Part II
Chapter - 2

Mom was delighted to receive him (even happier than she claimed she would be), and she offered some non-alcoholic beer that she arranged for the day. It nearly felt like some celebration. We talked a lot, and Nova engaged in the conversation. We ate, and he sat right beside me. He smiled a lot and he laughed a lot.

It was his happy place.

At night, I laid on the couch, and I pondered hard. I wondered, how was it that the cramped space I was so ashamed of all my life became a wonderful abode for someone to heal and grow? Was he special?

Perhaps he was.

That day, I went to see him play guitar for the band. That was also the day when I realized that it was not a mistake to name him the ‘Super Nova'. That is how he played it. He was a glistening ocean of raw passion, and I was staring back at a reflection of myself. His fingers did not hesitate, and neither did the cheers of the crowd.

When he was off-stage, I went to cheer him on.

“You really do love to play the guitar, don’t you?”

He smiled. “Yes, I do.” He was playing a quiet tune, that he played and replayed to get right. “But…” he stopped, and that beautiful smile faded away.

“There was something I loved even more. Playing the guitar reminds me of it.”

Ah, how could I have forgotten? Speaking to him always unraveled something unforeseen. People are made of secrets.  

“Mind telling me what was it?”

His eyes grew darker. He was not looking at anything anymore. “It was something insignificant. At least that is what I thought, and that is what everybody thought.”

I thought about it. “You really do care a lot about what people think of you, don’t you?”

His head lifted. “What else am I supposed to do?”

My head tilted and I pretended to be thinking again, when the answer was as clear as a crystal. “How do you feel about it?”

He sighed. Then he began playing that sweet melody again. “I do think it’s insignificant in nature, though it meant something to me.”

“Then is that not a good enough reason to have pursued it?”

He did not speak anymore. If he needed, then I was willing to provide some time to reflect on it.

We were walking to the subway together. It was a bizarre idea, it made my heart thump in my chest loudly. Though I was ready to give it a shot.

“Wanna hang out?” I asked at last.

I expected him to frown. After all, I was using a lot of his time lately. But he replied readily, his head shaking in a vigorous nod.

“But you know that I don’t carry much money.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll pay for you. Where'd you wanna go?”

He looked at me with expecting eyes. It scared me even worst. I looked away, and found something intriguing enough to stare at on the side road.

“Um… I was wondering… why don’t we go to your place today? If that is fine with you, of cou—”

The smile slowly died. Did I say something wrong? Was I overstepping my bounds? Did I hurt his feelings somehow? I should have known better than this if I expected something to be going on—

“Excuse me,” he said.

He walked a few steps away, and I watched him pull his iOS out and contact somebody. He talked nervously for a few seconds, then he returned.

“Let's go. I’ll show you the way.”

First what I felt was an unreasoned sense of ecstasy. It was as if a validation, that he saw me as someone trustworthy of taking along. And it was a sense of confusion that followed it. Who did he talk to? Was he nervous? Why?

“Thanks,” I said, “So I get to meet your parents?”

He didn’t seem interested. He licked his lip. “Most probably, no.”

“Am I that bad of a company?”

His eyes squinted into thin arcs, letting them from glinting in the sun. “Quite the opposite.”

His house was an expensive apartment in a grand locality. It was the fourteenth floor that we mounted by an elevator. We stopped by the third room to the right. He pulled the keys from his bag pack, and fitted them into the doorknob.

The door opened with a clang, and the lights went on. My eyes opened to bright light as I took a deep breath in. It was the most beautiful house that I had ever seen. I had been to sleepovers, and parties in buildings installed like mansions, but there was something different about this one. Something I could not point out. It screamed refinement. It didn’t understand if it was because of the shimmering pale white walls, which remained spotless, or the screech of the marble, or the polish of the wood, but it all fitted together in the most comprehensive taste of selection. I could not stop myself from glaring.

“Make yourself at home,” Nova said. “Tell me if you need anything.”

“Okay.” I took a seat on one of the white silken couches.

“I am going to freshen up. It may take a while.”

“It’s alright.” His word made me a bit self-aware. I was weirded out. I felt odd sitting in such a place when I reeked of dirt and sports sweat. I raked a hand through my hair and felt traces of grits.

“Is there anything you need, Alex?” Nova spoke again. He was ready to leave for his bath. I considered if I should refer to him how desperately I needed to get into a shower.

I could. He's a friend.

“I was wondering if I could use the shower too?” I felt a mix of remorse and dismay.

“Yeah. Use the one in my room. I’ll use the one installed in the guest room.”

I got into a bath. It was a clean shower box that smelled like him. My muscle loosened under the pouring water. It was yet hard to believe that he had agreed so simply. Then again, it might have been no surprise. This place had been an admired hangout spot for a long time. People have been here, (not me though, I was never a part of the popular kids) and they had told me that they loved the company. They spoke of it highly.

When I was out in the hallway, I saw him preparing a meal near the counter. He had not noticed me enter. When he turned, we exchanged blank glances.

“You’re staying for dinner, right?” His voice was so hopeful.

“I don’t know.” I took a seat near the island. “I didn’t tell mom before coming here.”

His head dropped. “I would not want that.”

I did not want it too. I did not want her to go a night without speaking. I did not want her to eat alone. I did not want her to find bare walls waiting for her when she returned.

I called her. When I explained everything, the first thing she asked me was:

“So, you went with him? And he agreed?”

“Yeah. Surprisingly so.”

Her voice came low, as if she was avoiding anyone else hearing her. “That’s terrific. And I do not mean to be nosy, but… how is it? I mean you did suspect something was up at his place, right?”

My hand raised to my forehead. What could I tell her? I did not understand it myself. What did he mean when he said ‘Quite the opposite'?

“I don’t know yet. But is it cool if I return late?”

“Yes, Obviously. It might have been a problem if you left him alone.”

“I get it. I’ll be at home. See you there.”