4. Chapter 4
An hour later, Ody sat in class, barely listening. His eyes kept drifting to the clock. Mano’s lecture should end soon.
When the clock finally ticked past the hour, Ody slipped out. Outside the music building, students were already starting to filter out. Then he saw him and walked straight toward him.
The moment Mano spotted him, he let out a breath and tried to walk past.
Ody stepped in front of him. “Wait.”
“What now?” Mano narrowed his eyes.
Ody grabbed his left hand and rotated the wrist gently. Left. Right. Circular motion.
“What are you doing?” Mano pulled back.
Ody caught his right hand instead.
“Ah!” He jerked away.
Ody kept his eyes on him. “This is the hand that doesn’t hurt, right?” He took it again, more carefully this time. “It’s bruised. If you ignore it, it’ll swell.”
Mano rolled his eyes. “Okay, doctor.”
“Come with me.” He reached for his arm, but Mano pulled away.
“What do you actually want from me?”
“I want you to get better so you don’t hurt someone driving like that.” He hesitated. “And so you don’t hurt yourself.”
Mano studied him. “Why do you care what happens to me?”
“Why wouldn’t I? I just don’t want you getting hurt. That’s all.”
Mano searched his face.
“Ready?” Ody asked.
After a second, Mano nodded and they walked to the car.
“Didn’t you have class at twelve thirty?” Mano asked.
“Yeah,” Ody said as he started the engine.
“You only had one hour?”
“Don’t worry about it.” He pulled out of the parking lot.
Mano glanced at him. Did he skip class to take me home? A moment later, he frowned. “My place isn’t this way.”
“We’re going through Pangrati first.”
“Why?”
“You’ll see.” Soon, they pulled over in front of a pharmacy. “I live here. They know me.” Ody unbuckled his seat belt. “Don’t leave.” He looked at him.
“And if I do?” Mano smirked.
“Don’t.” Ody held his gaze, then stepped out of the car.
Mano watched him go.
A few minutes later, Ody returned with a small bag. “Since you refuse to see a doctor,” he said, “I got the basics. Bruise gel. Apply it twice a day.” He held it up. “And a bandage to keep it stable.” He opened the tube.
“Now what?” Mano asked.
“I don’t trust you to actually use it, so…” He squeezed some gel onto his palm and gently took Mano’s right hand. The silver rings on his fingers were cool against Ody’s skin, the heavy chain bracelet shifting on Mano’s wrist.
Ody began applying the cream carefully, avoiding pressure.
Mano stared at him.
The touch.
The smell of ointment.
A voice from somewhere deep in his memory.
“It’s okay, Mano. It’s just a scrape. You’re strong, aren’t you?”
“I am,” the child whispered through tears.
“You’re the strongest boy in the world.”
“Mano?” Ody looked up and found his eyes glassy.
Mano blinked quickly and pulled his hand away. “I’ll do it.” He turned, hiding his face.
Ody froze.
“Drive,” Mano muttered.
Ody placed the ointment back in the bag, set it on the back seat, and started the engine.
When they reached the building, Mano seemed composed again. Ody parked and looked at him.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“No, I was just… The bag.” He reached into the back seat and handed it to him. “Twice a day. And…” He hesitated. “Can I?”
Mano met his eyes, but didn’t say no. Ody carefully wrapped the bandage around his wrist. Mano flinched at first.
“Sorry,” Ody murmured, loosening it. When he finished, he secured the clip.
Mano dropped his gaze. “...Thanks.” The word came out barely above a whisper.
Ody blinked, surprised. “You’re welcome.”
They sat there for a second.
“What time is your class tomorrow?” Ody asked.
“I don’t have any.”
“You don’t?” He frowned.
“No.”
Ody studied him. “Then why did I hear people talking about tomorrow’s class when I was waiting outside your building?”
Silence.
“Are you lying because you don’t want me to pick you up?”
“Yeah.” He avoided his gaze.
Ody looked down briefly. “You really dislike me, don’t you?”
“You’re not my chauffeur.”
Ody’s head snapped up.
“You’ve already done enough,” Mano added, quieter now.
“I don’t mind,” Ody said, their eyes meeting again. “To repay me, when your hand’s better, you’ll come play basketball with us.”
“I’d rather pay for the gel. And the clasp. And the gas.”
“I don’t want money. I want you to play. Promise.”
Mano exhaled. “Fine.”
“Not fine. Promise.” He smiled.
Mano hesitated. “I promise.”
A grin spread across Ody’s face.
“I’m leaving,” Mano announced.
“You still haven’t told me what time your class is.”
“Ten. If it’s not convenient—”
“I’ll be here at nine thirty.”
Mano stared at him. Then he got out and disappeared inside.
Ody drove back toward campus. His friends would be finishing soon, so he waited outside instead of going back into class.
