𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 (𝘣𝘹𝘣)

sixteen

"Yo! Noah! I-I wanna talk before I leave!"

Benjamin pulls away from his kiss with Noah. Lucas was banging on the door.

Noah stands from his couch and goes to answer the front door. Benjamin brings his hand up to touch his mouth, feeling awkward.

God, why did i come here? why did i just kiss him?' He thought.

Benjamin shakes his head and stands up. He grabs his bag off the floor and scrambles to put his shoes on.

Lucas walks in and notices him, "O-Oh. Hey, Benjamin."

Benjamin smiles. "Hey. I uh...I need to go."

Noah looks over at him. Lucas watches the two and furrows his brows. "D-Did I interrupt something?"

Benjamin quickly shakes his head. "What? No," He lets out a forced chuckle, "Of course not. See you later."

Noah reaches out and grabs his arm. "Call me?"

Benjamin looks down at Noah's hand before glancing back up at him. "Uhm...Yeah, maybe." He pulls away and takes long strides out of the apartment.

Once the door closed behind him, he leaned against the wall and put his hands on his face. He curses to himself before reaching into his bag to grab his phone.

**
Lucas looks behind him at the front door. "I'm pretty sure I interrupted something. You guys are acting weird."

Noah shakes his head and shrugs. "I don't think so." He goes back into his living room, grabbing the empty takeout boxes and walking them to the trashcan.

Lucas nods and takes a seat in the kitchen. "Look, I just wanted to apologize. I overstepped. Shouldn't have told you what you should be doing."

Noah nods his head and leans against his fridge. "Yeah. Got that right."

Lucas sighs. "I care for you, Noah. You're my best friend and I just want what's best for you."

Noah finally lets his guard down, knowing being an ass wouldn't get him anywhere. He unfolds his arms before nodding. "Yeah. I know, man."

"I understand why you're drinking like you are, okay? I wouldn't know how to feel if my mom was like that. I just...I want what's best for you. I want you to be okay."

"I know. I'm trying to get it under control."

"Just promise me you'll be safe. I just want you to be safe."

**
Benjamin sighs and walks into his front door. He drops his bag on the floor and groans.

Benjamin goes into the kitchen. "Fuckin' idiot, Benjamin."

He looks at Gabi's alcohol cart, grabbing one of the bottles and reading it. He sets it back down before picking up a different bottle.

He reads the name and shrugs his shoulders. He screws the cap off, taking a sniff. He sets it down and grabs a glass, filling it up some before taking a sip.

He gags and sets it down, bringing his hand up to cough into it. He didn't really like alcohol. Never was a party kid in college either.

He sighs and goes into the fridge to find something to chase it with. He grabs some juice and sits down at the island.

He shakes his head as tears begin to swell up in his eyes. He puts his hands up to his eyes. "Goddamit, Benjamin. What's wrong with you."

"Hey...Are you okay?"

Benjamin jumps in fear and looks over. He sees a tall and skinny brown skin girl. She had a curly afro and wore circular glasses. She was clad in a white tee shirt and some
pajama pants.

"Uh...Yeah, I'm fine," Benjamin wipes the tears under his eyes before standing up.

"Alexis," She holds her hand out, "You're Benjamin, right?"

Benjamin gulps and shakes her hand. "Yeah. That's me."

"Babe? Can you not find any-," Gabi looks at Benjamin and smiles. "Oh! I didn't know you were home!"

Benjamin chuckles and shrugs. "Me...either. I-I thought you were going to her place."

"Oh, we were. But her AC unit went out in her entire building. Did you not read my text?"

Benjamin reaches in his back pocket to grab his phone. "N-No...Sorry."

Gabi frowns and steps forward. "You okay? How'd it go at Noah's? Did you guys talk? Figure stuff out?" She glances back at the bottle of alcohol sitting opened.

Benjamin shrugs his shoulders. "We...Uh. Never got to talk about it. He had to...Uh...go see h-his mom."

"Oh! Maybe next time?"

Benjamin nods and looks over at Alexis. "It was nice meeting you," He turns back to Gabi, "Uh. I should get ready for bed."

Gabi nods and watches as Benjamin begins to walk away. She reaches out and grabs his hand. "You sure you're okay? You don't have to hide stuff from me."

Benjamin nods. "Promise."

Gabi smiles at him and lets go of his arm. Alexis waves at him and he trudges off to his room.

Alexis looks down at Gabi and smiles. "Sweet guy."

**
Benjamin sets his lighter down on the floor. He closes his eyes for a split second before looking down at his inner thigh.

His breathing was heavy and he sagged his shoulders. He leans his head back against the door.

He shakes himself out of his little daze before standing up. He sets the lighter into his bathroom drawer and turns the sink on, washing his hands a few times.

He wipes his hands on his towel before looking at himself in the mirror. He splashes his face with water and hears his phone ringing.

He looks over and sighs when he sees Noah's called ID on the screen. He lets it ring, in which, Noah leaves a text.

-can we talk?

Benjamin gulps and flips his phone over. He wipes his hands off again before going into his bedroom.

**