No Guidelines

Chapter 8-4

***Content Warning: chapter contains a scene of choking, viewer discretion is advised***

Audrey

As the hour grew late, the line for the maze dwindled. only a few people waited now; last minute people that were too busy to go on earlier. Or people who waited till there was no line.

Adrian stared intently at the remnants of the line, resting his chin on his palm.

"You're slouching, that's not good for your back, you know," Audrey said.

She picked a few popcorn and tossed it at his head.

"You're Absolutely right, sorry mom!" he said sarcastically. He tossed popcorn back at her. They shared another laugh together. The fact they'd been laughing together all night was a huge win in her book.

Making someone laugh, or even keeping them interested for this long was something she could not do. It was a wonder how she even made friends with Sam, Looz, or even Jacob way back then. She recalled memories from middle school. Looking back, she'd say she was more outgoing in high school than in middle school.

no. not really, she thought. realization struck that after middle school Sam and Looz were in fact the only people she talked to. it's easy to think you're more extroverted when you're trapped in a comfortable bubble. Why didn't I want to leave my bubble sooner, she thought. She looked at Adrian who seemed so happy to be around her company. she loved to be around him, he gave off a comfortable presence that she only felt with her close friends.

"Hey Adrian?" she asked meekly. He turned to her with a look that said "yes?".

"Did you really not have any friends throughout all of high school?"

His eyes looked to the left, to recall an answer. Audrey twiddled her thumbs, picking over the rough skin on the edge of her thumbs. She forced herself to maintain eye contact on him. Instead she looked at a nearby light post as she waited for a response.

"It's hard to say to be honest," he said. He rubbed his chin. "I just didn't feel like meeting anyone anymore."

"did you like being alone?"

He thought about it for a moment.

"I don't think anyone likes to be alone per se, but I didn't necessarily think I fit in with anyone around me." He leaned back in his chair, crossed his right leg over his left, and continued rubbing his chin. concentrated straight forward; he looked like a modern interpretation of the Thinker.

"But I guess," he continued, "before I met you, I was quite content. I did a lot of writing and watched a lot of movies."

"loneliness was never a thought that had crossed my mind."

"I didn't ruin your solace did I?" Audrey asked.

"what? no! no, no, no!" he said, jumping up from his laid-back position.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like that," he continued, "In fact, I think meeting you was a good change; a necessary change."

He put a handful of popcorn in his mouth, to keep him from talking too much. Audrey smiled, laughing at his awkwardness.

"How so?" She asked.

He held up his finger while chewing what was left in his mouth. After a cartoonish gulp, he continued.

"Well, mom was worried about me, and I guess I did want someone to hang out with." his eyes turned away as he rubbed his neck.

"Like how you say you want to change." he turned back to her, nervous to make eye contact, but still managed to do so.
"Meeting you felt like a sign that maybe I should too."