can i be close to you ~ boreo

part eight

two weeks later, boris was fine. he still had bruises and scars but he was fine.

everything was going great for us, besides academically.

until the unexpected happened. not really to me, but to boris.

•••

as i plopped down on the bus, boris carelessly sat down next to me, but didn't make any eye contact or say anything.

he usually always had something dumb to say to start off a conversation, so i found it odd he didn't say anything.

"hi boris" i said, unable to handle the silence between us.

"hi." he replied blandly. his legs were out in the aisle of the bus, and he wasn't even looking my way.

"did i do anything wrong?" i asked. he shook his head. i felt like he was lying, but i guess not.

the rest of the way home was quiet, besides the other kids chattering on the bus.

whenever the bus came to our stop (not really our stop, it never went far enough so we had to walk an extra five minutes) me and boris got off the bus and started walking to my house, in silence, again.

opening the door, popchyk greeted us happily. xandra was here unfortunately, but my dad was out doing whatever. she didn't say anything to us when we came inside which was fine with me.

boris didn't even stop to greet popchyk, or say hello to xandra. there was a guilty urge telling me i did something... but what could i have done.

he went straight upstairs. i decided not to immediately follow him because that might make things worse, so i stayed downstairs with xandra. popchyk followed boris upstairs.

i heard the tv change through channel to channel as i looked around in the kitchen. i wasnt hungry but i was bored, so this was the best thing to do before going upstairs.

i intended to stay downstairs for about fifteen to twenty minutes, but i just got too bored and couldn't listen to xandra flipping through the same channels.

fast walking, i went up the stairs and turned into my room. when i opened the door, boris was standing right there, like he was about to leave. startled, i looked up at him.

his cheeks and nose was pinkish red, and his eyes were puffy. he sniffled. he was crying.

i had never seen boris cry, except whenever i saw him get beat by his dad, or, of course, whenever we were laughing too hard. but this time was different. he wasn't crying from laughing or being beat.

"boris?" i asked. he looked like a giant compared to me.

boris turned around and went back to sit on my bed. i followed him.

"what's wrong?"

"is nothing," he wiped his nose with his arm and sniffled again. "no big deal, don't worry..." i sat down next to him.

"yes it is, you're crying. you never cry.." it was silent.

"kotku was with that bitch face tyler she claimed was a friend." i rolled my eyes. yes i did feel bad for boris but what did he expect? i knew this was gonna happen sooner or later.

"i know you do not care so much, but she meant a lot to me potter."

"i mean, yeah. i never really liked kotku but i do feel bad for you boris. you don't deserve this."

"i guess... god potter i just feel so bad." he rested his head in his hands. i laid my head on his shoulder.

"it's okay, boris. i'm sorry, but you'll move on." he didn't say anything, but he quietly shedded a few tears.

i threw my arms around him and buried my head in his collarbone. he hugged me back, sniffling.

"thank you potter." he said a few seconds after our embrace.

"you're welcome..." i slightly blushed. i knew he saw.

"why are your cheeks red?" he asked me, laughing.

well it's not like i'm secretly in love with you and i want to tell you but don't want ruin our friendship "oh... i don't know it's kinda hot in here" he smiled and looked straight forward.

"yeah, true..."

it stayed quiet for a few minutes, but we didn't move. we were just sitting beside each other quietly, looking ahead.

"do those nights ever mean anything to you?" i blurted out.

"eh?"

"the nights when we get drunk, and cuddle, do dumb shit. and gay shit... and then whenever we get sober we barely remember what we did and what happened."

"well not really. i mean.. sure. but nothing seriously. what's your point?"

don't be a pussy theo, just say it.

"like, what if we soberly did something..." i said finally.

"what do you mean? like...?"

"like this." i cupped my hands around his cheeks and pulled his face closer to mine, closing the gap between us.