NO Love Club (Boy × Boy) ✔

30) NOT EASY DOESN'T MEAN IMPOSSIBLE.

X Bélizaire's POV 

My smile dropped the second Cole was gone. I slumped to lie on my back, staring at the ceiling while thoughts and worries swarmed inside my head like a nest full of angered wasps. I found myself wishing mom and dad would be there to keep me company, or if not them, Maddie. My stomach was in tight knots, making me glad for skipping breakfast. 

It was just a knee surgery, and the chances of dying on that operation table must have been minuscule. I couldn't tell for sure, as I was too afraid to Google it. I wish I had embodied even a tenth of that certainty I had just sent Cole in the surgery with.

I groaned, rubbing my eyes with a sweaty hand. The surgery was going to last around two hours and he would be in the recovery room for two more, and I was certain I would lose my shit during those four hours. What was I thinking when I swore to mom I would be fine by myself?

"Where is he?" A winded voice brought me back from my desperate thoughts. I opened my eyes to see Cody standing by Cole's bed, his hair a tousled mess like he had run all the way to the hospital. 

"They already took Cole to the surgery." I told him, furrowing my brows. I felt bad for Cody, as he sank into a plastic chair and buried his head in his hands, cursing. 

"Dammit, I took the first train and I was so sure I would get there on time.." He muttered, more to himself, and sat up straighter on his chair. 

"I think your parents and Chloe are in the canteen with your aunt." I explained, sitting up clumsily and placing a pillow behind my back for support. I wasn't sure if Cody knew which aunt I was referring to, so I added: "The one with glasses and big wooden earrings."

"Dahlia." Cody noted absent-mindedly. "I'll just catch my breath a bit first, if that's okay with you?"

"Yes." I said it too eagerly, so I stopped to take a calming breath. "I mean, I wouldn't mind the company." 

Cody leaned back in his chair. He smiled, the kind of shy, tight-lipped smile I couldn't imagine on Cole's face. But then again, Cole was far from shy. He was quiet at times, but it had little to do with bashfulness, and all to do with his general dislike of people.

"You are worried about him." Cody stated. It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway. Then Cody narrowed his eyes, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. "I could swear I've seen you somewhere.."

"I think you gave a speech about bullying at Northview Secondary."

I remembered it now, how he talked through the shaking of his voice, the trembling of his hands. He was obviously scared to death about public speaking, yet he was standing there in front of a gym filled with noisy, critical and easily bored teens. I had to take my hat off to him, as there would have been no way I would have been able to talk in front of all of them.

"Yeah, wait, you were the one snoring in the first row." Cody recalled, letting out an amused chuckle. 

"I did no such thing! I only rested my eyes for like a half a minute." I protested with grimace, feeling my cheeks warming up. It was true, though, I did doze off for a while, missing the end of his speech. But only because I had stayed up late writing an essay the night before. "It was a good speech."

"Am I supposed to believe that, if you fell asleep during it?" Cody remarked, a playful glint in his eyes. Then he admitted, with a slight shake of his head: "God, I was freaking out so bad when I had to get on that stage.."

"But you still did it." I said, smiling. 

"I did." Cody grinned, proudly. He started fidgeting with his hands then, and averted his gaze, as if unaccustomed to feel proud of himself. "It was for a good cause, after all.."