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 Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2018 12:55 pm
"Ugh... Why do the good looking ones always gotta be assholes?" Benji gave the other a slight shove away at being called Pookie again. Nothing overly forceful, just a playful one with a half smile before he watched the taller boy walk away. Good, so he really wasn't anything special or stand out. That made things less... Painful, he supposed. Part of him already expected never to see Caleb again, which was fine. He wasn't even here to see this big ol' nerd anyway, some other weird mook was signed up to be his date. What did it matter if they parted ways?
And yet... He'd admit, when the other turned back around, smiling and and saying such weirdly nice things, he almost didn't want him to leave. And then of course the dumb boy with the pretty eyes had to say too much and Benji just turned redder, half coughing at the flirt.
"Oh, so now you lay it on thick... ********. I want to say it didn't work, but... I suppose it did." What the hell, what was wrong with making a new friend. It was nice to be the one receiving compliments rather than the one who was making them to people we were essentially brick walls.
"... Yeah, sure, alright. Here, give me your phone. I'll give you my number and when we hang out next, I'll make sure my feet are firmly planted on the ground."
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Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:05 pm
Pulling out his phone, Caleb grinned and opened up the contact screen, finally holding the device out to Benji, watching him with a very amused, and slightly smug expression. “Sounds good to me. You…you like getting texts? I think I’d like to be friends, if you’re interested in that sort of thing.” Obviously Benji was interested in it, or he wouldn’t be giving Caleb his phone number…not that Caleb really…even believed that it would be the right number.
“If you’re going to put in the number for some rejection hotline or a phone sex line…don’t bother, okay? I don’t want this to just be a joke.”
He swallowed when he realize just how true this statement was and shrugging slowly, Caleb shoved his hands into his pockets. “Could I see your phone too? Put my number into it?”
That wasn’t too desperate, right? It was just a new friend. Someone to hang out with. Do stupid things with. No pressure. No…
Well. No bitter feelings, no suspicion. It would be nice. This would all turn out fine.
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Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:16 pm
"Yeah, texts are fine. Phone calls are weird so I rather text anyway." Caleb was coming off considerably suspicious, given how desperate he seemed to get his information. But... Maybe he was just really lonely. Benji knew how that felt, scrolling through contact after contact, hoping that someone would be nice enough to text him back. If Caleb wanted him to be that person for him, he wasn't about to say no.
"Do I look like the kinda person who would give that sorta thing out? Here, call my phone, and you'll put your number in my phone and see that it's real." He held up his own phone, waiting for call to go through.
"See, nothing to fear. I'm always free to respond to a text, unless I'm working or something so... Hit me up whenever you want."
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Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:28 pm
“I don’t know. I hardly know you. And you kind of seemed like a bit of a punk at first.” Caleb gave a little smile and hit the call button when he got his phone back, biting his lip as he glanced over, waiting for the phone in Benji’s hand to light up.
“All right. So…I’ll text you and we’ll meet up sometime. Sounds cool.”
This…this wasn’t cheating…but it felt almost like it could be considered such. Or at least…implied to be if someone wanted to be a jerk…couples hot air balloon flights…exchanging numbers.
Pursing his lips, Caleb sighed. “…Thanks again for going up with me. I know that sucked for you but…I’m glad we did it. It meant a lot.”
He hesitated for a moment and shrugged. “Do you have plans for the rest of the day? Or would you like to check out the museum with me? That’s why I came here, we just finished a unit in school and I just…” He gestured to the building and shrugged. “But then I guess I got sidetracked with the balloon and…well. You know the rest of the story…so…if you’d like, I wouldn’t mind company. My boyfriend couldn’t be less interested in going with me so…as my new friend…I hope you might want to?”
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Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:34 pm
"What? Me? A Punk? You've got it all wrong, I'm just a perfect little ball of sunshine." Sarcasm dripped heavy from his words, and he just ended up laughing at the end, tucking his phone away once they both got confirmation that everything was set. His smile was just a little wider maybe because of the fact that he had labeled his new acquaintance as Caleb, Annoying Pretty Eyed boy.. Not that the other could see it though.
