My Sister's Best Friend [T.Chalamet]

10

My phone rings and I see Saoirse's name and panic arises. I completely forget my fear and jump up walking over to the ladder and climbing down. I'm not really focusing on the height; all I can feel is my phone vibrating against my cheek as Saorise is practically screaming at me. "Yes, yes I know. We lost track of time. We're coming home now. We're on our way." I say, interrupting her every time she yells my name.

When I reach the ground, I end Saoirse's call and call out to Timothée telling him to climb down. He says no but then I tell him Saorise knows. Next thing I know we're nearly there.

We run up the stairs to avoid the crowd so Timothée won't recognise them. Before we reach, I turn to look at him. He's not too bad for an American boy. He reminds me of a mouse but a tall one because of his height. His hair is slightly wet, I'm guessing damp from sweat. I part his hair into how it normally looks so that at least he looks presentable for his own surprise party. He startles in surprise when I swiftly run my fingers through his hair. Then, I tap his shoulders and smile at him. "done" I say and open the door slightly. Timothée stands there for a few seconds completely baffled in the moment. I roll my eyes and then push him through the door, following him with my face facing the floor. This is his moment. His party. Besides, I need to go find my friends. I hoped they made it.

Instantly, we're both engulfed by cheers with music in the background as soon as we enter. Saoirse is standing at the door and throws some confetti at us- aimed at Timothée but it hits the both of us. I turn to look at him, his face has gone as red as a strawberry- nope its redder, more like a raspberry. He stands there frozen, his face fixed on the ground. I guess he does not like attention that much as he keeps stuttering trying to say something but just keeps repeating 'thank you' again and again. He hugs Saoirse and I take that as my sign to disappear. I look through the crowd for anyone I may recognise.

Nobody.

I sigh. they'll come. I walk to the kitchen and take a drink. Just when I am about to drink it. someone snatches it out of my hand and drinks it. I turn and am about to shout at them, my mouth ready for just about any word really but then it changes. It's Lorenzo. He came.

At least somebody did.

"So, Ronan, this is where you live?" He says, reaching his arm out. I feel hesitant not sure how to respond but it doesn't matter- he's just reaching out for another drink. He fills he glass up and gives it to me.

I nod my head, "yes" and take the glass, drinking it slowly in front of him. I've had practice before- I know what I'm doing. I slowly take a few sips as he stands there waiting for me to finish drinking so that we can talk. He'll only talk to me- he doesn't know anyone else. Before I know it, I've had half of my drink as I take my last sip, I look up to see Lorenzo looking- no gazing at my lips. I finish it and then leave it on the table. I link my arms with him, and we walk around the flat weaving in and out of the crowd. I see Lorenzo's mouth move several times, but I can't quite understand what he's saying as the music is very loud.

"what did you say?" I ask him loudly, smacking his arm.

he moves closer to me and replies- loudly- "if you're looking for anybody else. don't bother. nobody else came. it's just me, Ronan."

I shrug my shoulders and pretend it does not matter to me but truthfully it kind of does in a way. yes, I have only been here for a little while, but I thought I was doing well here. we find an empty space in the corner of the room and stand there together.

was I really that bad? nobody came? it had to be Leighton. what about Sabrina? I thought she liked me? at least that's what I thought...

"hey!"

immediately, I see 2 giant hands waving in my face- Lorenzo's hands. "you zoned out" he says.

I raise my eyebrows and just force a smile on my face. truth is I'm scared if I open my mouth, my wall will come crashing down and a river of emotions will hit him like a truck, and he'll run.

now, I see his hand snapping at me, I jolt back and look at him. he rolls his eyes and grabs my arm pulling me somewhere.

we leave the flat, simply standing at the entrance in the hallway. he closes the door and then looks at me. "now talk" he commands. I look at him and feel my bottom lip slightly quivering, I bite it to stop because I know if I don't stop now it will just all explode. he makes me sit down on the bench and kneels in front of me with both his hands on my arms. his glare softens. "please" he pleads. "is it because nobody came?"

"fuck them, y/n you don't need them. look what you did only in a few days. you changed the entire social system of the school. something which Leighton has had control over for years. ever since kindergarten if I remember. fuck them. you don't need them."

I move my eyes away from his Gucci sneakers and look at his eyes. he places my face in his left hand. "you don't need them" he whispers. I can feel his warm breath with a strong smell of tobacco. "you're so beautiful. did you know that. more beautiful than any of them." he continues to whisper to me. "you don't need them"

I rest my face in his left hand, "thanks Lorenzo" i whisper sheepishly towards him.

he strokes my face, "anytime" he replies smiling at me.

Lorenzo is silent. his eyes pouring into mine. the way they drag themselves from my lips to my eyes. his perfectly shaped lips parted as he pursues them. it's then I feel Lorenzo tilt my chin up to face him, and slowly lean in.

is he about to...?

my chest is rising and falling, my limbs have melted, my body feels numb and limp the closer h gets to me. I could feel his lips brush against mine. They softly press together and before I know it were kissing. I hear cheers from the party, but it doesn't matter. He bites my lower lip slightly making me gasp and grab both sides of his face so that we don't pull apart making the kiss deeper. His tongue is no roaming inside my mouth, intertwined with mine. He begins to push me further so that I'm leaning against the wall and he is the one sitting on the bench, making me straddle him. I don't. Instead, I wrap my legs around his waist ss he continues to kiss me. His hands are moving from my face to my waist so under my shirt so that he can grab my breasts.

"Y/n!"

I jump at the call of my name thinking it's Lorenzo or somebody but then I see Timothée standing at the door. His mouth opens as wide as I've ever seen to be honest. As soon as he sees me staring at him, he closes his mouth and just looks at me. I don't really know what to say. My lips are slightly swollen but honestly, I'm glad somebody interrupted it because I was not ready for this to escalate further.

His eyes say it all, his cheeks flare red but this time with embarrassment. He stands there frozen as Lorenzo and I stand there a few feet apart avoiding glances. Lorenzo won't stop looking at me, but I can't help but feel embarrassed. it's like a huge pit in my stomach has just began to grow and I feel sick, like something is not quite right.

"that's com

he stands there for about for full minute, complete unsure of what to say or do. he stutters a few syllables, phrases but no full word or sentence is even formed.

Until, eventually, Lorenzo realises the current situation and excuses himself saying he needs to go home now. He kisses me on the cheek and leaves. "Bye, Ronan." He says to me, smirking. He takes one more look at Timothée and just leaves.

I see Timothée scrunch his fists tightly and then slowly release them as he takes a big sigh. "I guess, umm I just wanted to say..." he utters to me as he plays with his fingers, avoiding eye contact with me, staring at the ground.

He's disappointed.

"I just..." he pursues his lips in thought then looks at me. That stare sends shivers to shoot through my body making me step back in surprise. "I just wanted to say thank you, Y/n. Saoirse told me you were a part of this surprise. Thank you." He forces a smile on his god-like sculptured face at me and then turns back to head into the flat.

-

(1550 words)