The Romance In Our Rivalry

78 | Bromance

Nova

I was so drained about all that happened yesterday evening that I had hoped that Nick wouldn't add to the stress that I was somewhat under. Sigh.

I didn't go to first period because I was so incredibly anxious about this that I couldn't even think. I didn't wanna panic in front of Aubrey about it because I've been trying to play calm, "cool and collected" about all of this. In second period however, I didn't care much about the people there.

Nick

"Nick" Nova said as she came into second period fashionably late. There was no doubt in my mind that her tardiness had something to do with her stupid soon-to-fucking-be wife, Aubrey.

"Nova" I said back, with as little enthusiasm and emotion as possible. I couldn't believe after all the shit she pulled, Nova still had the nerve to attempt to strike up a random conversation with me.

"So this is random" Nova said, "and it may be too soon to ask seeing the conversation we had not too long ago, but-" I stopped Nova, her speaking in that manner was a dead give away that she was gonna ask me to do something regarding her and her girlfriend.

"Let me guess" I said, "you want me to be the camera man at you and Aubrey's wedding?" Nova shook her head, "no" she said, "Aubrey and I thought maybe it would be a cool idea to have our exes walk us down the aisle since Jason didn't mind." I made a face.

"You're cool with that?" I asked Jason, "really?" Jason shrugged, "what did I tell you before Nick?" he asked, "I wasn't in it for the long run. When you see it from a 'date to pass time' perspective, it's not as painful." I scoffed, then looked back at Nova.

"Sorry" I said, "but you must be out of your homosexual mind if you think I'm walking you down the aisle at what could've been a ceremony for you and I. You've been nothing but selfish, and at this point it seems that you're just down right mocking me." Nova seemed bummed, but not surprised.

"I know I was selfish" she said, "but it's the past and I already apologized Nick. What else do you want me to do?" I shrugged, "oh I don't know" I said sarcastically, "maybe don't fucking involve me in your wedding plans?! That's common sense Nova."

"I'm not trying to mock you" Nova replied, "I want you to be apart of my life still. Even though we didn't work out as lovers, I believe and hope that we could as friends. And I think you walking me in could be the closure and sealant to our romance that we both kind of need." I sighed heavily.

"I just heard a whole lot of bullshit" I said, "because I don't need closure, and even if I did, I promise you that I wouldn't wanna get it from walking in the girl that I'm still madly in love with, to go marry someone else. That doesn't even make sense."

"Your feelings are valid Nick" Nova said, "but so are mine. And it's not fair to either of us if we stayed together, because your love would've been unrequited and I would've been unhappy in the situation that I'm in. Our relationship would've been toxic and shitty. That was a big decision that I made for the both of us. Because you deserve someone that genuinely loves and values you."

I stood up and grabbed my bag, "where are you going?" Jason asked and I shrugged. "Anywhere that this lesbian loony isn't at" I replied, harshly.

Jason

I followed behind Nick as he walked out of the classroom. Usually I'd say that I'm almost certain that we were on the verge of being written up, but because the year is almost over and we're seniors, teachers have been a lot more easy on us.

"Nick, bro, where are you going?" I asked, closely following behind Nick as he walked awkwardly down the corridor with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. "I don't know" Nick said, not even making an effort to look at me as he spoke, "away from her."

"Look" I said, catching up to, and stepping in front of, Nick. "I know you're upset. But let me ask you genuinely, do you think that you not participating in that wedding will stop it?" Nick looked at me with blank eyes, "what's that supposed to infer?"

"Your current feelings are temporary. How long this 'temporary' is, is unknown, but I can promise you that even in a years time, you'll be over Nova and probably on to someone else." Nick continued to stare at me, "that's cool and all" he said, "but I live in the moment, so that doesn't fucking help."

"One day you're gonna be married to the love of your life, and you're gonna look back at this current moment in time, and laugh. You're gonna realize that it wasn't the end of the world, and you're gonna be thankful that you and Nova didn't work out, because you found your person." Nick didn't say anything, so I continued.

"And you're going to regret not walking Nova in" I said, "because you're gonna be haunted by the photographic memory that depicts your football teammates, your classmates, and your friends in general all participating and doing what they can in this wedding that you selfishly backed out of. At that point you'll be over it, and you'll think 'why didn't I just do it? I missed out on such a fun memory with people that I loved because I was in my feelings'... do you really want that Nick?"

"No" Nick said, "but it's hard. My head doesn't want that, but my heart doesn't care. Just because you could handle it Jason, doesn't mean I can." I nodded, "one of the biggest mistakes I made this year was not being there for you" I said, causing Nick to give me a confused look. "I mean, whenever you talked about Nova and Aubrey, I shut you down. I didn't try to hear you out or slowly soothe your mind. You were forced to handle all these bottled up feelings alone. I'm sorry, bro, because I gave off toxic masculinity vibes and acted like you having normal human feelings was weird. I feel like if I had done that differently, then maybe, just maybe, your outlook wouldn't be the way it is right now."

Nick nodded, "yeah" he said softly, "you did shut me down a lot. But I'm not dwelling on it, I didn't let it affect me. I figured that you were just struggling with the same feelings and were trying to fight it off so you didn't want me provoking them." I shook my head, "nah" I said, "but I'm glad what I did didn't get to you." Nick nodded, clearly not knowing what to say. "I have one request though" I said.

Nick looked at me to show that he was listening, so I spoke. "I'm not gonna tell you what to do, but I really do hope you at least consider it. If you can't do it for Nova and Aubrey, then do it for you. For your sake of ending this love story on a good note. For your sake of having a blast being all dressed up with your best friends. For your sake of being able to get a suit and tie picture for social media."

Nick laughed at that last part, and I smiled. "Life ain't easy, but the sad truth to life is that you're in charge of your own happiness Nick" I said, "so stop looking at this situation as a 'half empty' and start seeing it as a 'half full'. You were asked to have that honor for a reason bud. You matter. You matter to Nova, to Aubrey, and to me. So don't let a temporary feeling effect a long term memory."

Aubrey

"I heard the whole thing with Nick didn't go as planned" I said to my fiancée as I picked her up from second period. "We can always ask Lewis. Isn't he your ex too?" Nova shrugged, "it's Nick or nothing" she said, "I don't really consider Lewis an ex and he has a girlfriend who I've already been in hot water with before." I nodded, "that's fair" I said.

"But I think you should try one more time" I continued, encouraging Nova. "Not right now though, maybe in a week or so, because Jason talked to Nick and it seems like Nick is leaning towards it."

"Okay" Nova said, sounding unsure. "I guess I have nothing to lose. Anytime in the near future that Nick and I have privacy, I'll use to ask."