Xue Ge pushed the door open slowly, with Jennifer waiting a safe distance behind.
Matt was on the bed, looking at his laptop. Bolin was laying on the sleeping bag, resting while playing something on his phone.
Try as he might, Xue Ge couldn't read anything in Matt's expression at all. He looks fine? "Matt, you okay?"
Matt nodded. "yes i'm fine. and congratulations. i'm a good wingman right."
Bolin looked up from his game briefly but continued playing.
Xue Ge felt uncertain. "What you mean?" If I didn't know Matt better, I'd think he was being sarcastic.
"well you wanted me to help you with Jennifer. i think you've succeeded."
Bolin put down his phone and looked questioningly at Xue Ge.
But Xue Ge didn't know what to say. Should I deny that I'm with her? How do I explain that kiss?
"have you guys finished study group yet. then you can join us," Matt said.
"No, just check you okay. We study now." Xue Ge closed the door again.
#
Moments later,
"Maybe he isn't feeling jealous?" Xue Ge suggested.
"It's possible," Jenn concurred, "Not everyone gets jealous easily. He's always known you liked me, and he's even helped you get closer to me before."
"Are you sure he's okay?"
"No. Even the typical people have difficulty recognising jealousy sometimes. So it could be that he's just unaware that he's feeling jealous. Or simply choosing not to act on it.
"So how can we know for sure?"
"Talk to him. Keep watching him," Jenn suggested.
#
It was time for bed. Jennifer and Bolin had gone home, Xue Ge and Matt had their baths. Matt had borrowed Xue Ge's phone, and was listening to music while lying on the bed with his eyes closed.
Xue Ge sat on the sleeping bags below the bed, trying to think how to breach the subject. He lay his chin on the bed and forced himself to ask, "Matt, you really okay ah?"
"yes. i'm happy for you." Matt responded, eyes still closed.
"You don't feel jealous?"
"i don't think so. i never understood jealousy anyway. it doesn't seem like the right thing to feel when someone you care about gets something they want."
"Don't you want me? For yourself. Without Jennifer," Xue Ge asked.
"i'm still new to the concept that i wanted you. so i'm not sure if i want you exclusively to myself yet."
Xue Ge decided that was enough, and the two boys bid each other good night soon after.
#
Xue Ge woke up to the sound of sniffling from where Matt lay, as he sometimes did these past few nights. As usual, Xue Ge slowly moved up to lay beside Matt and put his arm around him.
Matt jerked away and pushed Xue Ge's arm off.
Xue Ge froze in shock.
"i'm sorry. don't touch me. please. i don't like being touched," Matt said between sobs.
Xue Ge quietly moved back to the sleeping bag on the floor. He sat next to the bed, curled up into a tight ball with his head on his knees. He stayed there, listening until the sound of sobbing from the bed stopped.
#
Summer Camp, day 8
The five kids were gathered in Matt's cramped room, looking at the floor. Downcast.
Bolin punched and re-punched numbers in a calculator frantically, but Matt held his hand to stop him, shaking his head.
Jennifer broke the silence. "I'll try to talk to them again. I'll convince them for sure."
Chee Yok shook his head. "It's the same with all of us, Jennifer. Our parents know we were using our combined allowance to fund Matt's stay here. They're not going to allow that anymore."
"i cannot stay here at the expense of the other residents. it's over. it's time for me to face reality," Matthias said.
Bolin put his hand on Matt's back. "No want give up, Matt."
"what's the point. we're just a few students fighting against the world. we've made zero progress in improving our situation. we're just delaying the inevitable as my mum said," Matt said.
Even those who couldn't read Matt's expressions knew he was feeling dejected.
Matt continued, "thank you everyone for supporting me thus far. i think it's time for me to consider giving myself in."
Jenn shook her head. "Matt, no. Give us a few days. We'll think of something together."
Everyone tried to console Matt and encourage him not to give up. Except Xue Ge, who sat on the bed, silent.
Xue Ge closed his eyes. "I will find a job."
The other kids looked at Xue Ge.
Jenn's eyes were wide. "What about school?"
"I will quit," Xue Ge responded.
"no." There was a certain ferocity in Matt's eyes.
"It's okay, Matt. My marks bad. No point go school."
"no."
"Your marks are getting better. What have we been working for all this time?" Jenn asked.
"Otherwise how?" Xue Ge shot back, "My marks the worst. So I quit lah. Got no other way."
"Like that, I also will quit school. You don't be alone," Bolin offered.
"no one is leaving school for me," Matt said.
"We choose, Matt. Not you choose wan," Xue Ge said.
"Got no other way," Bolin said.
Jennifer and Chee Yok were silent this whole time.
"if either of you quit school i'll turn myself in immediately," Matt said.
Everyone didn't argue back.
Matt continued, "i won't have anyone sacrificing their future for me. i'm just one person. your life is just as important as mine."
"Matt, let me quit. I want to fight," Xue Ge pleaded.
Matt pointed at Jennifer. "What about her. You have to give her a good future. That means school Xue Ge."
Jenn looked at Matt tearfully. "Matt..."
"But I love you too," Xue Ge stammered out.
Matt looked at Xue Ge for a long moment. "don't confuse me with those words. i can't read your expressions properly remember."
Xue Ge got off the bed, walked right up to Matt and looked him straight in the eyes. "I love you. Understand?"
"i don't understand."
"I love you. I will not leave you," Xue Ge declared to his face.
