Vimla's loud knocking on my car window echoed inside my car as I sat in it. I finally decided to talk to her and stop my childish behaviour.

Her caramel coloured eyes shone in desparation as she looked at me. Her chest exposed from the low tank top she was wearing, I noticed the rising and falling of her chest. "Look Wilhem, I can explain."

"I'm listening." Crossing my arms out in front of me. My sixth grade teacher used to say, "The guilty are always afraid."

She nervously put her hand behind the back of her neck. "He came over asking me where you were and what you'd said to me. Of course I argued with him, you saw that and then he left."

"Last time we spoke you seemed to he under the impression that him raping me was a lie." I said blandly.

She stepped forward, placing her hands over my crossed arms, "I'm so sorry about how I reacted. I just didn't know what to say in that moment."

Shoving my hands into my pockets, I replied. "Yeah, well that was one hell of a reaction."

"Please tell me you forgive me." She said.

I looked at her round doe eyes and I felt myself caving. I'm not saying what she said was okay but it was one of those times where she said the wrong thing at the wrong time. Vimla and I have had worse arguments before and I needed her right now.

"Water under the bridge." I told her before she pulled me into a hug.

Her soft long hair tickled my hands where they lay on her back as she nuzzled her nose into my shoulder. I let out a sigh of relief at, hugging her back even tighter.

She smiled widely, pulling away from me. "God, it feels good to be back on good terms with you."

"It fees good too. But I'm going to need some greasy food to help me feel better about the shit day I just had." I said to her.

She looked up at me, her bushy eyebrow cocked up in question.

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you all about it as we eat Joe's heart attack burger and sweet potatoe fries."

Our hands were interlocked as we walked to the restaurant on campus, Joe's. It was everyone's favourite hangout because of their famous "heart attack" burger and the fact that they ocassionally held band performances there.

We walked in a comfortable silence, sweaty hands intertwined as the cool breeze washed over us. The sun was about to set and the campus was considerably quiet at this time. Students were out somewhere eating lunch preparing for tonight.

As we walked into Joe's the familiar sound of a tiny bell rang over our heads as the doors swung open and we welcomed by the homey smell of greasy food and smoke. We sat down on one of the worn chairs with a sorry excuse of a table in between us. Joe's had great food but everything else was so old it was a miracle this place was still standing.

A waiter came over to our table, "Welcome to Joe's. How may I help you?" He asked.

"Two heart attacks with sweet potatoe fries." I told him.

"Oh and two beers." Vimla added.

I shook my head, I didn't want to drink. "None for me, I'll have a root beer float."

"Will that be all you're having?" The waiter asked.

"Yeah, thanks." I said to him before he walked off.

"So you're not drinking?" Vimla questioned.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I just didn't want a beer right now."

"Okay so. . . you were gonna tell me about your day." Her eyebrows went up as she looked at me, fidgeting with her bracelet.

"I went to a support group and some bitch was spewing complete nonsense to me about how-" I paused, not wanting to blurt out that I'd been raped in the middle of a semi-crowded bar. "How what happened to me is insignificant because I'm gay."

"Wow," Vimla said quietly before leaning forward onto the table, taking my hands in hers. "I'm so sorry you keep having to deal with stupid ass remarks like that. I'm sorry I was one of those stupid people."

"It's so frustrating Vimla, on one hand I don't wanna talk about it but then when I do it just blows up in my face. It's a lose-lose for me."

"Wilhem," Vimla said as if something was weighing heavily on her heart. I could feel the slight tremor of her hands as they held mine and I wondered what was bothering her so much.

"Vimla, what is it?"

"Wilhem, oh god. . ." She pulled away and put her hand on her chest. "I'm so sorry Wilhem, I really am."

I could see the well of tears in her eyes as she struggled to hold them back. "Hey, it's okay Vimla."

I was about to stand up and give her a hug but the waiter came back with our orders and placed them in front of us.

"Here's your meal. Enjoy," he smiled at us before walking off again.

Vimla was already biting into her burger when I turned back to look at her. Like me, she ate when she was stressed about something.

I had no idea that this would have had such an effect on her as much as it seemed to.

"Vimla, are you okay?" I asked, to which she simply nodded and bit into her burger again.

I hadn't touched my food yet and I wasn't going to until my best friend was okay.

Vimla looked up from her plate to find me staring back at her. "Wilhem, don't worry about me. Now eat before your food gets cold."

I looked at my delicious plate of food and decided to listen to her. Food now, comfort Vimla later.

I started dipping my fries into my root beer float as I ate and I found it surprisingly good. As a kid I used to use my milkshakes as a dipping sauce for my fries, Vimla always found it weird but she put mayo on her fries so if you ask me she's the weird one.

I was half way through my burger when the sound of Fancy came blaring from my phone as my screen lit up with the words "Mum" on it.

I licked my fingers off before answering it. "Hello mum."

"Wilhem, where are you? I'm here outside the address you gave me for the support group and I can't see you." I heard my mother say.

"Oh, I left early. I'm with Vimla on campus, so don't worry about me. I'm fine," I told her.

"Okay, you better be home for dinner tonight."

"I will. Love you, bye mum." I cut the call short because I didn't want to hear my mother nag about something else or ask me 21 questions.

Vimla gave me a sympathetic look before gulping down the remainder of her beer.

"Mums right?"

"She means well Wilhem."

"I know," I said back
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author's note

this was kinda boring, next chapter will be better. I promise :)

thank you so much for 1k+ read on Homophobe, here's an update😊