Intermission - Her intentions.

“I don’t hate you,” Noelle said softly. “I don’t hate anyone. What right do I even have to hate anyone? I… Yes, I like Oliver. I like him a lot, but I never did anything about it. No one is betraying me or anything. Oliver was already seeing the girls before we started talking for real, right?”

Alice shook her head. “You’re too good. Hate is never rational.”

Noelle chuckled weakly. “I suppose. Then it means you mean more to me than a boy.” Her chest felt a little lighter, and she was able to smile genuinely. “I don’t hate you, Alice. If you think you can accept that arrangement, then I sincerely hope it works.”

“You have no idea how much that means to me.”Alice, too, was finally able to smile with some relief. “But what about Oliver? Do you hate him now?”

Noelle’s smile went away, but she easily shook her head. “I don’t hate him, but… The image I had of him… changed. I… I don’t know anymore.”

“You know, I was afraid of that, too,” Alice said, sipping her tea. Noelle noticed her hands shook. Still, her friend smiled. “I was afraid that, when I told him some things about me, he’d be put off. But you know what? He actually said he liked me even more for it.” She chuckled. “I think that’s one of the reasons he clicked for me. Only one, mind. There are plenty of others.”

…

Noelle’s mind froze for a second that felt eternal.

Oliver… accepted Alice? He liked her more for it? Didn’t he also accept Noelle’s own secret? No, he didn’t just accept it. He was happy for her, encouraged her and praised her for it. He could’ve been put off by it, or even just answered with an indifferent ‘Oh yeah? So?’, but instead he was genuinely happy that Noelle had found something she enjoyed doing and helped her grow. Yet here she was thinking less of him for dating more than one girl. And without even hearing him out?

But it was completely different, right? Noelle was just a video game streamer. Embarrassing or not, she was just an entertainer. Meanwhile, Oliver was… in a consensual relationship with three girls who were supportive of it. It wasn’t any different.

“I’m not trying to say this to change your mind,” Alice continued, “but, just for the record, I’d be okay with you dating Oliver, too.”

Sharing a boyfriend with other girls… Noelle had never even dated anyone before. She couldn’t see it. Not that she was violently opposed to the idea, but more like she couldn’t imagine it happening. She couldn’t see how it would work. She didn’t even know how a normal relationship functioned, let alone something like this.

The bell didn’t give her any more time to think.

“I’m sorry to bring this up just before class,” Alice said.

“N-No, I insisted. It’s fine.” Noelle smiled. “Thank you for being upfront with me.”

However, as she expected, Noelle was unable to concentrate during the first period. Her mind drifted and her face heated. She couldn’t even take notes correctly. What a mess.

She decided that there was only one way to solve the issue, so when the bell rang to indicate the start of the first recess, Noelle exited her classroom and went to find Oliver.

She didn’t expect him to meet her in the hallway, though. Not with him walking directly towards her and starting things.

“Noelle,” he spoke firmly. “I need to talk to you. Can we meet after school?”

Noelle was taken aback. In front of him, she suddenly felt bashful, weak, and hot. “E-Eh? I…”

He shook his head as if to shake the brain inside. “Sorry to come at you like this, but… It’s important.” He looked her straight in the eyes. “It’s not right that Isabelle was the one to tell you. I keep regretting it. If you don’t want to see me today, then we can talk another day, but I need to talk to you. You deserve that much.”

Nervously, Noelle looked around. There weren’t that many, but a few people were looking their way. Rumors would no doubt spread, people would make up wild stories to make sense of what was happening here.

That Oliver of all people didn’t care about it and spoke to her in the open said how important this was to him.

Noelle smiled. “I talked to Alice already. She explained some things.”

Oliver tensed up, but he nodded. “Then it’s all the more important.”

“After school, then.”

Oliver smiled with relief. “Thank you.”

They parted ways with shy, awkward waves, and Noelle felt her chest much lighter and her head much clearer already. She chuckled to herself.

For some reason, since Isabelle told her about all this yesterday, it almost felt like she was talking about some Oliver she was supposed to know, but was a stranger. It was about the same when Alice spoke of him just earlier. But seeing him, actually hearing him say he needed to talk to her, made her realize that… Oliver was still Oliver. He hadn’t suddenly changed because she knew his secret.

They would talk later. She would tell him she liked him, she would hear him out, and if he… if he asked her to go out with him, she would politely refuse. She would explain that she didn’t feel like she could be a part of what he had, but that she hoped they could remain friends.

Yes. Yes. That was what she’d do. That was the plan.

…

But plans can suddenly change.

Potato.