Fallen in Love

9 - The Split of '09

July 6, 2009. Bently was trying to look into a Presenter that morning, and he saw something..unusual. He saw himself, sitting on his bed just like he was now. The Bently he saw looked sad. On the phone the boy in the Presenter was holding, was an article. But the Presenter warped it just enough so that Bently couldn't read it. "Huh..wonder what that article says..." he muttered. He tried to get a better look but couldn't see it any better. Like usual, before he could get any information out of the Presenter, it floated out the window and disappeared into the trees. Bently groaned softly.
For some reason after that, Bently avoided going on his phone. 'Whatever that article in the Presenter was,' he thought, 'it definitely wasn't good.'
A notification came in. Bently didn't even bother to look at it. Instead, he texted Charlie.
'Dude. I looked into a presenter. Saw myself. It was kinda weird. I looked super depressed. And there was some sort of article on my phone but it was so blurry in the Presenter that I couldn't even read it.' He texted Charlie. A few minutes later, a text came in.
'Check your MySpace. Panic just posted.' Charlie texted back.
Bently sighed and clicked the notification that still sat on his screen. He read the post and, by the end of it, he wanted to cry. "No. No no no it can't mean what I think it means." He muttered shakily, trying to convince himself that the post's meaning wasn't what he thought it was. Another notification now sat on his screen. A text from Charlie. Bently clicked it, and opened the article that Charlie had attached. He tried not to read the headline, but he couldn't help it. It was staring him right in the face, after all. He reluctantly read the headline.
Pop-punk band Panic! At The Disco split over "creative differences"
Bently sighed. 'So that's what the article in the Presenter was.' He thought. He knew the article wasn't a good one, but he never could've imagined it was...this. He wanted, at this point, to either one: crawl in a hole and never come back out. Two: bury himself in his blankets and cry until he either can't cry anymore or until he falls asleep. Three: throw his phone into a paper shredder. Or four...
A text from Charlie pulled him out of his thoughts.
'You ok B? Please don't do anything stupid. I've known you long enough to know what happens when you get depressed like this. Don't even think about trying anything. Please.'
Bently sighed. Charlie was right. He couldn't—he wouldn't do anything stupid. He'd still love Panic of course, they were his favorite band after all (second to Green Day, that is). It just...wouldn't be the same without his favorite guitarist, Ryan Ross. After some deep thinking, Bently got up, dropping his phone on his bed and going into the bathroom. Malik had classes that day (and Bently may or may not have faked sick so he could be alone), so Bently had the entire dorm to himself.
Bently sighed softly as he turned the bath on. He soon realized he'd left the door open. "Eh. Who cares." He said out loud, to no one in particular. "Not like anyone's gonna see me anyway. I'm alone." He continued as he got undressed. He got in the bath and let himself sink into the warm water. "I definitely needed this.." he muttered with a sigh.
Hours later, when Bently decided he'd finally get out of his relaxing bath, he didn't realize Malik was already back. So Bently walked out of the bathroom...completely naked. Luckily, Malik wasn't looking at him. Yet. Bently quickly got dressed, slipping into his boxers and one of Malik's hoodies. "That my hoodie?" Malik asked, looking up. The hood had covered Bently's eyes, so he couldn't see very much. Malik giggled and walked over to help him. "Here...let me help." Malik said, trying to stifle a laugh. Malik pulled Bently's hood down, making the brown haired boy blush. They both looked up at the same time, Bently still blushing. They were so close, their noses were touching. So close, Bently could feel Malik's warm breath on his face. Bently wanted to kiss Malik, but he couldn't—he wouldn't.
Bently sighed and stepped back. "I'm sorry." He muttered. Malik tilted his head slightly. "Huh? Sorry for what?" Malik asked. "Everything." Bently said, starting to tear up. "For...all I've put you through since I got here. I'm a burden to you I just know it. All I do is bring people around me down. I don't make anyone happy." Bently said. "That's not true." Malik replied. But Bently kept talking. "I'm a hopeless romantic. I can never get a boyfriend. And if I do get one, he leaves me." Bently said, tears now streaming down his cheeks. "And it was stupid of me to fall for you. I know you'll never like me that way." Bently continued. Malik pulled Bently close and hugged him. "Shhh..it's ok." Malik comforted him. After a few seconds, once Bently had calmed down, Malik spoke again. "And what makes you think I don't like you?" Malik asked. "Well..you..." Bently stuttered. "I...just kinda assumed you like Ashlyn." Bently continued. Malik just looked at him. "You two are always together. And I've seen how she cuddles up on you and loves on you and- and-" Bently trailed off. "Bently. I don't like Ashlyn. Not like that anyway. She only does those things to make you jealous." Malik told him. "Well it works." Bently scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You know...I honestly think she has the hots for her roommate Noel. Just won't tell anyone. And pretends to like me to hide it." Malik said. "Wow..really? Never would've guessed." Bently said. Malik nodded. "Yeah she can hide it pretty good. Honestly she should be an actress or something." Malik said, which annoyed Bently. Malik noticed it and quickly apologized.
Bently and Malik spent the rest of the day together, talking and joking around like they've known each other for years. That night, they cuddled in Bently's bed together while watching a movie on Bently's crappy old computer that could barely keep itself on for more than 5 minutes.
By the time the movie had ended, Bently had fallen asleep on Malik's shoulder. "Aw...never realized how cute you are when you're asleep." Malik said with a soft smile. He ran a hand through Bently's hair. After a few minutes, he laid down and pulled Bently into his arms. "Goodnight Bently," he whispered, yawning, "I love you."