How Unexpected | Brance | The Black Phone

Chapter 40

Vance

What.

"Ah- did I? Who's crying?" I ask, looking around in a panic.

I hear Molly laugh. I look at her in confusion.

"I'm talking about the boy that crawled out from my backroom to hide behind my counter." she says, pointing below her.

Before I can process anything, I see Bruce get up and run out the store.

Instinctively, I run after him.

He was crying, ofc I ran after him.

I made him cry.

Oh, God, what have I done?

I couldn't tell where Bruce was headed, I was just focused on his back.

We ran for a while. Past the field we had a picnic at. Past the wooded area that hides the lake. Past the baseball field where his games r held. Past houses and people and cars.

He started slowing down. And I could finally breathe.

He started walking. Never once looking at me.

He thinks im stupid.

He doesn't want to be friends anymore.

He thought it was all platonic.

The kisses. The hand-holding. The cuddling. Platonic.

Of course he did. How could I be so stupid?

He had girls falling for him left and right, y would he be gay?

He stopped walking.

I stopped with him.

We didn't make any other movements.

We just stood. A distance between us.

He had no jacket.

It was December.

It was lightly snowing.

It snowed heavily last night.

Snow everywhere u looked.

He still wasn't looking at me.

I sigh, guess I'll start talking.

I take off my jacket.

The cold wind hits me and I shiver. I should walk him to my house, his is too far and it's way too cold rn.

I walk up to him, placing my jacket around him. He looks to his right to avoid looking at me.

I sigh.

I ruined things.

I help him put the jacket on, feeding his arms through the arms of the jacket and zipping it up.

I try to look at him but he's still looking away.

I mentally beat myself up for ruining an amazing friendship with this boy.

"Come on... Bruce. It's cold, we should get inside before we get sick... Ok?" I say gently. He doesn't say anything but he gives a small nod.

I gently slip my hand into his, he doesn't move it away, so I take that as a sign to start walking.

We walk slowly, he extends his free hand to touch any surface he can. He slightly smiles at the feeling of the snow.

I remember the time he told me he loved winter more than anything.

(flashback booooiiiiii)

We left Robin's house. We were assigned snack pick-up duty.