ahh..heck ! I don't know what I am doing. I already have a gut feeling that I am pulling him into more troubles.
Nate gives me back my phone after a moment. I look at the phone screen and soon a confused frown take over my features at the name he saved. "Michael ?", I question.
" Michael is my...f..first name. Nate is my second name.", he replies. Oh I see. So that was why he struggled with 'M' yesterday while I asked him his name.
" So you want me to call you Michael?", I ask. He nods expectantly.
I smile looking at him. " okay I will call you Michael from now on.", He suddenly smiles widely, showing off his cute dimples which takes me aback. Why did he suddenly become so happy when I said I will call him Michael?
" Nate, I mean Michael, you like to be called Michael? What does everyone call you ?", I ask amused at his smile.
He stops smiling. " Most people at school call me s..stutter boy. A few called me Nate or Mike. Alex'd call me....Michael or Mickey."
So much names, I think. People only call me by Ethan. No one actually knows my second name which is 'James'. Eve is the only person who calls me 'Eddy'.
Wait ! he just mentioned about this Alex guy. It's my perfect opportunity to ask about him. Alex seems to be someone really close to him.
" Hey Nate, who is Alex ?", I ask quickly. His expression changes suddenly into a gloomy one. Is it because I again called him 'Nate' ? Oh I should have thought before speaking. " Ahmm..Michael.", I correct. " I got used to calling you Nate. But I will change it."
" Uhmm..okay. Alex.., I already t..told you morning. He was my best..best friend.", Nate replies looking down at the floor. His expression really sad. My guess is right. Alex was really close to him.
" I am sorry. But do you have any of his pics with you. I really want to see his pic since you told I somewhat look like him.", I say and tilt my face a little to look at his face which is still facing the floor.
He stays looking at the floor for one more moment, as if deep in thought. Then he looks up and speaks. " No. I-I don't have his p..pic. it's three years now."
" oh..okay.", I nod disappointed.
" Ahmm..you..you may go now. I'll call you to work for the...assignment later."
I nod and stand up from the chair. "Hmm..okay. See you." I walk towards the door after he nods at me. But then a thought flies into my mind and I turn around to look at him. " Michael, did you have lunch ?"
His mouth parts a little, probably in surprise. Then his lips slowly curves upward. But then suddenly tears pool in his eyes. What happened? Did I say something wrong ?
" Y...yeah..I-I ate.", he says and bites his lips. A tear slithers out of the corner of his eyes.
" What happened ?", I ask worried.
" N..nothing. Please...leave.", he says.
" okay.", I nod and walk out of the room in worry and confusion. The door closes shut after a second. What just happened?