Running With Scissors

Chapter Eight

When I came back downstairs with an armful of clothes for the two soaked boys, Tobey was talking earnestly with Percy while Gavin buried himself deep into the piled-up couch pillows. "I come bringing gifts of great merit!" I announced, smacking Tobey in the face with an old Green Day t-shirt and pair of ash grey sweat pants. He immediately scampered for the downstairs bathroom, yelling something about friends not smacking friends with clothes. Whatever, pretty boy can deal.

The clothes I'd grabbed for Gavin had taken a bit to pick out, considering he was even skinnier than I. Finally I'd come upon a pair of skinny jeans from freshman year, and a shirt with sleeves that he'd probably have to roll up. I dropped the clothes on his bare back, chuckling when it elicited an upset groan. "Get dressed and you'll feel better," I coaxed. His grumbling informed me he didn't quite believe me, but he sat up nonetheless, collecting the two garments I'd given him.

Tobey had just returned, dressed proudly in his new outfit, so Gavin went to find the bathroom he'd used. While waiting, the three of us talked about nothing in particular. Upcoming movies we were looking forward to, a guy Percy thought was cute but Tobey knew was a douche, donkeys...It was a pretty extensive length of conversation for only five minute's time, but we managed.

"Fucking hell, Angel, why are your arms so gargantuan? What on earth are they feeding you?" Percy and I, who were on the couch and therefore not facing the indignant little speaker, had to turn and crane our necks to see him. Tobey, who was on a chair opposite us, didn't have to, and was smirking.

Gavin was wearing the clothes I'd given him, and everything fit him pretty well-Well, sort of. Though it fit him fine, the shirt was very long on him, both the hem and the sleeves. Did he have any hands? Who knew.

I shrugged. "I eat broccoli? I dunno." He scoffed, moving around the table as to sit on my right side, so that with Percy on my left, I was sandwiched in the middle. "Yeah, sure. You just got good genes." It was my turn to scoff. "Oh, please, I'm hardly tall. It's not my fault you just happen to be really-" He frowned. "Say short and I'll kill you." I just laughed.

We ended up pulling out an old Monopoly board that was missing the player pieces, but upon a quick search around my house, we were able to find suitable replacements. Percy was the cap of a toothpaste tube, Tobey was an small black button he'd found under my bed, Gavin was a little blue felt bird, and I was scrap of bright orange paper. Score.

Though in the beginning she was dead set against it-Apparently Percy hates board games-She was soon into it, holding a stack of fake money and laughing in our faces. Tobey seemed sore that he'd lost to Percy of all people, but laughed nonetheless.

After she was done bragging and the game had been put away, a movie was in order. I still didn't get why they'd all decided to pop over, but I wasn't complaining. I was tired, sure, but it's always nicer to be tired with your friends rather than tired all alone and bored.

Seats changed, and Tobey ended up next to me while Gavin and Percy were on the floor in front of the television, Percy's head in the boy's lap. The movie was one I'd never before seen, but we had it anyway, for reasons I could never explain. It was The Lorax-one of my favorite books growing up as a kid. Dr. Seuss was the shit.

However, I'd never seen the animated adaption of it, and judging from Gavin's smile and Percy's squeal at the sight of the film, it wasn't necessarily bad. Tobey wasn't as excited, then again, he wasn't much of anything. A lot like yesterday, he'd gone very quiet, usually only speaking when spoken to, which was new for the usually chatty boy.

Now he was curling up against my side, no small feat since he was taller than I, but he made it work. He'd always been cuddly, so that wasn't surprising. From the opening, slightly cheesy, song I was taken with the movie. The humor was often dry, a kind of humor I got best, considering I used it a lot.

After the movie the threesome inhaled half of the contents of my kitchen, then prepared to leave. Percy had a dental appointment, and Gavin had something he wouldn't specify on or about, so they both dashed away quickly, laughing and shrieking as they splashed each other whilst running. The rain was still pouring, soaking the two to the bone. I sighed. Not only had he soaked his own clothes, but he'd soaked mine as well. He'd left with the promise of bringing the garments back Monday, and I'd promised the same, considering I still had his clothes in the dryer.

Tobey was dressed in his own clothes, and though he was standing on my porch and staring out at the road, he made no move to head out in the rain. Noticing this, I joined him, standing silently by his side. "What's up?" I asked after a moment or two, watching the pool of water at the bottom of my steps slowly grow.

Tobey turned to look at me, a strange sort of look in his eyes. Uncertainty. Fear. Nervousness. Three things I thought he'd never be capable of having, or feeling. "Tobey, are you al-"

"Do you like Gavin?"

I regarded Tobey with a raised eyebrow. He turned away again, looking down at his shoes. "Well, do you?" I slowly let out a breath. "Well, it depends on how you look at it, I suppose. I mean, he can be annoying, but in an endearing way, and he's quite funny, so I can stand him." The look on his face clued me into the fact that I wasn't following his line of thought.

Oh. Oh.

I flushed. "No, Tobey, I do like him, but not like that...He's sweet and all, but I'd never have a crush on him or anything like that." I was quiet for a moment. "Why do you ask?" It didn't take a genius to notice his demeanour had brightened considerably. He shook his head. "Oh, nothing."

It looked for a moment like he was going to walk off into the rain, leaving me all confused, but he didn't. Instead, he turned back to look at me. "Angel," he said quietly, "don't freak out. Just...Don't." Before I could so much as contemplate what he meant, he stepped forward, seized me by the front of my shirt, and smashed our lips roughly together.

~'~'~

Song of the chapter- Stay With Me by You Me At Six