"Wow, thank you Evan, you are just so nice to me." Jared said with a sarcastic tone as he brought out a couple of silver trays with lids on them in like every Disney movie ever. I didn't know we had those.
"Not my fault you somehow knew where I lived." I said back with a smug tone. It's fun messing with him. Usually I'm too awkward to say anything semi-mean. I start to take a sip of my drink.
"I just happened to see you walking by when I was...," he said while he circled his hand as he was trying to think of what to say, "yeah I was totally stalking you."
I spit out my drink. "You whAt?!" My voice cracked as I was talking.
"I'm kidding! Ever heard of a joke?"
"Yeah I'm looking at one." I matonically said. He almost immediately made a bunch of offended noises which is kind of cute-What?
"You, my friend-"
"Who said we were friends." This is fun.
"You know, I tried to 'be all romantic' for you and this is the thanks I get?" He puts air quotes around 'romantic'.
"I'm kidding! Have you ever heard of a joke?" I can't help but laugh a little, this is priceless!
He looks me in the eyes with an almost proud face, "You got me, you got me." He laughs with me as well.
"You know, this is probably the best dinner I've had in a while with... anyone... heh." I say as my voice gets a bit quieter. I try to laugh but it comes out as a nervous chuckle. Oh look! The real me is coming out. It's been a while since I've had a family meal, even if I'm not eating with my family. Mom is usually busy as work leaving me to order pizza and eat by myself most nights. I look at the ground and play with the table cloth on the table.
"Oh, I'm sorry Evan." I look back up and see him suddenly change his whole persona. It's not cheery and full of sarcastic comments anymore. It's... the first time I've seen him sad. He's looking at the ground like I did. Like it just disappointed it's mother. Great, now I feel bad.
"I-I'm sorry for r-ruining the mood." There's the stutter I know and love.
"Don't worry about it Ev, it's fine." He said looking up at me. For the first time, we lock eyes in a while. He's so beautiful. I'm not even surprised if I sound gay right now. He tries to give a sincere smile but, that expression right there, almost makes me break.
"I-I uh, I n-need to uh, uhm..." I'm probably inaudible right now but I don't care, I don't need to cry in front of him again.
"Hey, hey, hey," he says while he walks over to me and kneels down next to me, "why don't we just watch a movie instead and I'll make some snacks?" He says in the most genuine voice I have ever heard.
"W-what no, you just m-made all this... I'd feel too bad..." I look away and look to the ground again.
"It's just food, it doesn't matter... but you do. We're friends right? We care for each other, that's just what friends do." He puts his hand on the side of my face and softly turns my head towards his. I look at him again and it reminds me of when I was little. When my mom wasn't so busy... she used to take really good at comforting me when I started to get upset. I tear started to fall down my face.
"I-I j-just... I w-want to...," I try to speak but of course my stutter hits hard, "y-you s-should l-leave." It's better if he does, I can't show him my weaker side.
"I can't just leave you here," he looks back at the ground for a few seconds, "I'm not leaving." He looks back up with a stern face, but the corner of his lip have a slight curve, he's trying to be strong while still being sincere.
"N-no, you s-shouldn't h-h-have, have t-to see, see my like t-this..." I took his hand off my cheek and head towards my bedroom door. I soon hear him quickly get up and step towards me.
"Like what Evan?," his tone slightly changed. It was serious, "You finally being able to let out everything you've been feeling for the past few days? You showing how you're human? You letting out your real emotions that have been kept away for so long because you feel like everyone would laugh at you for being weak but really you just have been so strong for too long." He slowly let go of the sharp tone and it became softer with almost every word.
I slowly turn around and look at him. More tears are falling down my face. He's only a few feet away but I can feel his aurora from here. It's so warm. And right now, I'm shivering. I run right into him and cling onto him. Letting everything out.
"Aww my poor Evan... let it out, it's okay... I'm here for you." As soon as he speaks I feel him hold onto me tighter. There's no stopping the tears now. Just feeling his arms around me is so comforting. He's almost like a big pillow, ready for whenever you just need to squeeze it and show what you are really feeling.
"I'm not leaving you, okay? I haven't know you for too long and I still don't know you very well, but I can't help but feel like I've known you forever... it sounds cheesy I know," he says with a small chuckle, "I don't want you ever thinking that you have to bottle everything up around me, okay?"
I just nod in response. I'm not even going to try talking. I know it would just be me choking on my own words. He starts to slowly rock back and forth. We just stand there for a few minutes. Me crying my guts out while he just comforts me. That's all he needs to do. That's all he'll ever need to do.
