"Spit it out"

Clara asked Eric, who was clearly giving her cold shoulders.

"You are ruining the mood, Eric. Are you seriously upset over some prank on a chick who used to be a waitress here?"
Jonathan said loud.

"One salad for me and a burger with fries for him"
Clara gave out both her and Eric's order to the waitress.

"Come on! I was not trying to insult that Jocita"
Clara said while locking her arms with his.

"Clara"
Roy looked up from his book.

"Yes"

"What is her  name? The one that you just pretended to forget?"

"Am I wrong? Jocita? Or was it Joecylyn?"

"WHAT IS HER NAME?"
It was Eric this time. His voice went higher than it ever did and Clara was taken back. She released her arm and went teary eyed.

"Eric! What the hell, man! Where is your manners. Clara....its okay! Don't be scared!"
Jonathan tried to intervene.

"Seriously? You and manners? Don't joke like that dude!"
Roy laughed at it.

"I will ask you one more time. Say her NAME, Clara. You ain't going anywhere till you do"
The anger in his eyes made Clara feel powerless.

"Joanna Gerard"

" So now you remember her name. I am warning you. Do not mess with my friends. Whoever it shall be! Just don't, Clara. Or else....."

"Or else, what?"
She asked with tears dripping down her eyes.

"You will lose a friend in me"

"You are being way too harsh on her, Eric"

"You know, Jonathan, I have been putting a lot of effort to not punch your face. Don't test me anymore."
Eric glared and Jonathan didn't utter a single word.

He got up and walked out after paying the bill.

As he left, Roy took his sandwich and proceeded to follow him.

"Must be nice,huh?"
Clara asked him. Her eyes had an evil aura to it.

"What?"

"To freeload like this? To get free food and..." Clara looked him from head to toe, smirked and continued "Free clothes!"

Roy didn't know what to say to that.

Eric always took care of the bills and its true that Roy could not afford it. But he never asked for it. It was Eric who always dragged Roy with him.

The jacket he was wearing was a birthday gift from Eric. Sometimes, they even shared clothes. Till this day, no one had made Roy feel so little or called him a freeloader because of the materialistic benefits this friendship was giving him. Neither did Roy have such intentions.

No, he didn't want that. He never asked for it.

But Clara's words hurt him and made him question his self respect.

She was making it clear for him that they don't have the same class.

"No wonder you get along with that chick. You like her, don't you? Its clearly his brain washing that has gotten into Eric."
Catharine said.

"What?"Clara and Jonathan laughed.

Roy didn't respond to that.

He kept the sandwich down and walked out with a growling stomach.

He was poor and needy, but his self respect was precious and intact. Like a pillar.

As he got out, Eric was waiting for Roy in his car.

"Lets go"
He said.

"No. See you tomorrow"
Roy walked out.

"Come on, man! Don't leave"
Eric yelled but Roy was not his friend at that moment. He was a young man who just had his pride belittled.

***********************

"Are you home? Wash up"
Roy's mother smiled at her son as he came home earlier than she expected.

His mother Amelia, wiped off her sweat and asked

"Papa will be home soon. I was baking his favourite chocolate cake. You didn't forget papa's birthday, did you?"

Roy sighed.

His father was dead. The man for whom his mother is baking this cake, exists only in her hallucinations.

Doctors said that this was her way of coping with grief. She sees him and he keeps her going.They tried but couldn't help with her delusions.

Amelia refused to take medicines when she realised she might stop seeing her dead husband if she did that. Now, he was atleast alive in her insanity.

Roy felt sorry for his mother and was equally angry at his father for dying when he was just 15 years old. Ever since then Roy had been playing along with his mother's delusion. He couldn't afford to lose her too. He could take on the world for her.

He went to his room and removed his jacket.

Once he saw himself without it, it stuck to him

"I really got nothing!"

Its one thing to be poor and its another thing to be toxically aware of it.

Yes, he always knew that he didn't have as much money as his friends. He worked hard to compensate for what he lacked. But Roy was neither ashamed of it nor was haunted by it.

Lack of money never disturbed his peace or made him feel like nothing. He was always sure of his skills and that a better tomorrow will come soon.

His friendship with Eric never had any agenda to it.

Till today.

Today he was reminded that no matter how sincere or genuine or hard working he was, he will always be regarded as a leech.

'Does Eric also think the same?'
Roy thought to himself.

But again, he didn't have any time to waste in self loathing.
He took a shower and went to help his mother.

As usual, both kitchen and house was a mess.

He cleaned it up, while Amelia set the table for dinner. She laid three plates, three sets of cutlery and three glasses.
Just like how it used to be.

As they cut a cake for his dead father, Roy noticed that his mother's hands were still aching.

Amelia worked as a tailor to raise her brilliant son, who was kind and dutiful.
After celebrating her husband's birthday, Amelia sat next to Roy, looked at him with absolute adoration and asked

"So, how was your day, Roy?"

"Usual, mom"
He replied while serving a portion of pasta to her plate.

"What happened? Why are you so down?"

"Nothing."

He served some for himself too.
Amelia wasn't satisfied with his answer.

"Some thing happened"
She said with panic on her face.

Roy reminded himself that to show his mother any signs of distress or sadness would mean to take risk with her mental health.

This was one more thing he couldn't afford.

He smiled widely.

"Nothing mom. Its another happy day"

"Really?"
Amelia smiled.

"Mom! This pasta is amazing!"
He tried to cheer both himself as well as his mother.

For a 17 year old, Roy surely had a lot more baggage going on.

"Did you tell that girl?"
He almost choked when Amelia asked him.
"Mom! There is nothing to tell her! I told you! She is just a friend!"

"Don't lie! I saw the spark in your eyes when she came in. Does she still work in that cafe?"

He nodded no while chewing his food.

"Wasn't her name Joanna? She was such a nice girl. I approve"
Amelia said with a proud smile.

"Mom! Come on! There is nothing like that!"

There was one time Roy took his mother out for a snack after winning a math quiz.

He was proud to be able to buy her something with his own money. This happened a year back and Joanna just started working there.

He recognised her, she greeted him and his mother and even helped out Roy, by giving fries as service.

Amelia remembered her, because Roy was blushing when she came to take order.

Joanna and his little crush on her was their little secret.

Roy was shocked to his core when he realised that Catharine had caught on!

"How could have she known!"

*************************

Roy and Joanna.

They had some history and he knew her way before Eric did.
Precisely, he liked her way before Eric even noticed her.

At first like he told Eric, Roy was scared of her. He thought she might claim that first spot and steal his scholarship.

He observed her from far, worked harder than her but she proved not to be a competition.

Then he was drawn to her. More than the way she looked, he was drawn to her undying spirit.

She just won't give up! She had this spark in her eyes, it was as bright as a sunflower. Joanna never complained about how complicated math was or why she wasn't getting her deserved results. She just focussed on hard work.

Offering her his notes, was Roy's way of flirting. Sadly, she refused. Still, she always caught his eyes. It was Roy who dragged them to the cafe where she worked part time because Eric was generous with tips.

But Roy knew she was struggling. Roy knew what she was going through was unfair and it was not because she was lazy! But he just didn't know better like Eric did.

Now that he sees her with Eric, sometimes, his heart stings a bit. It doesn't feel nice.
Why her?
He could have anybody in the world!

But again, he can't afford to fall in love either.

With his mom to support and a scholarship to protect, Roy barely had any time for love. All he could do was watch her silently, from far and hope that Clara will keep them apart.

Now, there was another thought haunting him.

Money!

He need to make money!

So that no one will challenge his self worth or self respect ever again.