Something Worth Living For {Ryden AU}

2b

"He's not allowed?" Spencer repeats. "So what, his parents don't allow him to hang out with friends?" I shrug in response, focusing my attention on the TV screen where Jayda is currently kicking both our asses in Call of Duty. In my defense, she plays it way more than I do. It's pretty much the only thing she and Spencer ever do. He's at our place most of the time.

"I don't know. He ran off before I could ask him what he was talking about. But seriously," I say, swearing under my breath when Jayda kills me again, "something is going on with him. I mean, he's not just shy; he's like, ridiculously antisocial. We're the only people he'll talk to. Oh, and today, I grabbed his arm and he nearly jumped a foot in the air," I tell them.

"Maybe he wasn't exaggerating when he said he's never had a friend," Spencer mutters distractedly, finally killing Jayda. "Yes! In your face," he yells at her.

"Shut up," she shoves him, causing him to fall over into a bowl of popcorn. "Anyway, I can't believe how much you've taken to him," Jayda comments to me.

"Yeah, should I be worried that he's stealing my best friend?" Spencer raises an eyebrow, throwing popcorn in Jayda's hair.

"He interests me," I mutter as an explanation.

"We'll get him to hang out with us eventually," Jayda shrugs. "Okay, round two," she throws Spencer's controller at him and he groans.

"I'm out," I say, tossing aside my own controller. "I'm going to bed, goodnight." I get up, elbowing Spencer in the process and head to my own bedroom, the sound of Jayda whining for Spencer to stop cheating fading away as I walk down the hall.

I fall down onto my bed, staring at the off-white ceiling. I think about the way Ryan smiled earlier, and then I remember that I never read what he wrote back on our note. I bend down, grabbing my bag and rummaging around in it until I find the crumpled up paper. I smooth it out, holding it in front of me.

360-555-7251. I'm always up late. Call me.

I stare at the paper anxiously; I'm kind of surprised that he even has a cell phone. I didn't expect him to. I get up, flip my light off, grab my phone, and lie down again, getting under the covers. I slide my phone open and closed, contemplating whether or not I should call. It would be kind of weird; I never talk on the phone with anyone, let alone someone I've known for two weeks. I finally just dial the number and hit call before I have a chance to rethink it, holding the phone to my ear. It rings and rings until I think that he isn't going to answer, but then it stops mid-ring.

"Hello?" comes a deep, soft voice.

"Um, hey. Hi," I say awkwardly. "It's um, it's Brendon." I hear a surprised hum on the other end, and maybe he didn't think I would actually call. I'm not even sure why I did.

"Oh, hey," he says, his tone warmer now. "I wasn't sure if you'd read the last part of that note."

"Yeah, I actually just read it."

"Oh. Well, um. What's up?" he asks, maybe sounding a bit nervous.

"Well I was hanging out with Spence and Jayda, but they were getting a bit too obnoxious for me." I hear him chuckle softy and I smile to myself.

"Do they like... like each other?" he asks with amusement in his tone. I snort.

"Definitely not. She's as much his sister as she is mine," I shudder at the thought.

"Can I ask you something?" he says suddenly.

"Sure."

"Do you think there's something wrong with me?" I pause, kind of taken aback by the question. Although I do think there's something wrong with him, I don't think telling him that would be very effective in boosting his confidence.