lost //brance

6

bruce's pov:

"mom? it's just me. and vance. you know who i told you about before. i was wondering if he could stay over for a while tonight so we can work on some projects?"

i finish by smiling to my mom and walking towards her, stopping just in front of her. i could feel vance behind me and her eyes flicked between the two of us. she grabbed my shoulder and gently brought me aside.

"bruce, honey. today our kind neighbour told me some things about this vance boy and i'm not sure he is a good influence on you."

i give her a confused look and start shaking my head. she had said it in a hushed tone as to not let vance hear, although she was very heavily side eyeing him.

"please just get to know him. i think you will end up liking him mom, just give him a chance."

i say it loud enough for him to hear and i can hear him awkwardly shift around behind me. my mom looks from me to him again and sighs.

"alright bruce but i'm trusting you with this. his parents better know where he is. i don't want anyone knocking on my door."

i nod and speed walk away, grabbing vance and dragging him up the stairs before he could question anything. we arrive in my room and i open the door to see my signed baseballs on a shelf along with my bat resting next to my bed.

"i like your room."

i smile and thank him before walking over and laying down onto my bed. he follows and sits near me, still keeping a bit of distance between us.

"hey vance, why did you seem distant before."

i can tell he didn't really want to talk about it but still, he sighed and shuffled in my bed a little.

"i thought that if we got too close too fast, you wouldn't want to be my friend. it's happened before so i wouldn't want to risk it."

"seriously? i would never do that vance. i like hanging out with you and i don't mind seeing you all the time. it's easier for me since i don't really talk to anyone else. y'know, new school and all."

he nods and turns to face a little away from me while i reach for the photos we took earlier. i fish them out of my pocket and look through them. i smile makes its way onto my face without me realising and i can feel vance looking at me. i stand up and reach into my dresser, then walking over to the wall above my bed and sticking the photos onto my wall with some double sided tape i had.

"the fuck you doing that for."

"shut up vance."

i lay back down onto my bed and it goes silent for a minute before i speak up.

"do people actually like that sara girl? i find her so annoying."

vance laughs slightly and then scratches his cheek.

"well i know for sure that i don't like her. at a party a couple months ago she broke up with her boyfriend and tried to hit on me the same day. she was all up on me and tried to kiss me."

"dude what? that's crazy. it seemed like she was trying to hit on me too. i had to ask the teacher to change partners cause she kept talking about her toenails."

we spend a while talking about random people in school before vance says something which catches my attention.

"just a few weeks ago actually, at a party this guy came up to me and was so obviously trying to flirt with me. i felt bad but his personality like a pile of dog shit."

i laughs a bit but it seemed a bit fake. and it was. a guy hitting on vance?

"a guy? i mean, i don't have a problem if you're like that but i never would have guessed."

"i don't like guys in that way bruce. i don't mind the people that do, but.. i dunno."

"i mean, i honestly don't really date. i have no issue with.. those kinds of people though. i think its good that they love who they love.. and stuff."

the room goes silent but it's not uncomfortable or awkward. just a level of understanding. soon enough though my mom shouts us downstairs for dinner. was it that late already? we head downstairs and eat our food, talking to my family about my day and how school is. i obviously miss out the part where i skipped some of school though.

the meal goes by well and i turn to whisper to vance.

"wanna sleep over at mine? i have some stuff i could lend you."

he nods and excuses himself from the table to go to the bathroom after he had finished his food. i took this as my chance to ask my parents.

"so... you guys have met vance.. how do you like him? also could he pleaseee sleep over? i promise we will be good."

my parents agree and tell me how they surprisingly enjoyed vance's company. i then quickly excuse myself from the table and head upstairs, seeing vance sitting on my bed looking around.

"my mom said you are allowed to sleep over, if you wanna use the phone it's still plugged into my room over here. i kept it in case i needed to call you again."

i rub the back of my neck, a little embarrassed i admitted that, but vance doesn't seem to mind. he nodded and picked up the phone, dialling to what i assume is his home. while he is talking i go into my wardrobe and pick some pjs that are a little too big for me. these should hopefully fit him.

we soon settle down and we lay in my bed, top and tail. the only light in the room being my small lamp on the bedside table.

"bruce, can i ask something?"

"sure vance what is it."

"im fucking freezing, is there anymore blankets?"

"no there's none in my room but if you want i could ask my mom"

"no, don't. just shut up"

i feel him shuffle slightly in bed and move slightly closer to me. if he was trying to be subtle, it wasn't working.

"alright. also vance, i have baseball try outs next week, do you wanna come?"

i hear him hum in agreement as i sit up to turn the lamp off. after my eyes adjust to the darkness i can see vance's face slightly.

"goodnight bruce."

his accent had come through because of his tiredness. it slightly made my stomach feel weird. i hope the chicken for dinner didn't give me food poisoning.

"goodnight vance."

i sight slightly before falling asleep.

(1128 words)