Christmas and New Year's had been a blur; already they were back in school from their respective winter breaks, lining up for lunch in the cafeteria. Rafe had had another meltdown after arguing with his father and was not welcome back home for Christmas. Nora knew there was no way he would spend Christmas alone, so they had him over for the entire festive season along with Benny. Simon went back to see his family in Scotland. Rafe had been taking cooking lessons from her grandmother and managed to cook a delicious dinner with Nora for New Year's Day.
"You know, when Rafe first came to this school, the last thing I imagined was the three of us spending the winter break together. I mean, we practically lived together." Benny said.
Nora nodded. "I know. I didn't think our tutoring deal was going to last this long."
"You know it's not just a tutoring deal anymore. It's like he is becoming a closer friend than I. You're definitely spending more time together."
"Yeah, but you ditch me now on the weekends to see Simon."
"Good point," Benny said, but there was a tension in the crease of eyebrows. Earlier that morning, she thought she saw Benny looking glum. He was hiding something. Though he didn't sound like he'd had a fight with Simon when she asked about him.
"Has your mum been questioning you non-stop about him?" Benny asked, changing the subject. Typical.
"Yes well, now that she has a boyfriend, she's more interested in talking about him."
"Did she come to Berk with him?"
"No, she visited alone for a couple of days and flew back to work," Nora said.
"That's nice..." Benny said.
Benny wasn't the type of person who would mope around over trivial things like complaining about his hair or getting sad over a movie or a book. However, when matters came to something more serious, when a problem truly bothered him, he retreated into himself and tried too hard to cover it up. He would fidget with the ties of his hoodie and repeatedly asked 'what else is new'. Like he was trying to distract Nora and avoid whatever problem was bothering him. Her father used to do that to her mother whenever she asked him about his work or brought up their marital problems.
But Nora wasn't fooled. She'd noticed the bags under his eyes that morning and how his lips were pressed into a line, either from concentration or sadness. One thing was certain -- something bad had happened.
She put her tray of food on the table, tucked the chair under her, and scooted closer to face him.
"Benny. What's wrong?"
"Nothing! I just didn't get any sleep. All that excitement from spending the weekend with Simon," he said. It didn't get past Nora that he tensed when Jack entered the cafeteria.
The violent footballer didn't even look their way and joined his usual gang. Nora watched Rafe talk and laugh with Luke. The girls (always different ones) sat around listening to his every word. He caught her looking at him, and he nodded her way, and she gave a little wave. Hazel, who saw the gesture, scooted closer to Rafe, placed her head on his shoulder, and continued talking to Amber like nothing had happened.
Nora inwardly rolled her eyes. She really admired Rafe's patience. All the girls always yearned for physical contact from Rafe. She couldn't imagine how annoying that must've been. For that reason alone, she shooed Rafe away when he tried to sit with them at lunch.
Because of him, the rest of the people she'd never even talked to before swarmed around him. Nora and Benny liked their little corner and preferred to eat without getting harassed by excited girls and loud football junkies.
"Are they dating?" Benny asked, trying to see their reflection in the long windows.
Nora shrugged. "I think they've made out at a party while drunk. Or, maybe that was Amy. I don't know. I think there was a house party at Jonah's on the weekend."
After a pause, he went on. "But he likes you. I can tell," Benny said, as he swept his fringe aside.
"Of course he does. I help him with homework, keep him organised, ensure he's not late, and feed him bananas during break. And all of this for free. Who wouldn't like me?"
He gave her a deadpan look. "You know I'm not talking about that."
"You think he wants to have sex with me?" she asked bluntly Benny coughed into his coffee.
"Nora," he said irritably, "all boys want to have sex at this age. But that's not what I meant.
He likes you, and will probably ask you out at one point. I know you don't want to have this conversation because you prefer to be in denial."
Nora shook her head and glanced at Rafe. He looked like he was trying to read their lips from across the cafeteria and listen in on their conversation. He knew they were talking about him. She smiled.
"I don't think I'm his type. Anyway, stop trying to make this about me. Will you tell me what's bothering you? You know I won't leave you alone. You're my only friend, and I have nothing better to do until the end of the day."
He let out something between a laugh and a sigh. "Honestly, it's nothing."
"I will cut off your fringe in your sleep."
After a couple of more threats and further coaxing, he finally broke. "Fine. You know Simon drove down here to spend the weekend?"
Nora nodded.
"Well, he parked his car outside the B&B he was staying in. We were out all day on Sunday, and in the evening, when I was walking him back to his car, there was graffiti on his car." He was fiddling with a napkin as he recounted the incident.
"What did it say?" Nora asked.
He stayed quiet for a second and she didn't think he'd actually say anything else. "Die, faggots," he said quietly.
"Jesus," she said with a sigh and smacked her hand against the table. "What the fuâ who would dare?"
"I know. The f word was spelt with one 'g' as well. How terrible," he attempted to lighten the mood.
Nora was silent.
He went on. "I was so embarrassed, Nora. Embarrassed and annoyed, and for the first time, scared. At least this was spray paint. What if we were ambushed? Beaten up? You know I can't fight to save my life. And god if my dad ever finds out..."
"How's Simon?"
"He laughed it off. Said he wanted a new paint job on his car anyway. We drove around for ages trying to find the nearest MOT or a place to buy acetone. Most stores were closed because it was a Sunday. We had to drive all the way to freaking York, and all the while, people saw the message on the car. It was mortifying," Benny said, last sentence into his hands that covered his face.
"I'm so sorry, you should've called me andâ"
"What would that have solved?" Benny asked, shaking his head. He was right. Nora wouldn't have known how to help. She never even owned a car much less knew how to repair its paint job. She placed her hand on Benny's.
"You think it was Jack?" she asked in a low voice.
"I don't know," he croaked. "It could've been anyone from the football team or any of my dad's friends. Or anyone in this town. I just don't know. Simon wanted to get his hands on CCTV footage, but I think he forgot this is Berk. There are hardly any cameras anywhere."
"I'd put my money on Jack," Nora said, glaring at the back of the heathen. Just his name in her mouth left a bad taste.
Benny tucked into his lunch half-heartedly. "Doesn't matter anymore."
The bell rang, ending the lunch break, and people began spreading out to their lessons. They had finished their lunch, with Benny barely eating any of his food. They tried to talk about something else, but the incident hung over them both like a dark cloud.
"I wish you'd told me straight away..."
Benny cleared his stuff away, and put his plates of food back on the tray. He shrugged. "I was worried you were going to try to take matters into your own hands."
"Like how?" she asked in exasperation.
"Don't pretend, Nora. You'd go to talk to Rafe and ask him to find out. Or involve your favourite principal."
She let out a sigh. "That does sound like a good idea..."
His eyes widened. "I beg youâ please don't. I don't want the principal, Rafe, or anyone to get involved or know. This is humiliating enough as it is. Just let it go. No one was hurt; that's the most important thing."
"You look pretty hurt to me."
"Nora."
"Fine."
Before going to his next lesson, he gave her one more pleading look and went out of the cafeteria. Nora sighed and knew that she would have to do as Benny asked. It was true that involving Rafe or the principal would cause more problems than it would solve. Unable to think of anything to do at this point, she headed to her next class, knowing that karma eventually came back to punish. It was just a question of when.