At two thirty, Steve and Chris came out.
“Where’d you vanish to?” Steve asked.
“Nowhere. You guys up for basketball?”
“You took him home again, didn’t you?”
“He promised he’ll play with us when his hand’s better.”
Chris grinned. “Alright. Let’s go.”
After the game, his phone rang. It was Anna. They made plans to go to the movies that evening. Ody hung up smiling while Steve teased him about the date night.
Once he was ready, he drove to Anna’s house. “You look beautiful,” he said as she got into the car, brushing a strand of her long light brown hair from her face.
“Thank you. You look handsome too.”
They kissed before heading to the cinema.
“Want anything to eat?” he asked after they picked up their tickets.
“Just popcorn.”
They went inside. The movie hadn’t started yet, commercials were still playing.
They both took out their phones. Ody opened his DMs and searched for Mano’s chat. He started typing, then paused. To hell with it.
Odysseus: Did you put the ointment on again? [19:50]
“Baby, give me some,” Anna said, reaching for the popcorn. He handed it to her.
At home, Mano lay on the couch staring at the message. I’ll put it on before bed [19:53]
Don’t forget. And change the bandage [19:53]
Yeah [19:54]
“Who are you texting?” Anna asked, her tone light.
“Uh… Steve.”
“Tell him I said hi.”
Odysseus: Is your class over at 12 tomorrow? [19:55]
Mano: Around then [19:56]
Don’t bring your helmet. I’ll drive you home [19:56]
Mano sighed. I think I’ll take a taxi. My hand won’t hurt much longer anyway [19:57]
Odysseus: We talked about this. I don’t mind. And you promised to play basketball [19:57]
Mano stared at the screen. Why are you doing all this for me? You don’t even know me [20:00]
“Baby, it’s starting. Turn it off,” Anna whispered as the lights dimmed.
Ody quickly locked his phone.
“Did you put it on silent?”
“Yeah.”
Ten minutes later, Mano checked his phone again.
Seen
No reply.
The next morning at nine thirty, Ody was already waiting outside Mano’s building. He watched him walk out and get into the car.
“Morning.”
Mano fastened his seat belt without responding.
“Did you take care of your hand?”
“Yeah.”
They drove in silence until Mano spoke. “You didn’t answer me yesterday.”
“About what?”
“I asked you something. You saw it.”
“Oh.” Ody remembered. “Sorry. I was with my girlfriend. The movie started.”
Mano turned back to the windshield. “Fine. Answer me now. Why are you doing all this?”
Ody kept his eyes on the road. “It’s just how I am. I help when I can.”
Mano didn’t interrupt.
“I saw you fighting. I couldn’t let you ride like that. You didn’t want the hospital, so I got you something for your hand. Just so you could drive again.”
Mano didn’t respond right away. “I see.”
“Does that answer it?”
“Yeah.”
They pulled into campus.
“See you in two hours.”
Mano opened the door without replying.
Two hours later, Ody returned to the music building. Students were already leaving the lecture hall. Then he saw Mano walking out with a girl.
“Oh, so you start with that chord,” she said. “It sounds better on guitar.”
“Yeah.”
“It’s crazy how many instruments you play. I can’t picture you on piano.”
“Why?” Mano asked, his tone flat.
“They say music is for sensitive people and all that. Especially piano, violin…”
Mano didn’t react.
“Guess that’s not true.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
They reached the exit.
“Can we exchange socials?” she asked, pulling out her phone. “I already follow you, by the way.”
“How’d you find me?” Mano asked, glancing at her.
“What do you mean? You’re kind of famous.”
He gave a faint, indifferent smile.
“Would it be weird if I asked you out for coffee?”
Mano barely hesitated. “No.”
She smiled, and they walked off together.
Ody watched from his car, his fingers still resting on the steering wheel. Then he pushed the door open and caught up with them. “Mano?”
They both turned.
“Are you coming?”
“Is he your friend?” the girl asked.
Ody nodded. “Yes. Odysseus.”
“Chrysa.”
“Give us a second,” Mano said, glancing at her before pulling Ody aside.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“We’re grabbing coffee. You can go.”
Ody frowned. “It’s just… you said you finished at twelve and—”
“You know how it is,” Mano cut in, shrugging. “She asked. What was I supposed to say? You have a girlfriend. You get it.”
Ody held his gaze longer than necessary. “Yeah,” he said. “I get it.”
“You don’t have to drive me. We might go back to my place.”
Ody didn’t react.
“And don’t worry. No more favors. My hand’s better. I’ll drive tomorrow.”
Ody reached for his wrist and turned it, testing the movement. Mano didn’t flinch, so he let go. “Okay. Good.” He forced a small smile. “Have a good time.” He turned and walked away.
Mano stood there, watching him go.