Just Forget The World // Brallon

Part 4

Together they walk in silence. 

The wet sidewalk padding beneath Brendon's Converse and Dallon's Vans, in sync, the black and white stereotypically 'emo' shoes make their way through the night air back to the school to retrieve Dallon's belongings. The dark haired boy offered to make the trek in company to the boy who saved his life today, the night city isn't exactly the safest stroll, and so it's the least he could do in return.

For now..

The walk is rather quiet, the two introverts busy taking in the world around them. 

The cars splashing through the puddles, the drunken laughter releasing into the night air as a bar door swings open, a bell chiming. 

The tired footsteps of the woman walking home from work, or too possibly. 

The wonderful personal kiss between a couple in an entry, no doubt a goodbye kiss as he bids her adieu after their night out.  

The two teenagers both silently ponder how Interesting it is that the lack of words can fill a conversation overflowing with thoughts. 

They're both interrupted however from their receptive trance when a postman - more of a postboy, he couldn't be any older than themselves, - drops a load of packages all over the sidewalk, off to the side. 

Neither of them notice how altruistic they both truly are as neither hesitate to go and help the boy. 

The strange and bewildered look they receive from him at their act of kindness gives them a clue, though. 

Helping people is out of the ordinary. 

The three of them strangely don't move for about 3 long seconds of confusion, when the tallest one breaks the silence warmly

"Need some help?" Dallon says kindly with a small smile.

Brendon watches the postboy's face, transform into trust and gratitude as he accepts the help. 

A strange warm feeling trickles up his spine, as he thinks about being next to the very boy who did that. 

He looks over and just barely catches the end of his small smile, and he sees how beautiful it is.

 It's so wonderful it causes the corners of his mouth to twitch upwards for a moment. 

The carrier of the infectious smile's blue eyes look over at him and he's caught. 

Habitually, he attempts to stow away his own, by looking down at the wet pavement, his hands starting to pick up the packages. Preoccupied trying to busy himself away from smiling at Dallon, he doesn't take notice of the tall boy's pink tinted cheeks, or even his own, along with his lip bite to conceal another oncoming smile. 

          'Why is he doing this to me?"

          'He MUST know what he's doing...

          'How could you be so oblivious to your own perfection?'

          'What is his game?'

The questions circulate Brendon's head while they help the postboy with the rest of the packages. It was a welcoming distraction from the situation, and when they were all picked up, they said good luck and goodbyes to Pete, the postboy. 

Eventually they arrive at the dark building, closed for the night. 

Brendon stands by as he watches Dallon run over behind the bushes that line the granite stairs to the front door, and emerge with his backpack and satchel. 

A bunch of small questions slip into Brendon's mind as he watches, but most of them fade since he's rather concerned with a new problem.

          'I have to go home tonight..."

          '...and be alone...'

          'I-I don't know if I'm ready or able to do that.'

          'I don't even know if I'm fully safe yet, o-or if I'm lying to myself...'

          'If I'm alone no-one can stop me...'

          'But I need someone to stop me...'

          'Because i want to live deep down inside...

          'But then again, sometimes i really don't—'

          'FUCK! What am i gonna do!?'

          'I can't trust myself, I—'

"Hey Brendon—?" Dallon's voice interrupts his mental spiral into a panic attack.

The dark haired boy looks up into a pair of blue eyes, looking down into his own with a look of concern, as if he could sense the turbulent waters beneath Brendon's calm surface.

"—Are you okay?"

 
The three words tumble down through Brendon's bones until they land in the bottom of his stomach. He dreads answering, he doesn't want to admit to himself let alone Dallon, that he isn't. His throat begins to choke on the words as he desperately tries to spit out an answer before too much time passes, revealing his lies.

"Y-Yeah I'm Fine."

"Brendon, I hope it's okay... but don't believe you."

The boy in the converse brings his sleeves up over his palms and presses them into his watering eyes. He starts crying and the boy in the Vans comes and places both of his hands on his shoulders.

"Hey... it's okay if you're not okay."

"B-but I don't know what I'm going to d-do"

"Brendon, I'd invite you over for the night in a heartbeat, but my parents would literally kill me"

He chuckles at the end of the sentence to mask the icy sad truth.

Brendon sniffles and looks up at the taller boy, still covering his nose and mouth with his sweatshirt sleeved hand and warily he proposes what's on his mind.

"If it's um... okay with y— if you don't mind, I— my parents— they wouldn't exactly—" 

Brendon stutters with uncertainty as he dares to suggest that Dallon come stay at his house for the night. His heart is beating rapidly as he fears Dallon being weirded out by the request, or worse... declining.

"Do you want me to come over tonight, Bren?"

Dallon Beautifully says the words he's desperately trying to get across for him with a caring slightly sympathetic smile. His heart returns to normal as relief washes over him like the way a mint candy sends chills through your body. He sighs, releasing the almost panic attack out into the damp night on his carbon dioxide.

"Yeah..."