River (BoyxBoy)

{THREE}

We were leaving in two weeks. I had two weeks to mentally prepare myself for going back home. I had booked the time off work, and OK'd it with my manager, as well as OK'd it with Valley, because I know she'd miss me the most.

I had never told her about Ben, or why I moved to LA. I never really planned to. I never planned to tell anybody. Because Ben was mine, and mine alone. And though I know I should scream his name from the top of the rooftop, I couldn't. Because as soon as I said his name, inside my head, or outside. The walls would break and I crumbled.

It was like I was walking about with my eyes wide shut, like a sleepwalker, not sure where to go or what to do. I had told my mother I would see a therapist. But I never did, because that was my dream, I wanted to be the person that the crazy people came to with their problems, not the crazy person who needed help.

I shook my head, focusing back at the task at hand. I was sitting in the cafe, book open as I read the pages to Blood Of My Blood by Barry Lyga. I hadn't even bothered to place my order, feeling far too excited to finish this book, I would have read it at home, but Kelly was gone and I didn't want to be by myself. I was sitting in a large chair next to the fireplace in the middle of the cafe. It was cozy, the place was brightly lit, the sun was long gone now, though it was only six-thirty in the afternoon.

I was so far gone into the book, that I didn't notice anybody around me until I heard the faint thump of a cup being set down. I looked up to see the silvered eye barista standing there with a smile on his face, "A large Peppermint Mocha," He said as he stood straight from putting the mug down, I sat up, placing the book beside me.

Evan, his name tag said Evan.

"I didn't order this," I said, grabbing my wallet from my back pocket.

"No, no it's on the house. You've been sitting here for like fifteen minutes, I figured you'd need to rest your eyes soon." Evan said with a smirk, "Don't worry about it." He said, pushing my card away as I held it out to him.

I bit my lip, feeling uncomfortable for this, what act of kindness? "Uh, well thank you then," I mumbled, putting my book on the arm of the large chair I sat in before reaching for the hot drink.

"So, am I safe to assume you come here often?" The silvered eyed man asked, planting himself on the same coffee table he had just laid my drink.

"Y-yeah. I'm here about twice a week, sometimes more if I'm working but that's just a quick in and out." Evan smiled even more now, but I did notice that he had both his hands together, his fingers clenched and knuckles turning white.

"I'm Evan, by the way." He greeted, "I'm new to the city, and well." He rubbed the back of his nack his nerves finally starting to show. "Listen, I don't normally do this. Really I don't. But I don't really know anybody here, and you seem like a good guy so..." He paused for a second before reaching into the pocket of his apron. "This is my number. Feel free to text me. Even if it's just your name I would lo-"

Evan was cut off by someone calling his name from the counter, he smiled, waved his hand before standing up. "Think about it." He said putting a piece of white paper on the arm of the chair before he walked away.

After that, I wasn't long grabbing my book, the paper and going back home.

That following night I sat on my bed, looking at the number, scribbled on a small white piece of napkin, I bit my lip, holding my phone in the other hand. I had put the number in my phone at least three times and ended up erasing it each time. Now I had his name entered, but nothing else.

This was a bad idea. This was a very bad idea.

I looked up as my bedroom door opened, Kelly had a bad habit of knocking. It's not like I was ever doing anything that was worth walking in on. But knocking would be nice. He has walked in on me crying a few times, but I do that in and out of my room, more commonly in the living room when TV shows that remind me of Ben come on.

"Hey, dinners ready. What's that?" Kelly spotted the number, and quickly snatched it up in his hand, a bright smile coming to his face. "Ohhh, Who's Evan? Noah, you got something to tell me?"

"Um. No?" I said snatching it back. "It's just a guy from the coffee shop. I'm not even sure what to do with it." I confessed shifting my legs up to my chest.

Kelly sat beside me, letting out a deep sigh. "He cute?" I gave him a small nod. "Then why not at least text him? It's not like anything will happen. You should be making more friends Noah. It won't hurt to text him and hang out, it's not like he's begging for a fuck. Or is he?"

I sighed stretching out again. "No, it's just..."I didn't finish what I was saying, Kelly already knew, it hung in the air like cigarette smoke, Thick and clouded.

"Ben would want you to move on." He finally said after a moment. "Don't roll your eyes at me, you're forgetting I was his friend too. And he wouldn't want you living like this. So if a nice guy pitches you his number and wants to go out for coffee it won't hurt. You don't need to do anything with him. But you need to get out more Noah. Please."

I looked at Kelly for a good moment, he sighed when I didn't reply, after a few moments he got up, telling me he'd make my plate. Once the door was closed again I looked at my phone and added the number.

And once I pressed the first message to him, a simple "Hi, it's Noah, peppermint mocha guy." and I couldn't help the tears that stung my eyes and fell down my cheeks. Because Kelly was right.