Glimpse

Chapter 6: Shayne

Ian's house never failed to overwhelm Shayne. From the sprawling wall of flora covering the front yard to its spacious interior, it made for a daunting impression. Translucent, white shades capped the top halves of the windows lining the exterior, right wall of the room. A wall-mounted flat-screen hung on the back wall. A large, grey, L-shape couch boxed in a wooden coffee table, all of which faced the TV. To the left, a metal railing blocked off the staircase leading downstairs.

"So we're still waiting on Keith and Noah, but just take a seat wherever," Ian said as he ushered Shayne into his living room before sauntering off towards where Pam and Josh were setting up the audio and camera equipment. Shayne absently nodded. Typical. Koah - that was what everyone called the duo - operated on their own schedule, always arriving at the cusp of being acceptably tardy and being unacceptably late. Noah referred to it as being fashionably late, while Keith brushed it off as just going with the flow. Shayne saw it as it was: two best friends getting caught up in some bizarre adventure and forgetting their responsibilities until the very last minute. He didn't mind. They were never late enough to be a burden, after all.

Shayne stood on the outskirts of the living room. Olivia and Courtney occupied the corner by the windows, while Boze and Damien claimed the couch. Both groups too involved in their conversations to notice Shayne's arrival. Not desiring to interrupt either group, Shayne opted for the kitchen. The wooden floors squeaked as he crossed the threshold and entered the living room. As he walked, he skimmed his hand across the top of a fireplace that sat to his left. A thin layer of dust gathered on his fingertips. Shayne paused to inspect a few framed photographs. One particular photo caught his eye: a young Ian and Anthony standing next to one another, Ian looking somewhere off camera and Anthony giving the camera an awkward smile. The good ole days before Defy's poisonous control finalized Anthony's decision to leave Smosh. You got out just in time, Shayne mused before shuffling off to the kitchen tucked behind the living room.

A small, kitchen island separated the kitchen from the living room. Wooden cabinets paneled the walls from top to bottom, causing the kitchen to feel suffocatingly small especially when compared to the rest of the house. Shayne grabbed a La Croix from the counter. He considered checking the fridge for a cold one, but he figured the food and drink on the counter accounted for what Ian wanted to share. A warm La Croix wouldn't kill him. Shayne popped the soda open before hauling himself to stand in the threshold separating the kitchen from the living room.

His eyes fell to Courtney. A part of him craved to interrupt Courtney and Olivia, to drag Courtney aside, fretting that he wouldn't get another opportunity. Shayne had tried to get in touch before this, reaching out to her an uncomfortable amount of times. Nothing worked. Five texts and two phone calls. All ghosted. He tried to understand, assuring himself that she just needed time to think. It didn't stop the ache in his heart. He wanted, no, needed to make sure that everything was okay. That she was okay. His stomach churned reflecting back to that night, to the broken mess he had abandoned her in. He had volunteered to spend the night. In hindsight, he should have demanded it. Instead, he had just watched from the Uber as she stumbled into her apartment.

And then there was his own selfish need propelling him towards her, a desperation just to talk. Holding it in weighed on him, the confusion of it all tangling his thoughts. It burned, its fire growing with every passing minute he remained silent. He ached to sort it out, preferably with someone he trusted. Someone who understood. He held himself back though, knowing better than to act on his selfish desire. Even if he chose to indulge in his selfishness, it needed to wait. Afterwards, Shayne decided, I'll talk to her afterwards. Shayne tightened his grip on his soda, taking a long swig from the can. The warm liquid coated his tongue, the sensation of warm bubbles prompting him to gag. Still, he forced it down, an act that sent him into a coughing fit. The noise alerted the room to his presence.