Unbecoming

Think Out Loud

2 weeks later

"Rae?! Fuck dude I thought you died!" Arlo ran up to me and tackled me in to a hug.

"Ah easy Ari, still sore." I said, wincing a bit. "I'm sorry I didn't call you, I wanted to I just- after what happened I didn't know what to say.." I hugged them tightly back. After I'd called them drunk out of my mind I couldn't bare to face them, Phoebe had tried to get me to at least text them but my thoughts got the better of me. It had been a while.

"Phoebe kept me updated, don't sweat it. I'm just glad to see you're okay." They swatted my head playfully, "Don't do that again."

"No promises." To that they just glared at me and gestured for me to sit. We'd found ourselves in a small bookshop café. Café's became our thing after a while of being friends, it was somewhere we both found comfort. It was weird but it worked for us so we'd meet up all the time at a café some place.

"Seriously though, how are you doing?"

"I'm okay. Healing nicely and whatnot." I sighed, looking at the menu filled with coffees and sandwiches to pick from. I wasn't that hungry so I just got a two shot latte.

"Phoebe treating you right?" They looked at me skeptically, something akin to mischief shining in their eyes.

"I'm still alive so I'd say she's looking after me, yeah." I chuckle.

They squint their eyes at me and hum lowly, "Anything else?"

"Like what?"

"I don't like- are you two, you know.." They contiue.

"I do not infact know, Arlo. Specify you goon." I shoot them a glare, they were giving me no context to their questions.

"Are you two boning yet?"

"Arlo! What the fuck dude?!"

"What?! It's a valid question, you should see the way she talks about you when I get updates." This fucking guy.

"Dude, no! We're friends, come on on man. You know I can't- I'm- I don't know. It's just not something that could happen. Certainly not 'boning' that's for sure."

"But you like her, right?"

"It's a lot more complicated than simply liking her, Arlo." My tone suddenly goes serious.

"Why does it have to be though? What's the worst that could happen?" They fight back.

"You know why." I take a deep breath, "Can we be done with this conversation, I haven't seen you in ages. How are you?"

"Fine. For now." They roll their eyes and huff but go on to tell me about what they've been up to. They got accepted in to an art program about a week ago, they have a showcase soon which hopefully I'm gonna go to.
Our drinks and Arlo's food came a little while later. We talked a little more about what was coming up and stupid little things. It felt nice to be around my best friend again, I was doing a terrible job at being a best friend to them back but I was trying.

After a couple of hours of just messing around we eventually said our goodbyes. I left to go back to Phoebe's apartment not expecting her to be in, though her car was in her parking space so I pressumed she'd left with Julien and Lucy.

Upon entering however, I see her sitting at the kitchen table, looking at something on her phone. Her head shoots up at me walking in though and a bright smile lights up her face.

She looked fucking stunning. Her silvery hair fell just past her sholder in a beautifully put together display, her eyes shone as she smiled and I could focus on much else past that. My brain stutter stopped for a second and it took me a moment to process the fact I was now staring.