Connect

17: Eight Days Before

After school, I was in the library with Oliver. We were going through our science notes and marking up things that were important. My phone buzzed and I pulled it out.

"Hello?"

"Gumi, it's me," Len said. "I said I'd call, didn't I?"

"Right," I nodded.

"I don't want you to feel bad."

"How did you know?"

"It's obvious."

"I can't stop. I hurt you. You...loved me," I lowered my voice. "I'm sorry, Len...I wish things were the same!"

"They are, gumdrop," he laughed softly. I blushed at his use of the nickname. "Me and you and Miku are still going to hang out together. I'm still going to tickle you and hug you."

"But now I know," my voice was cracking. "That you did all that because you liked me."

"That's not true, Gumi. You're my friend. Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Just this, I guess. Len, I'm confused and stuck. I don't understand any of this."

He sighed. "You're going to make me start to feel bad about telling you how I felt about you. That's the root of all this, isn't it?"

"No, Len. Don't say that."

"Then what is it, carrot muncher? Some guy, isn't that right? Who is it? Oliver?"

I squeaked and glanced at Oliver, who was sitting across from me. "N-No!"

"It's Kaito."

"It's not..." I lied.

"Please, Gumi. It better not be Kaito. Gakupo is better than Kaito."

"What? Why? Not that I...you know..."

"It's complicated. I don't want him to turn you down and end up hurting you."

I bit my lip nervously. "Okay. Thanks."

"I'm not going to lose you," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're still my best friend. So is Miku. Only difference is, she's my girlfriend now."

"Have you two..."

"Kissed?"

"Y-Yeah," I mumbled.

"Maybe," Len teased. "Nah, we haven't. Okay, maybe once. But that was it. It's only been a day, anyways."

"Okay, whatever, I was just curious," I said quickly. "Well...bye, Len."

"Next time I see you, you better be smiling," he said. "Or I'll tickle the life out of you."

"Right!" I answered.

"Goodbye, Gumi."

I hung up and exhaled loudly, hanging my head back over my chair's headrest. I closed my eyes and told myself that I wasn't missing anything. I hadn't done anything wrong. I had already made up my mind about Kaito and nobody was going to make me change my mind.

Whether he turned me down or not, I still had to tell him. I wanted to hold it back but I was finding that I couldn't.

"Is everything alright, Gumi?" Oliver asked. I nodded and looked at him.

"It's fine. Thank you for studying with me."

"No problem," he grinned.

I pushed all my problems aside and focused solely on my work. Exams would be here before I knew it, and then there'd be a day of school before it was all over.