"but you love Jennifer," Matt said.
"He loves us both," Jennifer said, "You're feeling defeated and demoralised because you know he loves me. But what you didn't know is that he loves you too."
Matt slowly looked at Jenn, then at Xue Ge. "you both have a lot of explaining to do."
#
Xue Ge and Jennifer sat on the bed, kneeling on the bed in Japanese 'seiza' stance. Bolin and Chee Yok had been banished to the living room.
Matt was pacing in the small space of the room. "so to summarise. Xue Ge actually likes both me and Jennifer. more than friends."
"Yes," Xue Ge responded.
"Jennifer used to like me as well," Matthias said.
"Yes," Jennifer responded.
"Xue Ge. in order to not make anyone unhappy and preserve our friendship you decided to only stay as friends with both of us. even though both of us like you," Matt said.
"Yes," Xue Ge responded.
"Jennifer. you felt down after giving up on me. and then you felt insecure when Xue Ge spent so much time with me and i made a move on him. the thought of losing us both was devastating," Matt said.
"Yes," Jennifer responded.
"so Xue Ge kissed Jennifer so she wouldn't feel so left out."
"Yes," Xue Ge responded.
"so i have to ask. why wasn't i privy to any of this information."
Matt's question was met with silence. Xue Ge and Jennifer glared at the floor.
Matt continued, "both of you decided to make decisions for me without my input. like everyone else." Matt's voice was as neutral as ever, but the two felt the weight of every word.
"No, we... well, yes. Yes, we did," Jenn admitted.
Xue Ge knelt over in a kow-tow. "We're very sorry. Please forgive us."
#
Bolin looked up, concerned. "I think I hear Matt shouting. Will they really be okay?"
Bolin and Chee Yok were sitting at the living room table.
Chee Yok sat propping up his chin on arm. "Yes, they'll be fine. They love each other too much to stay mad at each other for long. Especially in this crisis."
"Oh. I see."
"Yes. That's how it is," Chee Yok confirmed.
They waited some more.
"We don't have a chance, do we?" Bolin asked.
Chee Yok sighed. "Not really, no."
#
The three were huddled together on the bed, Matt in the middle. Matt held the teddy rabbit in his hands. Jennifer had MrBearyBear. Xue Ge had a pillow.
Matt hugged the teddy rabbit tightly. "we love each other, more than friends normally do. we could have stayed as friends, but then we got stuck in this crisis."
Jenn hugged MrBearyBear tightly. "This crisis has pushed us together and brought us closer. But we've also been forced to confront our true feelings and couldn't hide it from each other anymore. We're in danger of breaking apart on each other's hope and wishes."
Xue Ge dropped his pillow and hugged them both tightly. "No. Cannot. I won't allow."
Jenn and Matt hugged him back.
"We won't," Jenn said, "Let's make a promise to each other. No matter what happens, we have to be good friends to each other. And do everything we can to support each other. No secrets. Always talk things out. Never keep one of us in the dark."
Xue Ge prompted them to sit in a circle, and stacked up their right hands together. The three shouted together, "Best friends forever!"
"maybe stay off being lovers for now. at least until this crisis is over," Matt said.
"See? My plan the best. Last last also use my plan." Xue Ge gave himself a thumbs up. The other two laughed and snorted.
"i'll give you that one for now. just please. no more talk of quitting school."
"We'll find another way. The three of us can do anything together," Jenn said.
Xue Ge nodded. "Mmm!"
"maybe we are just delaying the inevitable. but every day we delay is another day we have together."
"Delay until forever if can!" Xue Ge said.
"And be good to each other while we still can," Jennifer said.
"in that case can Xue Ge sleep on the bed with me again," Matt said.
"No," Xue Ge & Jenn said together.
"how about if it's the three of us on the bed."
"No."
#
Moments later,
Matt opened the room door. "we're done guys. thanks for waiting."
Bolin and Chee Yok moved in and took hold of Xue Ge. "But we're not. Xue Ge. We would have words with you," Chee Yok said.
"Er... why ar?" Xue Ge asked, but they ignored him and led him out.
They didn't bother to close the door on their way, so Jennifer and Matt got up to the door to listen in on the conversation.
Bolin's voice: "You must have them both ah? Really?"
Chee Yok's voice: "Seriously, how much of a jerk can you be?"
Xue Ge's voice: "No, no. We're just good friends to each other now. Neither of them are mine."
Bolin's voice: "Really or not?"
Chee Yok's voice: "So does that mean I'm free to pursue Jenn, and Bolin can pursue Matt?"
A pause.
Xue Ge's voice: "...No."
Bolin's voice: "Chee Yok. You hold his arms back. I want punish him."
Chee Yok's voice: "Hey, I want to punish him too!"
Xue Ge's voice: "You boys think you can beat me? You got another thing coming... woi, WOI! That's cheating!"
Chee Yok's voice: "Come and eat your punishment you greedy pig!"
Bolin's voice: "You want to eat? Eat this! And- ack!"
Xue Ge's voice: "How do you like it? Syiok or not? ...Stop that. Oi! Stop!"
From behind the door, Matthias asked Jennifer, "shouldn't we stop them."
"Probably. But I don't feel like it. Do you?" Jennifer replied.
"i was rather hoping you'd break them up so i don't have to. i'm resisting the curious urge to slap them all. it's very peculiar urge."
"Welcome to my world, Matt. Welcome to my world."