Sincerely Yours

Twø

Hours had passed of entertaining conversation with not just Aiden, until it started getting dark and Caleb and Tristan exchanged phone numbers and the four of us had to part ways, which I was mostly grateful for. Aiden's staring was making me uncomfortable and feel strangely hot, and my palms were so sweaty it was hard to keep a firm grip on my cold drink that was already sweaty from the ice in it. He didn't ask for my number, again, I was grateful. Also slightly offended because he seemed set on talking to me and getting me to at least smile, making it weird he didn't ask for my number, but I shook that off.

"So we'll see you around?" Tristan asked, implying that we should get together again, as in all four of us. Um, no thanks, I'm good without holes being stared into my skull.

Caleb smiled, next to Aiden who was done staring so intently but he still glanced up at me now and then. When our eyes would meet coincidentally, he'd develop this curve in his lips and I couldn't figure out if it was a smirk or a grin. "Yeah sure, I'll text you."

Tristan grinned happily and the two exchange a very odd lingering look before Aiden and I finally pulled them off in different directions. I faltered a little when Aiden called out from over his shoulder, "see you, Nate!"

I didn't bother saying it back, chances are he was just going to not notice my existence tomorrow as always. Tristan looked back to sneak a peek at Caleb's butt, and he bit his lip. "I would love to get struck by that chocolate thunder."

I cringed, "I'm going to pretend you didn't just call him 'chocolate thunder'. Also, quiet down, you're talking loud." I was sure they could hear us, as we weren't too far away yet, but Tristan was either completely unaware or he just didn't care. "You just talked to him once, how is your sex drive going through the roof right now?"

"Have you seen him? And puh-lease, all Aiden had to do was look at you and your face turned into a ripe red apple. I'd hate to see what would happen if he winked at you, you'd probably melt into a puddle."

"Would not!"

"Would too!"

"I'm not into him li—"

"You say that, but if I even mention his name you go all spacey and get this glazed look in your eye. Doesn't help when we're in most of his classes, then you stare like he's the cutest thing in the world and it's weird. I'm surprised he hasn't noticed—he'd certainly be calling you a creep by now." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aiden glance over and Tristan start nudging his arm.

Embarrassment made another cold sweat creep up the back of my neck and I flushed. "Please, stop talking, I'll do anything if you just stop talking!"

His ears picked up and a wicked smile fell across his lips. "Anything?" I knew that look. "When the time comes, agree to a double date."

"What!" This time I was the loud one, students passing by glanced our way but luckily Caleb and Aiden were out of earshot now. "No way!" I exclaimed a bit quieter.

"Yes! Nate, it'll be perfect! Then you could stop being so pitiful and lonely and have someone other than me to talk to." I frowned at my best friend's brutally honest words. I knew he wasn't trying to hurt my feelings or anything, but there were reasons to my loneness and he knew that.

"Sorry, didn't know I was getting too depressing and pathetic to hang around." Tristan's eyes darted to me amd his features softened, though I was used to hearing things like that. "Hey, Nate, I didn't mean it like–"

"Of course you didn't. Yeah, I'll catch you later, Triss." We had reached the parking lot and since my car was parked up front I walked the short distance and ducked into it. He had a tinge of guilt flashing across his face as he watched me leave, but I shook it off. He didn't mean it, so I wasn't going to dwell much into it.

I drove in silence to my apartment, as I usually did. Music was never much my thing, and Tristan found me weird for that, but it was true. My parents never let me listen to music that all the other kids listened to when I was younger, it was considered 'the devil's music', so now that I'm free from them I just...don't have an interest in it. If you asked me about a famous singer, I'd have no clue as to who you're talking about.

Sometimes I cringed at this and my chest felt a little heavy. I said I wouldn't dwell into Tristan's intended-to-be-harmless words, but I did. He was right, it was pitiful how closed off and different I was. Different than the average millennial. It's not like it was a choice for me as a younger kid, but now that it was, I couldn't make myself be like the others.

I felt...ruined, by my parents. But to them, I was a failed prodigy.

I reached my place and greeted the landlord before taking the elevator up to my unit. I caught Finn moving some boxes into his unit right next to mine. He noticed my presence and his eyes gently crinkled when he smiled. "Hey, you."

I smiled slightly, despite my plummeting mood. "Hey. What are you doing?" He glanced at a box as he lifted it with a sigh of effort. "My parents sent me some stuff from my childhood, they're moving and didn't know what else to do with it, so I said I'd take it off their hands. You okay? You seem down. If you want, you can look at some pictures of me from when I was five or something. There's bound to be something embarrassing in here, and I'm sure you'd love to laugh at my mortification."

Just the offer alone cracked me up some, and he smiled that he could lift my spirits even a little bit, but I shook my head. "Thanks, but maybe another time. I'm pretty tired." He respectively nodded and carried on into his unit while I unlocked my door and went into mine, kicking it closed and locking it back up. As soon as Bear noticed me he came running, almost slipping. I laughed lightly and welcomed the large fluffy dog into my arms when he was so big I didn't have to crouch down to meet him. He was a Russian Bear dog, a giant breed. (I suggest you look it up, they're huge) He tried licking my face but I resisted, so he resorted to just licking my collarbone exposed by my baggy shirt.

"Hey buddy," I scratched behind his ear and he latched onto my shoulder, his hind legs kicking out as he implied that he wanted me to carry him to wherever I planned on going next. I'm sure he just wanted the affection. I complied and carried him to my room. He was heavy, but sometimes I got too busy with classes to give him much affection so I made up for it by doing this.

After sitting him on my bed where he favorited, I changed my clothes and got beside him to relax against the mattress with a sigh. Bear stretched out and nestled in my side for extra warmth. I was almost half asleep when my phone buzzed. I ignored it, figuring it was Tristan apologizing for saying what he said. He knew I also hated apologies for things that I was used to hearing or having done to me, so he knew that there'd be a good chance of me ignoring the message.

But then my phone buzzed again. And again. And again. And again.

Annoyed, I picked it up and looked through my notifications, ready to tell Tristan to fuck off so I could sleep. Maybe not in such a hostile way, but still. The second buzz was Tristan, he had apologized and told me that I didn't have to do the potential double date but it'd mean a lot if I came to support him as his wingman still. But the second, third, and fourth buzz was an unknown number.

'I don't believe that you're in any of my classes.'

'How could I not have noticed someone so...'

'Hot?'

**

Question with an obvious answer, but who do you think texted my boy Nate?

~ JPK