Ugh... This guy was just too good at those damned sweet words... For someone he knew for such a short period of time he was really really good at making him feel wanted... From telling him how much he enjoyed their time together, to moving onto asking about hanging out later, it all sounded way too good to be true.
And.. Yeah, it was, wasn't it?
That word, boyfriend came up, and what felt warm and maybe even a little excited slammed hard into the wall. Blush was gone, smile was nearly gone too as he felt his heart fall into his stomach.
"Wait, wait, what the ********? You went and came here alone, and want to do things with a stranger instead of your boyfriend? What the ******** dude?!"
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Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:44 pm
Caleb laughed. “A little ball of sunshine who wants to watch the world burn maybe.”
This guy was endearing. He might not be the most attractive person that Caleb had ever met…but his personality was bright. He was quick witted and…it was nice to have a conversation that felt as though it was going somewhere. Maybe this would be a friend who he could get good advice from.
His own laugh died when he saw Benji’s face suddenly drain of color and his smile vanish quicker than the sun going behind a cloud.
Wait…he was getting scolded now? For not bringing Xi-Wang along?
“He had better things to do, I guess. He didn’t want to hang out today. Which, I guess that’s a big deal for some people, but I thought it would be a good me day to just visit the museum. It’s not like I ditched him.”
Because he didn’t. That would have been rude. …Not that he had really asked Xi to come along today either…but…hey. He hadn’t wanted to celebrate Valentines day, that was fine. They didn’t have to. It was a stupid day anyway. “Why? What’s it to you?”
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Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:57 pm
"And you're just going to let him ditch you? I mean, yeah, sure maybe you can't make people do anything at all with you, right to do what you want and all that, but... ********, man, he's your boyfriend! Isn't today something you'd want to insist on doing together? Even dinner or... Hell, I dunno, just spending some time together..." Benji found himself getting far too invested in this relationship he didn't even have a clue about. He was just a romantic at heart, too many 'perfect' ideal situations came to mind, things he wanted, dreamed of, and the thought that maybe someone who was in a relationship wasn't as happy as he imagined he would be made him feel... Off.
"It's none of my business but... I dunno, maybe he wants you to go after him? Wants you to try to spend some time with him without having to suggest it first? Like, think about it, that thought of someone actively pursuing you is a good feeling. It makes you feel wanted and desired and, ********, in those few minutes ago I felt that way. I bet your boyfriend feels that way too." Yeah, he was bothered by this, and... Maybe it was on a personal level it bothered him, since he almost felt like a part of ruining this day for someone else he didn't even know.
"But what do I know? Seems like I just keep attracting people who are creeps who go out and try to pick up someone when they're already dating someone else. I ain't spending no time on Valentine's day with a cheater."
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Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:05 pm
Caleb felt as though his head were spinning and he wasn’t sure what the hell had happened between two minutes ago and now…but he didn’t like it. The frown he wore continued to deepen as Benji spoke and for a moment, the brunette didn’t know what to do…or say for that matter.
Finally he just sighed. “He doesn’t. I asked him if he wanted to do dinner tonight and he said that he already had plans. Then he left for the day. It’s not as though I just left him at home alone. No, he did that to me. So instead of moping, I went out. We just finished a unit on engineering things for the space program, and I thought it might be a good idea to have some time to regroup and visit the museum. I saw the balloon and they wouldn’t let me go up alone. You were the closest human that I saw, and I asked you to come with me because the balloon operator couldn’t come.”
He felt his eyes burning with angry tears and reached up to rub his sleeve roughly across them. “I’m not cheating on anyone. I never…I just. I’m sorry. Okay? I have a taking care of people…thing. You were upset. And I got too familiar. That was my bad. I won’t do it again. I shouldn’t have bothered you in the first place.”
Turning around again Caleb bit down hard on his lip, not stopping until he tasted blood. “You can just delete my number. Sorry to bother you. Just forget this whole thing ever happened.”
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Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:31 pm
Well... s**t. Benji had been far too ready to point fingers and think that Caleb was the one at fault here. He had figured that if someone was out and about enjoying themselves, they had to be the one who had done wrong. It was so easy to just assume the worse, since all he really had known himself was the worse of people.
