european // ONEYNG

six

Todd asked why I was calling. It was always reassuring to know that he was 'getting ready for a good fuck, it had better be worth it.' When I explained I wanted to get out of talking to Belle, he had understood, and told me to take as long as I need.

We talked for a while, I told him that there were more things I wanted to tell him at home, things that I wasn't sure of, but knew they must've been somewhat important. It had been around 10 minutes, that Suzy came outside and asked if everything was alright.

"Yeah," I lied through my teeth, "I'm good, I'll be right in, sorry for taking so long."

Suzy nodded, breathily, yet barely, escaped an unsure, "alright," from her lips as she walked back inside.

"You do realise," Todd began, "you're travelling the world, as an artist, and Belle is working at an Outback Steakhouse. Not even a popular one, an obscure one in the bad part of Glendale."

Todd was right, but I knew I couldn't listen any longer with a fear of a big ego. I inhaled sharply, "I've gotta' go, Todd. Pick me up in an hour. We've got a lot to talk about."

I didn't give him a second more to speak before I hung up and swung around, back into the building. It was Chloe pt. 2, and I wasn't about to let her go further. Especially not in front of Chris.

Maybe it was payback I wanted, maybe it was equality. Perhaps I didn't want her fucking up my frame of mind.

"Hey," I told the table as I sat back down, "I'm not too hungry, I hope you ordered."

Chris answered first, "we did."

"Yeah," Ross played with his fork, trying to launch a straw wrapper at Holly, "is everything alright?"

"Yeah," I chuckled as I lied, "why?"

"You were out there for a while," Matt noted, catching a nod from Ryan. "We started a creepypasta about you and everything." Ryan burst into laughter, which was a truly unique laugh.

"Holy shit we did," Chris laughed along, "we came up with Diddy Kong coming by and pulling you into smash brothers."

"No, it was more than that!" Holly interjected, as the table went on about what they came up with while I had gone.

The table had gotten their food, I told Belle that I wasn't hungry, and I started to talk to Chris again. He had told me a few facts about him, trivia, if you will. Things that are minimal, nearly meaningless, yet interesting, nonetheless.

   For example, he still has shirts he bought from Hot Topic when he was 16.

   It was nearing the end of the night, the bill had been paid, and we were waiting for Belle to return with everyones' credit cards.

   I said something about how I once had the interior of my Paris apartment redone in brick, and it made Chris silently chuckle. I didn't say anything funny, so I tried to think of why he was laughing.

   "Are you thinking of brown bricks?"

   Chris' eyes widened, "oh my god," he whispered almost silently, a wide smile spread across his face, "I fucking was."

"Do you remember how much of a shock it was to see Mike Matei, of all people, do that fucking scene?" I shivered, "you think you know a guy."

"Did you watch his stuff?"

"Anyone who has even looked at Newgrounds once has seen Cinemassacre."

Chris looked at me in an odd way, with furrowed eyebrows and parted lips. It was as if he wanted to ask something, but couldn't remember something else.

   "What?" I chuckled at the visible confusion he sported.

   "What was your screenname?"

   "Crunchylomein. I was an animator up until 2014," I explained, and watched his eyes narrow at Arin. "What? What did he tell you?"

   Arin noticed that Chris was staring at him, angrily, and instantly started laughing. Arin seemed to had known why, and hit Ross' shoulder to get his attention. Soon, Ross, too, was laughing about it.

"He told me you animated super dirty porn, like gross shit. Like, past Shadman level of porn." Chris, who was visibly distressed and upset, spoke in a hushed, angered tone to avoid causing a scene. "Then you're one of my fuckin' favourite animators! So I was like, 'oh I'm not gonna' talk to her,' Arin, I'm gonna' punch you!"

Arin started laughing even harder, "you totally," he tried to speak between hystericals, "totally bought it."

"That's for telling Cory that I was autistic!" Arin grabbed his coat and stood up at the sight of Belle walking to the table. Suzy followed, and soon enough, so did everyone else. Chris shook his head and stood up. They all grabbed their cards, I shook hands with Matt and Ryan, told Arin that Todd was going to pick me up, and went outside.

   Everyone followed, getting into their cars as well. I waved Arin, Ross, and their wives off, and texted Todd.

   Chris came over to me, he stood in front of me, and it made me have to look up at him. I had almost forgotten how tall he was. "Hey."

   "Hi." I responded softly.

   "Do you wanna' hang out tomorrow?" He asked me kindly, "since now I know you're not a pedophile."

   "Yeah for sure," I responded, and handed him my phone, "wait, a pedophile?"

   Chris exhaled a short laugh as he typed on my phone, "yeah, made up some real fucked up shit."

   "Later, faggot," he gave me my phone and walked off. I stood in shock for a second, as he hadn't actually called me a faggot before.

   "See ya', retard."

   Chris turned back and smiled before he got in the car. It looked like Ryan was driving, but they sped off too soon for me to read their faces.

   Shortly thereafter, Todd showed up in his Camaro with a warm passenger seat waiting for me. I sat inside, a smile plastered across my face I hadn't noticed before he pointed it out.

   "Why are you so happy?" He asked as he put the car in reverse.

   "I think I like this guy," I admitted sheepishly, pulling my hoodie up over my bleached blonde hair.

   "Knowing you," Todd began driving down the highway, "he's either gay, or taken. Which one is it?"

   "Probably both," I muttered.