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P2 - Chapter Nineteen

October 31st, 2020:

"I gave you such a long time!" Umber cried. My arms were crossed indignantly as he cornered me in the library. "I gave you more than ten days. You're really pushing your luck, Moon."

"Why won't you just leave me alone?" I asked angrily. "Why don't you find someone who's actually interested in you?"

"Why don't you?" Umber snapped right back.

"Qibli is interested in me," I retorted. "Or else, why would have asked me to be his girlfriend?"

"You say that, but you and I both know he'll leave you the second he finds out how much of a mess you are." Umber raised his eyebrows expectantly when I didn't say anything.

He's right.

"Today is your last day," Umber said. "I don't care where–at school, at the dance–I don't care. If you don't I will tell him."

"*"

Qibli had just asked me to the dance, and of course, I said yes, because who wouldn't? But my mind couldn't seem to stay focused on that.

So, I went to Kinkajou, Turtle, and Winter with my problems.

"Dude, why don't you just tell him?" Winter asked. He was leaning on one of the bookshelves in the library, all of us skipping class without a care in the world. Half the time the teachers didn't notice so we could just sneak back in and get full points, anyway.

"It's not that simple," I answered.

"So," Winter continued, "what do you think Qibli's going to do if he finds out?"

"Break up with her," Turtle explained.

"Qibli wouldn't do that," Kinkajou piped up. "He's kind and very loyal. I would know? because one time in second grade, Qibli wanted to be popular so bad so that everyone would like him and stop teasing him. So, when a popular group approaches him, including the girl he had a major crush on, and asks him to join them, he chose us instead. He said he'd rather be with us and disliked than be with popular people and adored. It was adorable."

A small smile of hope tugged at my lips.

"But, I have to tell Qibli today or Umber will," I pointed out. "And I just don't want him... I don't..." I hesitated.

I don't want to become an outcast again.

"It's just," I continued, "I'm afraid he'll treat me differently." Turtle and Kinkajou exchanged a worried glance.

"Moon, Qibli isn't like that at all," Kinkajou said. "I'm sure you already know that. I think... I think you're more worried about more people finding out than about Qibli treating you differently."

"I don't care about the other people," I cried. "I just care what Qibli thinks. That's all I ever care about nowadays."

Winter snorted, but before he could answer, someone was already strolling casually into the library.

"So, I'm not invited to the book club?" Qibli asked as he sat down beside me on one of the couches in the library.

"Hey, Qibli," Kinkajou greeted with a smile as he kissed my cheek. "We were just talking about you."

"Really?" Qibli asked skeptically. "Good or bad?"

"Well, there really isn't anything good about you," Winter pointed out, thumbing away at his phone as I let out a breath of relief that he hadn't given me away.

"You're just playing hard to get," Qibli said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Did you ask Glory for some tips? She taught you well, if that's the case. We all know you're deeply in love with me."