Between Us

Chapter 8: Unspoken Thoughts

Babe stood in front of the mirror, fidgeting with his shirt collar for the third time in as many minutes. His reflection stared back at him, but all he could think about was how his mind kept drifting back to Billy. He had hoped the party would be a good distraction, a chance to unwind and let go of the tension that had been building between them. But as he ran his hands through his hair, all he felt was that familiar gnawing anxiety.

The sound of Nana's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Babe, for the love of fashion, will you stop overthinking it? You look fine!"

Babe glanced over at Nana, who was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed and an amused smirk on his face. "Fine? I'm supposed to look hot, not fine."

Nana rolled his eyes and sauntered over, swatting Babe's hand away from his collar. "You look better than fine. And trust me, by the time we get to the party, you'll be turning heads. Just relax."

Babe huffed, his nerves still buzzing under the surface. "I don't know, Nana. I'm not really in the mood for a party."

"Which is exactly why you need this," Nana said, his tone more playful now. "You've been moping around for days, and frankly, it's getting depressing. Tonight's about having fun, not stressing about... well, you know who."

Babe winced slightly at the mention of Billy, but Nana was quick to lighten the mood again.

"You've got this, babe," Nana said, adjusting Babe's shirt one last time before stepping back to admire his handiwork. "Now, let's go before you start second-guessing yourself again."

The party was already in full swing by the time Babe and Nana arrived. The sound of music filled the air, and the warm glow of string lights gave the gathering a relaxed, almost magical feel. People milled about, chatting and laughing, while others danced in the center of the backyard, their movements carefree and loose.

Babe took a deep breath as he followed Nana into the fray, his eyes scanning the crowd. The party atmosphere was light and fun, exactly what he needed to take his mind off everything. But as he wandered through the crowd, trying to get into the spirit of things, his thoughts kept drifting back to Billy.

What is he doing right now? Is he thinking about me too?

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He was supposed to be having fun tonight, not worrying about things he couldn't control.

Nana, sensing his distraction, sidled up to him with a grin. "Stop overthinking it. Let loose for once."

"I'm trying," Babe muttered, though his attempt at relaxing wasn't going well. "It's just... harder than I thought."

Nana gave him a playful nudge. "Come on, I'll introduce you to some people. Maybe that'll get you out of your head."

Babe nodded, following Nana as he navigated the crowd. They stopped at a small group by the fire pit, where a few familiar faces from campus were gathered. The conversation flowed easily, and for a moment, Babe found himself laughing along with the jokes and stories being shared. It was a nice distraction—brief, but welcome.

But even as the evening wore on, his thoughts kept circling back to Billy.

Billy's POV

While Babe was trying to distract himself at Nana's party, Billy was pacing his apartment, frustration gnawing at him. The conversation with Babe replayed in his mind over and over, each word, each hesitation echoing in his head. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more going on, something Babe wasn't telling him.

Billy sat down on the couch, his phone resting on the coffee table in front of him. He'd thought about texting Babe a dozen times already, but each time he picked up his phone, he hesitated. What was he even supposed to say?

Hey, are you avoiding me because of something more than stress?

Billy shook his head, running a hand through his hair. He hated feeling like this—unsure, out of control. He wasn't used to second-guessing himself, but with Babe, everything felt different lately.

His phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. It was a message from Prae.

Prae: Are you coming to Nana's party? It's fun here!

Billy stared at the message for a moment, his mind racing. He hadn't planned on going, but now that Prae had mentioned it, he wondered if maybe it was the perfect opportunity to see Babe again—to figure out what was really going on.

He typed a quick response.

Billy: Maybe. Still deciding.

Prae: You should come! Everyone's asking about you.

Billy let out a breath, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on him. Should I go? Should I give Babe some space? The uncertainty gnawed at him, but one thing was clear: he needed answers.

Back to Babe

As the party continued, Babe found himself sitting on a bench near the edge of the backyard, watching the crowd with a distant gaze. He had tried to relax, tried to have fun like Nana had suggested, but his thoughts kept pulling him away.

He was about to get up and rejoin the party when someone approached him. A guy he vaguely recognized from one of his classes, tall with a confident grin, took the seat next to him.

"Hey," the guy said, his voice smooth. "You look a little lost. Need company?"

Babe blinked, caught off guard by the sudden attention. "Uh, sure."

The guy smiled, leaning in slightly. "I've seen you around campus. You've got a great vibe. What's your name?"

"Babe," he replied, still a little unsure of where this was going.

The guy's smile widened. "Well, Babe, it's nice to meet you. I'm Kai."

They chatted for a few minutes, but as the conversation continued, Babe's mind wandered again—back to Billy. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing, that even here, surrounded by people, his thoughts were anchored to one person.