A Girl Nobody Wanted

After Jake cut the call, I was lying down on my bed, thinking. I heard Shane's car parked in the garden. If that suspension really happens, it will affect Shane a lot too... I mean he doesn't have to worry about a first-class or getting any other awards. But he barely hangs on to the academics without getting on academic probations... If he has to go for the punishment, then it will increase his school fees, and it will affect my parents too... So this disciplinary action is going to change every person I care in this world.

I heard Shane coming up on the stairs... Opening my door, I went out...

I know he doesn't want to talk with me. We never share our happiness or sadness with each other. But I felt really sorry fc Shane... At least I have to show him that I am here if he wants to talk to me...

He saw me when he was walking towards his room... But he just walked towards his room, without acknowledging my presence...

“Shane... Do you want anything to drink or eat?” I asked, kindly.

“No..” he said.

“I know what you are going through, Shane... If you want to talk I am here to listen..” I said, following him.

Without saying anything, he just entered his room. But he didn’t close his door as usual. Isn't that a silent invitation for i to go and talk to him?

I followed him to his room... Wondering how he would react. Anyway, even if he yelled at me, it is okay... I am so used to h yellings. So I can bare just one more time...

He was sitting on his bed, staring aimlessly at the wall. He hasn't even switched on the lights. Except for the faint light frc the corridor, his room was in full dark. I was afraid to switch on the lights too... Maybe he wants to stay in the darkness.

I stood beside him without saying anything.

We stayed like this for a few minutes.

“I was right beside him, but I couldn't protect him." finally he spoke. His voice clearly showed his frustration.

“I should protect him, but I failed...” he said again.

“You can't blame yourself for that, Shane... You all were fighting with those buggers..” I said.

“I saw that bastard going to hit Luke, but I was not fast enough to stop him... Now my Luke has to go through all these pai just because I was not fast enough..” he said.

I didn’t know what to say... AllI can do was asking him not to blame himself... But I think there is no use of saying that again...

“I can't bear seeing him like that... When he is in the ICU fighting for his life, I thought I would go crazy! *

“Don’t worry, Shane... He is out of danger now... Doctors will transfer him to the normal wards by tomorrow...” 1 said.

“But the doctors said it will take some time for him to recover completely. He may have to lie on a hospital bed for weeks How am I going to bare that... I just wish it is me who is in the hospital bed right now, not him."

What can I say, Shane? I feel you... I totally understand you...

After that, he was totally silent for a few minutes...

The faint light in his room was not enough for me to clearly see his facial expressions. But I have no doubt he was sufferi a lot... I have never seen him suffering for another person in his whole life. He does care about my parents. But what he f for Luke is far greater...

Since he was not talking, I thought of leaving.

When I was about to go out of his room, he talked again.

“Today, I realized one thing."

I stopped and looked at him.

“We really can't predict what will happen in our lives... Everything can be changed so quickly. So keeping secrets is not th way to go forward...” he said.

What did he mean?

“I am going to tell Luke about my feelings right after he got discharged...” he said boldly.

I wanted to run to him and give a hug... I wanted so much to ask you to do that. There is no need to suffer alone when yo both love each other... You have taken the best decision, my brother...

Jake's POV

Luke was transferred to the regular room. But doctors said they can't discharge him yet. Luke's parents want him to be transferred to a hospital in the city, so they can take care of him without any difficulty. The doctors advised to keep him i the university hospital for one more day, and if everything is okay, then transfer him to a hospital in the city.

After he was transferred to a regular room, I could talk to him... He was not in a stable status to talk. But he asked me to forgive him for ruining my date with Sarah. I really wanted to slap him for saying that. How the hell he thought having a date with my girlfriend is more important than my best friend's life? Sarah and I have our whole lives to have any numbe of dates we want... But if something happens to Luke, I will never be able to forgive my self...

I didn't tell him anything about the police case or our disciplinary actions. I wanted to keep it a secret until he gets bette He is not in a condition to endure all these...

On Monday evening, doctors allowed transferring Luke to a hospital in the city. I was sad because I don't get to visit him often now, but it is for his own good. On the other hand, I was happy because he was even out of the town when the university administration is going to announce their decision against us.

They were having internal discussions during the whole Monday, and they have asked me to come for an inquiry on Tuesday morning.

I went for the inquiry on Tuesday morning.

If I had any hopes for getting a light punishment, all my hopes vanished away after seeing who was there in the inquiry panel.

veah, you guessed it right. What the fu** Andrew is doing in this panel?

“Mr. McMiller, please take a seat” our Dean said to me.

I sat in front of them.

There were our Vice-Chancellor, our faculty dean, our coach, my academic advisor, and Andrew. I can understand the importance of all the other people to this meeting, but why Andrew is needed here?

Then our Dean commenced the discussion. As he mentioned, Andrew is here because he is the head of the student disciplinary committee. I can't even understand who appointed a guy like him to such a significant role.

However, they first let me explain my side of the story. Then the panel started to tell me about the gravity of my action. T Dean said it is such a disappointment to observe this kind of behavior from his best student in the faculty.

What can I say? Nothing they said was wrong... From their perspective, they are totally right.

our discussion went on for like an hour... After that, they let me go. Anyway, one thing was clear. I am not going to get a light punishment at all.

I came out of the room, with a heavy heart... I was worrying so much about both Luke and Sarah... I know they can't stand something happens to me... I don’t want to see them worrying about me, but what is the option I have?

Shane was waiting outside, he had an inquiry after me.

“What happened?” he asked as soon as he saw me.

“Nothing much... I don't think they will let this go easily." I replied.

He sighed...

Then he went for the inquiry.

I sat on one of the chairs in front of the inquiry room. There were a lot of things going on in my mind. I just wanted to thir alone...

I knew the exact way to get rid of all these troubles. Just one call from my dad could change everything completely, but I was not ready to go for that step. It is better to solve the matter on my own. I don’t want the whole world to know whose son am I? We are not ready for that yet... Even Andrew knows I am not going to take advantage of my dad, I am pretty sure about it.

After a few minutes, Shane came out. His inquiry didn't take as long as mine. Maybe I just felt like that, because I was so attached to my own thoughts.

“I could really kill that bastard...” Shane growled, sitting beside me.

“Who?” I asked.

“Mr. Patterson.”

“Why? What did he tell?"

“He is pretending like he is on our side, but it is crystal clear that he is the one who makes everything worst,” Shane explained.

Well... He just spoke my mind. I felt the very same thing. That is how much of a coward Andrew really is. He pretends to by willing to sacrifice his life for you when he is the one who waits for the perfect moment to stab you.

“I felt the same... What you think will happen?” I asked Shane.

“I think we should be glad if we just got suspended,” he replied quickly.

I Looked at him with wide eyes. I don't know what has happened lately, but I am starting to like Shane, and we have starte to think a lot alike.

Sarah's POV

As Jake said, the inquiry didn't go well... All my instincts were saying that something terrible is going to happen. But what can I do? I was just praying God...

jake said they will announce the punishment on Wednesday morning. All the guys who involved in the fight were asked tc come to the Vice- Chancellor's office.

I had a lecture in the morning, but I was not capable of made up my mind to go for the lecture. I was terrified. I was waitir for Jake to call or text me...

They were asked to come there around 9 a.m. It is now at 10 a.m. But I didn’t hear anything from Jake...

I was nearly going crazy...

Suddenly my phone rang... I quickly grabbed it and answered.

“Jake...” I said without even looking at the caller ID.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but it is just me, Sarah...” Mr. Patterson's voice raised from the other side.