Different (Wilde #3)

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Nick

       I was trying really hard to focus on my essay, but it was kind of difficult with the sound of rain pounding against the pavement outside. I wasn't even on the bottom floor and I heard it. 

       I loved the rain and it almost always gave me inspiration while I was drawing or painting, but not when I was trying to write an essay that was due tomorrow. It also didn't help to hear tree branches knocking on the building walls. This was one heavy storm.

       "How can you write with all that sound?" Todd asked as he watched a movie on his laptop.

       "I have no idea," I said. "I'm just trying to get this done so I could actually do something I enjoy like painting. I want to paint something right now."

       "Or you can listen to my problems," Todd said. "I really need to rant about something."

       "You could do it now," I said. "I'll try to listen while I work on my essay. I'm almost done anyways."

       "Okay," Todd said. "I really have no clue what to do about Darby. I like him a lot. More than that, I'm probably in love with him, but he's not even trying to fix what happened. All I need is some closure. If he didn't feel the same way about me, then I'm fine with him just telling me that. Sure, I'd be heartbroken, but I would at least be able to stop worrying about it and have him be my best friend again."

       "If it's any consolation, I tried getting him to tell you when I talked to him over the summer," I said. "But apparently, he wants to do things his way, which is stupid because dating a girl and not trying to solve the problem you two have is not going to fix anything."

       "Exactly," Todd said. "You know what's worse? I can't go back to my player ways."

       "Why not?" I asked. "I thought you were going to."

       "Yeah, I was," Todd said. "But....even though Darby isn't talking to me and might not even like me, I felt like hooking up with girls again was only going to hurt him. And I can't hurt him."

       "I'm really sorry you have to go through this, Todd," I said. "I wish there was something I could do about it."

       "Yeah, me too," Todd said.

       There was a knock on the door, so Todd got up to answer. I looked over my shoulder to see who it was. Darby and Julian. This was going to be interesting.

       "What are you doing here, Julian?" Todd asked.

       "Darby's here too," Julian pointed out.

       "Oh, is he?" Todd asked. "I didn't notice because I'm trying to ignore his existence."

       "Todd...." Darby began, but Todd didn't let him finish.

       "Shut up, I'm not talking to you."

       "Anyway, I am really bored so I thought we could all hang out here," Julian said. "I dragged Darby here because he refused."

       "Darby can leave," Todd said. 

       "You know what? I'm going to stay," Darby said. Todd just scowled as he let Julian and Darby walk in before closing the door behind them.

       "What are you doing, Nick?" Julian asked as he sat down at the foot of my bed.

       "Finishing my essay," I said. "I just have to write the conclusion."