FRIDAY, MAY 7TH
NARRATOR'S POV:
In different parts of town, two boys wake up at the same time.
Ben Pincus is an 18 year old boy who's in senior year in high school. He holds the title for science fair winner, which he earned with a paper on how germs are the biggest threat to society as we know. That paper gave him many opportunities, he was offered a trip to Hong Kong to a medical convention (which he refused due to his fear of flying); he got the chance to compete against other people who had won their school's fairs across the US (which he refused due to his fear of big crowds); he also was offered a scolarship on the other side of the country to be part of a research lab that studies new bacteria and funghi (which he refused due to his fear of... well... bacteria and funghi). Anyways, Pincus was a very frightened boy, which always played against him in his high school life, he didn't have many friends, he would eventually faint while presenting an assignment to the class. He did, however, get excused from P.E after breaking his arm for the third time during dodgeball. But, despite not having many friends, he had a very loyal one, which was all he needed, Samuel Lopez.
People would always describe their friendship as the oddest of the bunch. While Ben had a hard time even introducing himself to peole, Samuel would attend every single party and leave each of them with three new friends. He was the class clown. He always found Ben's fear of the world something very weird, but he never paid much attention to it, because, at the end of the day, they loved each other. Ben would always help Samuel study, and Samuel would help him with girls (they had never had a successful attempt, but, the important part is, they tried).
As odd as it may seem, the young man (Ben) had a dream to become a lecturer, one of those very famous ones, that gets invited to go to events simply to tell people what they know. One of those who are loved by everyone simply because of what they say, of who they are. One of those who doesn't get forgotten by people. One of those who makes their parents proud simply because of who they are. Ben's parents lived a very different life from his. His dad, Owen Pincus, was a worldwide known olympic swimming athlete, he had four gold medals and had never been out of the podium since he started competting. In 2016, he got elected sexiest man alive by People Magazine. His mom, Eliza Xander, was a very successful doctor, she invented a pill that slowly burns the fat from your face. Her invention earned her many awards in the science and beauty field. Gwyneth Paltrow gave an interview to Vogue Magazine stating that hers was the best invention since botox. So, I guess it goes without saying, Ben felt a whole lot of pressure. From everyone.
YOU HAVE A MILLION DIFFERENT FACES
Kenji Kon is a 21 year old young man who just started college. He is attending business school. Let it be known, he's doing it because of his parents, not because of himself. His dad, Kon Ken, was the owner of a very successful house building company, King Kong, and he had every intention to give the ownership to his oldest son, Kenji, once he was old. The boy's dream, however, had nothing to do with that, in fact, he didn't even know what his dream was, but he knew it was not running his father's company. Kenji never allowed himself to dream, ever since his mom, Hirai Yui, had passed away due to a brutal cancer, the only thing he ever heard about was how he was destined to be the next big entrepeneur of the family.
Looking from the outside, Kenji seemed to have the perfect life, he was a handsome, 6ft2, rich man, leader of the college volleyball team, had slept with every single girl across campus, was friends with everyone and their moms, always got good grades, and, to top that off, played the guitar like no one else could. People in college would often call him modern day Paul McCartney due to his master ability in songwriting. However, Kon had a big issue in his life. He didn't feel seen. Everyone always saw his looks, his money, his dad's brilliant career, his brand new Bugatti, but they never saw the real him. No one was interested in how much he loved to cook vegan food, or in how big of a Lorde fan he was, or in his broad Broadway knowledge, they were only interested in his outside.
BUT THEY'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND
UNLESS YOU LET THEM IN
Alyssa Norton, the sweetest girl across Skylar University, was throwing a party, her parents were out and she had the whole house for herself (and, of course, 150 people she would invite to afore mentioned party). "MAY 7TH, FROM 9PM 'TIL DAWN" that's what the invitation said.
At 1:10p.m. Kenji got the invitation. Alyssa herself handed it to him, she gave him the invitation right after they finished having sex in the uni's bathroom. Alyssa was Kenji's ex-girlfriend, they had broken up 2 years prior to this moment, but they never fully detatched themselves from each other. While reading the invitation, Kenji, who had already decided he would go (because he knew he was gonna have sex with at least three girls at the party, which made him very excited, in many ways), heard his phone ringing, it was a message from Alyssa, a booty pic, to be more specific. He did not respond the message, in fact, he even rolled his eyes at it.
At 1:55p.m. Ben got the invitation. Samuel had recieved it by who know what means and had managed to get an extra one for Ben. It took him exactly 0.5 seconds to decide he wouldn't go. However, Lopez was not dumb, he was a step ahead. He had contacted Mr. and Mrs. Pincus before talking to him (Ben's parents always dedicated their efforts to helping him make more friends, and forcing him to go to parties whenever he got invited was one of their strategies), as Ben heard that, he knew, he'd have no choice, he'd have to go.
"That's right B-Dawg! Sammy and Benny are going to this party, and tonight, I promise you, my guy, you are getting laid." Said Samuel while he put his arm around Pincus' shoulder;
"You say that everytime, Sammy" The blonde guy said with a blushing face;
"I don't know bro, I just feel it, there's something different this time, I can feel it, trust me lad, we're gonna find you some nice piece over there" Ben didn't quite buy what his friend was saying, but he hoped it was true.
Ever since he became a teenager, every single boy around him would ask the same question "Lost your V-Card yet?", that was the question, these exact words, everytime. The boys would always spend hours talking about some girl's ass or about how many times they had masturbated in the school's bathrooms, they'd show each other nudes they had received from their girlfriends. Ben never participated in those convos. That was because he didn't think of girls that was, he saw in them, a reflection of his own mother, who he saw as someone angelic, nurturing and pure. He admired their beauty and the way they weren't as rough around the edges as the boys. He didn't really want to "find some nice piece over there", the only thing he longed for, was the feeling of being protected. Safe. Loved. That was what he wanted.
