Tuesday was weird.

First, Kalina insisted we shop for shoes. I should've gotten used to her need to shower me with gifts by now but it still felt awkward. I picked a pair of black sneakers, because black suits everything and for the life of me I could never match colours right. Kalina was hesitating between two pairs of boots that looked the same to me but obviously one pair was in coffee brown and pomelo orange while the other one was in gingerbread brown and scarlet red. Throw a cinnamon in there and you got yourself a Christmas drink! She picked the ones in orange at the end.

We passed through a book store and while Kalina was browsing the books on display, my attention was drawn to a deck of cards with an intricate beetle design. Even pip cards had beetles drawn on them and it made me think of our midnight game of Crazy Eights. It would be a nice gift for my boys! Mainly Georgi. It was always Georgi.

Kalina didn't need much convincing before she bought the deck for me. We also got one of those cute little gift boxes and I made a mental note to fill it up with candy before sending it over. I felt like an ex convict preparing a gift basket for his former cellmates. I wanted to get pumpkin-flavoured candies but Halloween was long over so I could only find regular chocolate ones. I also threw in a bag or two of gummies and some peppermint candies for good measure.

By the time we were done shopping I was already late for first period and still in my casual clothes. I hurried to school without changing into my uniform first. Big mistake. As I think about it, I should've skipped first period rather than having to explain to every teacher in this stupid school why I wasn't dressed according to regulations. They treated me like some kind of delinquent and I had an oral exam in each and every class for the day, except Mr. Andonov's. Needless to say, I nailed all of them but still, it was exhausting.

Between 3rd and 4rd period I was approached by Olga, Alejo's crush, and she asked me to the movies. Right in front of Alejo, might I add. I turned her down, of course. But my only friend in this fucked up school might or might not be a little mad at me right now.

Pavel was strangely friendly today too. He was never friendly. Not with me anyway.

It was the same school, the same people, but their attitude towards me was different. It was like I was in the twilight zone. Not quite dreaming but it didn't feel like reality either. Or at least not the type of reality I was used to.

Enver seemed to be scared of me, Angel was avoiding me... and I had absolutely no clue what I did wrong.

Yeah, Tuesday was weird.

And Wednesday wasn't much better.

We were supposed to have a test in Chemistry but when I went to school I've heard there was a bomb threat and for some reason, everyone thought it was me that called. Like I wouldn't ace a little Chemistry quiz! Did these people not know me at all?

I was hanging at the park all by my lonesome self, having some raspberry-flavoured drink straight from the can, when I saw Alejo approach.

He stood before me, arms crossed over his chest. "I'm willing to forgive you if you buy me dinner," he stated without a trace of remorse. I did have some lunch money but would they be enough for a full-course meal? I don't think so.

"How about some raspberry soda?" I gestured to the drink in my hand.

Alejo pouted but accepted the peace offering anyway. "At least get me some cake or no deal," he said before taking a sip.

And just like that we were cool again. He couldn't stay mad at me for more than a day.

"Do you know why Angel is avoiding me?" I asked once we were seated at the closest pastry shop.

"You must be imagining things," was Alejo's answer. He took a bite of his triple chocolate mouse cake and hummed in approval. "Now this is what I'm talking about! I can never make it this good!" He pointed to the piece of cake with his fork before taking another bite, eliciting even more moans from his pale lips.

"He didn't say a single word to me yesterday," I said, referring to Angel. "He doesn't talk much but still... He didn't even say 'Hello'."

"Him and Drago are still in the honeymoon phase," Alejo replied with his mouth full. "Give him a break!"

"If I did the same to you, you would be pouting whole day."

Alejo seemed to consider my words for a second but obviously the cake was more important.

I huffed and leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. He looked like a starved chipmunk with the way he was devouring his dessert. His right cheek was full and yet he kept shoving more cake into his mouth.

I let him eat his treat in peace, scanning the premises around me and noticing just now that we weren't the only guys from our school there. Pavel and Goran were sitting at a secluded corner, discussing who knows what. Pavel leaned over and whispered something in Goran's ear, Goran rolled his eyes and laughed, his shoulders shaking slightly. Right then, two more of our classmates entered the pastry shop. I recognised Alejo's crush, the one he was mad at me about merely minutes ago. She and Marina looked around, probably searching for the boys, and Olga's deep brown eyes closed on me. She smiled, I smirked. More out of habit than trying to flirt with her but she might've read it differently because not even a second later they were both heading our way.

I glanced at Marina's brand new red converse, taking note of the brand, which was the same as on my black sneakers, the ones I got just yesterday. It was one of those epiphany moments... Hey, we match! We might as well become friends!

As if. But it still crossed my mind.

"Hello, boys!" Olga greeted and Alejo choked on his cake. Somehow he managed to swallow all of it, without having crumbs fly all over the place. My hero.

"Hello, girls!" I acknowledged their presence in the exact same manner, a bit more cheerful than necessary, but I never had anything against any of them. They were nice girls, if not a bit vain and superficial. Currently they were both sporting the same haircut: loose curls, length slightly past their shoulder blades, parted on the side... And I've only noticed because they were exactly the same. Except for the colour. Marina's was somewhat lighter.

"May we sit with you?" Olga asked and before I could react Alejo was already rushing to get two more chairs. Yes, we picked a couple's table. We didn't expect company.

