𝚂𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙴𝚈 𝙵𝙾𝚇

𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚝

Paul opened his eyes and shot up quickly in his bed. He woke up, remembering he locked Eric outside. He must have drifted off way to quick while thinking.
Paul quickly got up and ran to the balcony door, fiddling open the lock. "OH shit Eric I'm so sorry! You must be freezing- I'm really sorry! You shouldn't have fucking broke in my house in the first place but-"

Eric was gone. But the door was still locked. Paul unlocked it and walked out.

It was as if he was never there.

Maybe he broke in and locked it and left or is still here... but that would've been impossible, somthing would've been broken. Paul couldn't understand... was it a dream?

𝙺𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚔!
𝙺𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚔!
𝙺𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚔!

Paul got up and walked through the living room, looking around at every corner and shadow, still looking for any signs of life. He eventually made his way to the door.

Gene and Eric stood there.

Gene started "Hey Paul, we did great yesterday. Eric and I were wondering if you'd like to-"
"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING LAST NIGHT ON MY BALCONY?!"
Paul bursted out in anger, pointing a finger at Eric angrily, practically pocking his chest hard which irritated Eric, making him back up.

"What I didn't do anything- what the hell- what do you mean-"
But each sentence started Eric came out with, always got cut off by Paul's yells or anger.
"You were on my balcony! I dont know how you got up there or how you left! But it wasn't fucking funny man!" Paul's tone of voice was shakey. His eyes looked tired and red, but the way he looked into Eric's eyes was as if he was scared or uncomfortable in front of him.

"I wasn't at your house, I went home with a few friends after the party, Ace was there! He'll tell ya!"
Eric tried to defend himself best as he could, his eye filled with confusion and hurt that his own friend would think he break in. The way Paul looked at him made him feel very low. It was a look of fear and disgust, as if he had killed someone.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Paul calm down! What are you on about?!" Gene stood in between the pair, his tone trying to sound calm but came out very loud to stop the quarrel.

"He broke into my apartment!" Paul cried, still pointing at him angrily.

"I did not!!!" Eric cried back, his voice hitched off at the end of his sentence.

Gene still stood his ground infront of them, he leaned against the door. The tall man hung over Paul slightly, blocking him away from Eric.
"There's no way Eric could've have been here last night, I watched him walk home with Ace and a few other people." Gene looked down at Paul, reading his reactions.. he sighed when Paul was still unreadable. "Look, you had alot to drink last night, I walked you home myself. You said you went to bed yes?"
"...yes" Paul replied.
"Well then... maybe you were so tired you had a nightmare about Eric." Gene continued.

Paul looked down, rewinding his memories. The balcony door was locked, and there was no signs of a struggle. Eric wouldn't have been able to leave or enter it. Paul grabbed for his hair and pushed it all back to revlieve some stress.

"I'm sorry... im sorry. Sorry Eric." Paul mumbled, but loud enough for Gene and Eric to hear.

Eric leaned against the door nodding slightly. "It's okay, you had a rough night."

There was a moment of awkward silence.
.
.
.

Gene cleared his throat. "C'mon, go get dressed and we can go all get breakfast together and change the subject."

Paul smiled at them, they both returned the smile. "Okay, give me 10 minutes." Paul shut the door on them.

Gene and Eric looked at eachother. They expected to wait in the living room, but either way, they wait outside.

Paul realised this subconscious choice of shutting the door on them. He felt shitty, leaving them outside like dogs, but something in his mind told him to not let Eric in again. Never.