Neighbors (boyxboy)

Chapter 46: It's How Relationships Work

Brian: Great! Me and Chris can hang out while you guys go out. We can make dinner together Chris! Like we used to.

Ben: Great.

Jack: What?

Chris: Ok, Brian, we can hang out. Should be fun.

Brian: Yayy!!

Sam: Tina, why don't we try and meet up afterwards. You can spend the night.

Sean: Yeah, Alan, just come to the house afterwards.

Tina: No thanks.

Alan: It's a school night. My dad says couples need to do their own things sometimes. It's how good relationships work. So...I guess we'll talk to you guys soon.

Sam: Love you Tina. I miss you.  I'll think about you tonight.  When I'm in bed.  When my hands are..

Tina: Gross.

===

As they entered the library, they naturally broke up into pairs, Tina and Alan and Ben and Jack. The two best friends had a list of booths they wanted to approach, questions prepared and even resumes to pass out. Jack and Ben just wandered aimlessly.

"Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?" Jack asked, somewhat sarcastically, feeling really claustrophobic despite the wall to wall windows. This place was a hive of steel girders and glass and upscale furniture. "Where are the fucking books? Isn't this place a library?"

Ben shrugged. Unhappy and uncomfortable. "I have no idea. I don't want to play football. I don't want to be a fisherman. That's about the limit of my thoughts on the future. I guess I'll go to college. I don't even know."

The blonde boy had been so focused on coming out his senior year and getting together with Chris, that plans for what happened next completely fell by the wayside.  His eyes skipped across all of the booths, staffed by men and women in business suits, toothpaste smiles on their faces, handing out brochures to confused kids.  

"Well, that makes two of us. But I have to get a good job to take care of Brian. I don't know what he wants to do after high school, but between the two of us, we need to make money if we ever want to move out. It's going to be weird living with Faye and Mark after Brian and I are married."

"Wait," Ben stopped in place. Tons of people milled around him, kids like them from all over the area, a bunch of kids he recognized from school, checking out the library and schmoozing it up with potential employers. "That's not a joke? You guys are like...engaged?"

Jack smiled and nodded. "Yeah. We're going to get married the week after we graduate."

"Aren't you guys....a little young to get married?' Ben was confused. He couldn't get around the idea of being married at eighteen.

"Ben, Brian and I have been together for a long time. I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him. I love him." Jack said seriously, wondering why he felt it was really important for Ben to understand.

"You've never dated anyone but Brian. Even Brian dated Chris. How can you be sure he's the one?" Ben couldn't help asking. "It's healthy to play the field, right? To date a bunch of people when you're young? I'm not saying you SHOULD date someone else, I'm just, it seems... I don't know. Don't listen to me. I'm just a baby gay. What do I know? Maybe you should talk to Sean."

"That asshole? No thanks. He's a total dick. Alan's way too good for that shithead." Jack took Ben's hand, and started to pull him through the crowd. "Come on, let's see if we can find a job."