One Shots

Run Away

Genre: Fiction

OPM : The Gay Friend

~.~.~.~.~

"Caleb, just please, stop."

He's about to order another shot from the bartender when I pulled him out of his seat to go. It's eleven pm, and we were still in this bar - and I'm still seventeen!

"Le - Le - Leah...", he stutters as I put an arm around my drunk friend, "n - n - not yet... pleeeeee - hic - ase."

"No, Caleb, stop." I tell him, and he leans on me as we get out.

I tried to hail a taxi when he fell to his knees, laughing, or maybe crying (it was hard to make it out). He didn't want to be standing, and I couldn't hail anything at this point, so we leaned on the bar wall outside for a while.

"I wanna g - go back - hic - ins - s - side." he says, pulling on my arm.

"Like that?" I ask him, pointing as I did. "Oh, no bes."

He takes a deep breath and sighs. I look at him with a bit of pity, but no, he shouldn't - we shouldn't be out here at this time.

The cold wind was felt even through the black cardigan I wore along with a white polo and maong pants. Caleb had his eyes closed, his gray hoodie covering his face slightly. I reached for my bag and brought out a bottle of water to get him stop with the hiccups. He finished the bottle, and held it. And silence.

"I'm sorry if I'm stuttering.", he whispers to me as he leaned on my shoulder, the smell of alcohol coming up. "I promise you I ain't usually like this."

I reply with a laugh, leaning my head on his, "Haha... I know."

"Is that a ghost in front of me?"

I laugh once more, "Okay, what now?"

"Baby the alcohol is starting hit - argh..." he says, clutching his head a bit, and I pat his back. Hahaha, baby. I'm not your baby Caleb, I'm your best friend.

Those puffy, red eyes weren't fooling anyone from having even the slightest idea of what happened to him - and those red eyes were looking at me, head to toe.

"What?"

His eyes went to my face, then eyes,, "You'd look amazing in a white dress."

I stared at him a bit, then felt a blush coming on. White dress? Uhm... Nope! Gosh Leah, are you overreacting?

I look away to the concrete ground, watching as our shadows danced a bit. "Kidding...", Caleb said, elbowing my arm, "Unless you wanna."

I look at him, this time with wide eyes (He's drunk, Leah... He's drunk!). He locked them with his, and I saw a whirlwind of emotions in those eyes. I can't help but move the rest of his hair off his face just to see those orbs better, but he chuckled softly.

"It's okay, I know that I'm a mess...", and he turns away from my gaze, "But I know I don't need to apologize. I got my reasons but for some reason I can't recall..."

I smile, "I think you're drunk on something other than the alcohol.", and I pull him back to the sidewalk to try and haul another taxi.

Yepp... He's also drunk on something called pain.

Caleb smiled too, and he continued to look at me, "Excuse the honesty, but honestly there's something that I think you should know."

"Mhmm?"

"I don't wanna run away... from you."

I didn't turn my head to him, but if he saw my face, I'm sure he could've read the shock.

Something warm laces up with my fingers, and I look down to see Caleb holding my hand.

"I don't wanna lie anymore."

"Wh... What lies?" I don't know either, Leah! And maybe you shouldn't have asked the question...

He raises our hands slowly, until mine was right in front of him. He gently moved his thumb around the back of my palm, making me want to laugh, but I kept a straight face. "'Cause I'm done telling myself that maybe I need someone else... No I'm sure."

And he kissed my hand, right there and then.

"I don't wanna run away."

"TAXI!", I called, raising my free hand as I saw one with that neon 4hire sign. I took my other hand from Caleb and held him on the shoulder.

"You're drunk...", I tell him, the taxi coming closer.

"B - but...", and he started stuttering again, "everything I said -"

"Save it, Caleb."

We got inside the cab and I gave him the address to a nearby elementary school. Caleb's house was right across it, and mine was somewhere in an alleyway to the school's left.

Caleb leaned on my shoulder again, laughing softly.

I turn to him, wanting to ask him about why he chose to drink in a bar instead of buying from a store to drink at home, but I see his eyelids fluttering, struggling to stay open.

"You could just sleep, y'know."

I saw his smile from the moonlight through the windows, and he hugged my arm too.

"Oh, I love you Leah...", he whispered into my ear.

It'd take a few minutes to work out what he meant by that. I mean, obviously, there's good 'ol platonic love, which is most likely the reason why. But the way he stole a few glances from me, how he told me to come with him here instead of going alone or with someone else. Or maybe it's just because I'm his best friend, and he trusted me the most out of our little friend group with his sister and his sister's best friend.

But Leah, why do you feel there's a chance that it's... Romantic? Dear, no, no, and no! Falling for your best friend? Nope! That, darling, could destroy friendships, and this is the only strong friendship I have in this world.

Maybe I'm overreacting. Yeah... That's it... Overreacting. Well, I shouldn't. But there's something about how he said "I love you".

I shake those thoughts away and let out a sigh. Leah, you know he's not interested in girls - he's gay.

"Love you too, Caleb...", I whisper into his ear as my thoughts drift off somewhere else.

~.~.~.~.~

I don't wanna run away from you
I don't wanna lie anymore
'Cause I'm done telling myself
That maybe I need someone else
No I'm sure
I'm sure

(Run Away, Lola Amour)