Those tears... and the sound of his voice just so quickly going from cheery to this dreadful, pained sound just made the guilt hit hard. Then right over, his own irritation began to boil over, and he reached out, snatching the other's wrist and pulling him back before he left.
"You're not seriously going to run away like this, are you? Okay, sure, you weren't the one at fault, How the f-- err, hell was I supposed to know? You don't need be upset. I'm sorry. So just... Chill, okay? Chill. I'm not gonna throw your number away." Years ago, he would have let Caleb go. Why should he worry about some overly dramatic kid who had his head wrapped around who knows what? Luckily, he wasn't that sorta person any more and that bit of kindness he learned transferred to a desire to comfort him. It seemed like they both had that desire, didn't they?
"Just chill.. You already had one person leave you today, I won't do that to you too. I do have a blind date later on tonight but for now I can hang if that's what you really want."
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Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 1:26 pm
When Caleb felt the hand on his wrist he paused and finally glanced back at Benji, looking desperately unhappy.”Don’t force yourself to hang out with me. I’m honestly nothing special, so don’t worry about it.”
He wanted Benji to worry about it though. Wanted at least to have someone who wanted to spend time with him. It was nice to feel wanted, hadn’t Benji just said that? Only it was all backwards…and it…
It didn’t matter.
“I just wanted to go up in the balloon. That was all…now I just want to grab something to eat and go home. I’ll do the museum someday when it isn’t overrun with happy couples.” Maybe he should have just stayed home today. Ordered a pizza. Caught up on homework. Or gone into the lab. Gotten ahead with his project.
With a sigh, Caleb reached up and rubbed his free hand over his face, shaking his head. “Sorry. I just. Guess I’m more stressed out by this than I thought. I just…you have a blind date tonight you said? I hope that goes well for you, Benji…I hope you find someone great. You deserve it.” His eyes drifted down to where Benji still held his wrist and he frowned just slightly at the state of his fingers. Slowly he twisted his wrist over so he could run his thumb over them.
Slowly he raised his gaze back up and just shrugged.
“…You want to get food with me?” He felt a strange almost desperation to just…ask this guy. This stranger to cancel the date. But…that would be stupid. He was just in a bad mood. That was all. He was in a bad mood and Benji was a new friend who was going to help. It had been so long since he had a real friend…perhaps he forgot how to do it.
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Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 2:53 pm
"You don't have any right to tell me to not force myself to do anything. After all, you already begged me once to do something. And I did it. For you. Now I'm going to do this thing and hang out with you for myself." The patience Benji had for this was quickly starting to wear away, and he was thiiiiiiiis close to just shaking Caleb a few times for him to snap out of it. He held back, though. Just because Caleb was good at comforting people, didn't mean he was at all.
When it came to things of love, how to react when things go bad, Benji probably was the worse to ask about anything. His own broken heart lead to less than savory things done to himself... Caleb wasn't the kinda person who would do something like that, right? Even if he was, Benji certainly didn't want him to! So when the pretty-eyed boy seemed to calm down just enough, even brushing his own stubs with his fingers and asking him to stay, he allowed himself to latch on right back, shifting his grasp instead to hold his new friend's hand properly.
"Sure. Lets get some food. I can worry about the whole date thing later. Honestly I probably deserve a good ol' a** kicking, so if that happens, atleast I can look back at us hanging out as fun. The buffet isn't over crowded yet if you wanna go in and check it out. Free food is always the best kind!" With that he grinned at the boy, reaching up with his own free hand to wipe away any wetness that was still there, just as Caleb had done for him before.
"Sound good?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 3:35 pm
It did sound good. Though, food always sounded good. Caleb wasn’t sure how he really felt about his heart beginning to pound like this, both from the warmth of Benji’s hand in his and the softness of his fingers as they brushed away his tears…but it was nice to be the one who was comforted. He had almost forgotten how that felt.
Quietly, he gave a smile and squeezed the hand in his. “Yeah. Sounds great. Thanks.”
It was nice not to have to be alone. Like balm on a wound he didn’t even realize that he had.
This would be a good day.
He was going to make it one.
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