Facing the World

Chapter 35

"Hey Disha, you there?"

"Simi! Why are you calling this late? Are you okay? Where's Rey?"

"Disha, I can't do this anymore !", I was holding the phone shivering from the cold breeze. An old man was waiting outside the phone booth tapping his foot, waiting for me to end my call. I looked around to see if there was any taxi in sight.

"Simi, what's wrong? Where are you?"

Earlier that night

I sat eating at the dinner table in silent. I never dared to lift my eyes to make eye contact with anyone. The tension between me Rey and Sammi was almost visible. Why was this universe being such a pain?

After dinner, Rey took me to their gaming room. The room had red carpet with wooden walls. There was a huge flat screen tv at the far end of the room and some couches lined in front of it. In the centre of the room, stood an expensive pool table that looked like it wasn't just bought from the shops but handmade and carefully crafted. I slowly took a step into the room making sure I was not causing any damage to the floor or the huge vases around me. There was a random black wall to my right and I decided to go see what pictures they had hanging. I saw old childhood photos of Rey, his school and his family. My eyes scanned the many photos and landed on one particular one, which had Sammi in it. I stared at the photo for quite some time. They both looked cheerful, holding a soccer ball between them. The photo looked like it was taken at a camping site and behind the boys I could spot a few tents. Just as I was about to get even more curious, Rey came from behind me and tugged his arm around my hips.

"Where was that taken?", I turned my head and asked him, looking directly in his eyes so he wouldn't avoid my question.

He was silent for a while. He looked behind him to see no one was around. I guess he was ensuring Sammi wasn't around.

"That...that was taken when we were 16 years old. At a soccer camp we went to for summer in Australia". Rey let go of me and went towards the pool table.

"So you have known Sammi since childhood?". I stood where I was and looked into Rey's eyes searching for some answers.

"Kinda. We were in the same soccer club but we only started to get close in high school. I guess his always been around me". He didn't sound too happy talking about his past. Has he started to hate Sammi that much?

"You do realise I know something is going on between you two?". I thought I'd put it out there and see if I could convince him to tell me the truth. His expressions didn't looked surprised.

"Yeh I know.." He fiddled with the red ball on the table and released it hard letting it hit the other balls. He then walked and sat on the couch looking out the window into the gardens.

I went and sat next to him as well and we both sat in silence for a while. He then reached his hands towards mine and grabbed it. It felt warm and suddenly my heart felt scared.

"I need to tell you something Simi. It's about Sammi". I looked at him not wishing to hear their whole conversation about me repeat again. I couldn't bare hearing Sammi's love confession again from Rey's mouth.

"You know how Sammi is going through some tough times with his family and all. You were being a nice friend to him and opt to support him and comfort him". I nodded my head as he spoke and he kept hesitating which was killing my patience. I wasn't sure why he couldn't just openly speak to me about Sammi. Was he scared he might lose me? Rey can't be that stupid to think I'd leave him for another guy.

"However, Sammi wasn't taking all that gesture from you as friendly......he was falling in love with you". There it was, Rey had said it. I looked away from him and had nothing to say back.