"Your boys are way over there." I pointed at Pavel and Goran, knowing they didn't see them.

Olga glanced their way but gracefully sat next to me anyway once Alejo was back with her chair. The poor guy, as self-absorbed as he was, right now looked like some peasant serving his queen. He had it bad!

"So... yesterday we went to the movies all on our own." Olga pursed her glossy lips in an over-exaggerated pout. She and Alejo were really meant for each other. Only when he did it, it looked cute. On her makeup-coated face it was just plain annoying.

"Sorry. I had a date," I said, not feeling sorry in the slightest. I had to cut her attempts at flirting short before Alejo got mad at me again.

"She must be some lucky girl..." Olga drawled, her fingertips playing with the back of my hand. I was, oh, so tempted, to get it out of her reach but that would be what the shy me would do. I was a new man now.

So I stayed put. Even though I felt like a thousand ants were crawling up my skin.

"Guy," I gritted out, hoping this would make her lose interest so my boy, Alejo, stands a chance.

"You're gay?!" Marina gasped.

"You two are together?!" Olga turned to Alejo for the first time since they sat with us.

"No, I'm straight! Totally! 100%!" Alejo raised his hands in front of him.

"Yes, not with him," I felt the need to clarify. We wouldn't want another stupid rumour to spread about me. No need to involve Alejo in this shit. The goal was to make ME undesirable, not him.

"I've always wanted a gay best friend!" Marina clapped.

Oh, no! Kill me now!

"What about Drago?" I shamelessly threw the poor guy under the bus. I don't care. He wasn't my friend! His boyfriend was.

"But he doesn't like shopping!" Marina complained.

"Yeah, and Angel is such a buzz-kill!" Olga added.

Oh, fucking Hell!

"And they're together like ALL the time!" Marina whined.

I groaned and regarded Pavel and Goran's table with a 'Please, help me' look. Why the fuck didn't they come to fetch their chicks by now?

Goran was straight out laughing at me, clutching his stomach with one hand and the table with the other. Pavel had this charming but totally inappropriate smile gracing his lips, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

So that's why. My misery was amusing them.

I did this to myself though. I can't blame them. I should've known better than to tell the Doll Duo that I'm gay.

"Well, I don't like shopping either," I grumbled.

"Oh, why are all gay guys in our school so boring?" Olga said, standing up. "Come on, Marina! Lets get Pavel to buy us something nice!" And she left our table, swaying her hips in a black mini skirt that made her look more trashy than attractive.

Marina followed her friend with a "Bye, boys!" and I sighed in relief, enjoying how Pavel's smile froze in a 'Oh, no, I'm fucked' expression. Suits him right.

Goran had nothing to fear. They knew he was broke.

"So..." Alejo trailed off, nervously playing with his fingers. "You are gay?" He looked up at me through his long eyelashes.

"No..." Was my initial response. But then I thought of Georgi's gorgeous green eyes. "Maybe? What difference does it make?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"These are things that you usually tell your best friend, no?" Alejo's shy gaze turned into a glare. Oh, fuck! If he only knew how many 'things' I haven't told him about myself! And neither was I planning to. But maybe I should?

"Your cake is getting cold." I tried to change the subject in the lamest way possible.

"Ok, lets play 20 questions!" Alejo leaned forward, forgetting all about the few bites of cake he had left. "Sexual orientation. I'm straight. You?"

"Uhm, demi? Gay? I'm not sure."

"Ok... Acceptable answer. Now you ask me something!"

It had to be something neutral. Something that I wouldn't mind him knowing.

"Favourite colour! Mine is green... And blue. I like blue, too."

"And mine is yellow." Alejo smiled. "See? We're making progress!" He was oh, so smug and pleased with himself! It made you want to punch him. Straight in that pretty face of his! "And what were you doing with Mr. Andonov yesterday?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"I saw you get in his car after school."

"It's not what it looks like!" I squealed, remembering my lie about having a date yesterday. And this probably made it look like I was dating my Literature teacher even more.

I groaned. Then sighed and leaned forward. "I live with him," I stated in a tone that wouldn't make our classmates overhear our conversation from two tables away.

Alejo furrowed his brows in that cute way he rarely did when he didn't understand something. "You li- Why?!"

Another sigh left my lips. "It's a long story."

"Try me!"

"My parents weren't..." I focused my gaze on the uneaten piece of cake. "Very attentive." To put it mildly.

I lifted my eyes off the table, meeting Alejo's expectant orbs of sunshine... And then I told him. I told him everything. About my father, about my stay at the hospital, about the social home and going to live with Mr. Andonov and his wife...

"Wow!" Alejo breathed out when I was done with my story. "And here I thought you were just going to some public reading together or something! Boy, was I wrong!" He shook his head, as if to wake up from a vivid nightmare. "Wow!"

I let the silence engulf us, giving him time to process everything...

"Well..." Alejo uttered eventually. "You have no excuse not to invite me over now! I'm definitely coming and we're definitely watching the best horror movies of all time!"

What? He was inviting himself to my foster parents' home?

"Ok..." It wasn't exactly what I was expecting him to say but... Alejo was Alejo. You never knew with him.

And I was really happy to have him as my friend. 

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