What if?

Chapter 62: Friends? No!

Nick

“Hi Janice! Good afternoon.” I greeted Janice as soon as I drew closer to where she was. “Why are you so early?” Janice asked. Normally I don’t go here at this time but because we didn’t have a practice I got early to meet Janice. “It is because we don’t have practice and the president of our club said that we are going to have a meeting tomorrow. I think that they will let us play in front of other people. “I see. That is why. How about Michael?” Janice asked which made me think about him too all of a sudden. “Right! I haven’t texted him that I don’t have practice.” I said as soon as I took my phone out of my pocket and started texting Michael a short message telling him that I am already together with Janice. 

*Bzzt! Bzzt!

My phone vibrated. It means that there is a notification. I immediately turned on my phone to see the notification. “He replied.” I said as soon as I saw the name of the person who texted me. “What did he say?” Janice asked curiously. “He asked why.” I answered Janice’s question. 

Michael is really something. I couldn’t even say what he replied to me to Janice because it seems like a joke to all of us. I mean, why would he simply reply why? Is he dumb? I never skipped my practice in the club. He could have already thought that it is because I am with Janice because I don’t have practice. “I don’t have practice.” I replied back to Michael while saying what I texted him. 

*Bzzt! Bzzt!

There is a reply again. I opened my phone to see what he replied back to me. “Whaa!” I said as soon as I read his message to me. “I know, what I mean by that is why don’t you have practice. I’m not stupid.” Michael replied back to me. “Ugh! Now I feel like I am the stupid one. Why haven’t I even thought about it? “Wait! I still don’t know what he is implying to me.” I said to myself as I tried to process what he meant to his message. “What do you mean? Can you say it properly?” I texted back to Michael after typing it irritably. I really don’t get him even how much I try to. 

“Ugh! I mean why are you there, why didn’t you just stay where we usually wait for each other?” Michael replied back to me which hit me so hard. I didn’t know what to reply to him. I totally forgot about him while I was walking and talking with Jake. “No! The thing is that I was only focusing on making conversation with Jake so I decided to walk with him. I did it without even thinking that I have to wait for Michael and John.” I said to myself. If I tell Michael about it he might sulk at me and that is something that I don’t want to happen. 

“Ugh!” I sighed loudly while thinking carefully about how to reply back to him. “I just thought that I want to stay with Janice and have someone to talk to since it will be long since you finish there.” I replied and texted back to Michael. “I think it is okay to lie sometimes. I guess this is what they call white lies though.” I said to myself trying to ease myself from the guilt that I am feeling now. “I see. Have a good time talking then.” Michael replied back to me. 

“Hooh!” I said loudly as I let out the guilt inside me. “Is something wrong?” Janice asked me. “No. I am totally fine and Michael knows I am here already so we can just wait for him here.” I said to Janice trying to change the topic. 

“I see. That’s good. Oh by the way Nick, who was the guy I saw you together with? I wasn’t that familiar to me and I didn’t know you were close to someone else except Michael and John.” Janice asked me which made me cringe a little. I cringed because she really expected me and Jake to be close with each other when in fact we aren’t that close with each other like not even 10%. 

“You are totally wrong. The boy I was with, we are not close with each other. He is our classmate and my club member and at the same he is my mentor in guitar playing. Even though we have spent a lot of time together, we aren’t that close with each other. I really try my best to communicate with him the best that I can but he is not like the kind of person who wants to befriend other people.” 

I said a very long reply to Janice. It seems like I am not just replying to Janice but ranting to her about how I feel about Jake. “I see. You know there is something inside me telling you that you like that boy.” Janice said which shocked me. “What? He is a boy.” I replied back to Janice as soon as I heard what she said. “I know, I meant being a friend, you know?” Janice said as if she wasn’t affected at all. 

I wonder what is in her mind now. “Well, yeah! I felt we are the same but he seems like he is not interested in having friends but I am still trying.” I said to Janice. “What’s his name?” Janice asked me a strange question. It is quite strange because he suddenly changed the topic. “Jake.” I replied to Janice. “I see. He has a good name too.” Janice said while smiling gently. 

Now I am really curious and want to know what is in her mind. “You wouldn’t like him if you would talk to him. He doesn’t care about anybody around him.” I said to Janice while trying to stain Jake’s reputation so Janice will change her perception about Jake. “I don’t think so. If he is like that, why do you want to make friends with a boy like that? You wouldn’t even make an effort to make friends with those kids who want to be your friend.” Janice said which made me speechless. 

“You won.” I said to Janice and sat on the bench near hers. “Here.” Janice said as she handed me over a bottle of water. “Thanks!” I said and drank the water inside the water bottle while sulking to Janice. 

“Oh! I almost forgot.” I said after I finished drinking water. “What is it?” Janice asked me with a curious expression. “John and I have a plan that we want to tell you mom and dad and the helpers about.” I said to Janice. “What plan?” Janice asked. “Michael’s birthday is near and John mentioned that Michael once told him that he wants to celebrate his birthday with kids with disorders. I heard that on Michael's previous birthdays he also held it with charities, but this time is a little different. We want to focus now with people with only kids with disorders. I want to talk about this with mom and dad but I think it will be impossible if I am the one to say it. I think it will be a lot better if you will talk to mom and dad so Michael won’t see.” I told Janice the plan that John and I wanted to do. 

Michael is great at helping people and he has been doing this since he was 6 years old but this year his birthday celebration will be a little different. It will only focus with these people and next time with another and another every year. I think it will be more exciting for Michael who has a good heart to these people. 

“Whaa! That is a great idea. I think I heard him say that once too.” Janice said which made me smile and already imagined what would happen during his celebration party. “But how will we plan that out? Since Michael already knows that we always have a charity birthday celebration for him?” Janice asked a very interesting question. “That is a good question. We are going to have a little show where mom and dad want to have an intimate celebration open for family and friends only saying that mom and dad missed having this kind of birthday celebration.” I explained to Janice how it will work out.

“Whaa!! This is well planned.” Janice replied after I finished. “Of course! I used John’s brain and my little brain for this.” I said to myself while boasting. “Thanks!” I replied to Janice while trying my best to prevent myself from smiling a lot. I feel so happy that our plan is being recognized and accepted. “I will try to be sneaky and talk this out to your parents and will update you about it.” Janice said to me while winking. “Nice!” I said to Janice and sat on the bench properly. 

“Hi!” Michael and John said as they jumped on me. “Ouch!” I said as I fell on the ground together with them. “What are you two playing?” I asked both of them while I tried to stand up after falling. “Nothing!” Michael replied. “It was not my plan, it was Michael’s plan and we just went together with him.” John said. “Hmmph!” I sighed loudly as a reply to the both of them.