Achievement Unlocked

Chapter 9

The sun had probably been up for an hour, and I'd been up even longer, when I heard footsteps shuffling through the hall carpet. Ah, fuck, I thought. That's probably Dani. Gavin was still out like a light, softly snoring beside me. I heard Dani quietly gasp when she noticed us on the couch. Here we go.

 I got up from my place on the couch slowly, trying not to disturb the sleeping boy next to me.

 "What's that?" Dani whispered excitedly. I shushed her and led her down the hall, into my room. I closed the door quietly behind me and Dani hopped up on my bed.

 "So, did you have fun last night?" Dani squealed, rocking back and fourth.

 "Shut up." I groaned.

 "I'm serious, tell me what happened." She continued to smile.

 "Nothing, really. We went to the bar, talked, played pool with Geoff, then came home." I summarized last night.

 "What'd you talk about?"

 "Work, stuff." I shrugged, playing with the hem of my shirt.

 "That's it? You're lying. Come on, what happened when you played pool with him?"

 "... We just played pool?"

 "There's more, there has to be."

 "Well," I softly chuckled, "He started singing along to a song that had come on the radio."

 "...And?"

 "And what?"

 "That's it?!" Dani threw her arms up and huffed.

 "Yeah, basically. He taught me how to play, kind of." I smiled at the thought.

 "What are you smiling about?"

 "Nothing." I hummed.

 "There's something you're not telling me." Dani narrowed her eyes and began to stare at me. Not knowing what to do, I stared back with a confused look upon my face.

 A few moments went by without a word spoken, until Dani shifts her weight.

 "You're telling me, one of these days." She said, pointing at me.

 "Why do you care so much?"

 "Because, Eli, you finally have a chance at a relationship!"

 "I already told you, I don't want a relationship."

 "Yes, you do! You have to be lonely sometimes."

 "It's hard to be lonely when you barely leave my side."

 "Because I am a loyal friend."

 'There's a difference being loyal and being conjoined twins." I sighed.

 "You love me, though."

"Unfortunately."

"So anyway, what happened last night on the couch?"

"Nothing, really. We fell asleep watching Netflix."

"Why were you guys spooning? Hmmm?"

"He had fallen to my side, and I was too tired to move." I shrugged again.

"Ah, I see." Dani smirked. "What did you guys talk about at the bar, again?"

"Well, we talked about work and about eachoth-"

"I KNEW YOU WEREN'T TELLING ME SOMETHING!" Dani cut me off, jumping up into the air. "WHAT ELSE AREN'T YOU TELLING ME?!" She shouted.

"Dude, be fucking quiet!" I hissed.

"Sorry, what else aren't you telling me?" Dani repeated herself, this time in a hushed voice.

"Well, before he fell asleep, he said..." I stopped short. He didn't mean that, I told myself. He was half-asleep and drunk and...

"What? He told you what?" She grabbed my shoulders and pulled me close, as if her life depended on what I would say next. A few moments went by like that, not a word spoken, until Dani shifted her weight.

"Eli, what did he say?" Dani said sternly.

"Nothing, he was drunk and tired, it doesn't matter."

"What did he say?"

"It's nothing! Just let it go." I huffed.

"Eli, if you don't tell me, I'm going to tell him about that one time in 6th grade when yo-"

"He told me he really likes me, a lot! Okay?! There! I said it!" I lashed out at her. She drew back and stayed still for a moment.

"God damnit." I mumbled. Her eyes widened.

"Eli, do you know what this means?" She asked, ecstatic.

"Nothing. It means nothing. He was just talking in his sleep." I groaned.

"No, it means something. Eli, this is your chance!"

"No, it doesn't mean," I paused, hearing a cabinet close. "If he heard any of this, I am going to kill you." I warned Dani and crept out into the hallway.

"You up?" I asked softly, turning the corner into the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm making coffee, is that alright?" Gavin replied, rubbing his eyes. "Where do you keep the coffee filters?"

"We might be out, actually. Check in the cabinet above the coffee maker."

"Nah, nothing." He mumbled.

"Wanna just go get coffee at Starbucks or something?" I ask, looking back behind me to see Dani peeking out through my bedroom door. I gave her a stern look and she pops back into the room.

"Sounds good." Gavin smiled and followed me to the door, stopping to put his shoes on. I grabbed my keys off the shelf, and we were on our way.