timing : stozier

25

march 14/15

a/n: i feel like i shouldn't have to say this but like. don't do drugs because you think they're cool or will make you cool. richie and bev get high sometimes because a lot of teenagers do (me included once or twice) and lets be honest... they are simply being gay and doing crime. don't take it as an example (coming down from a high is boring as fuck, too). anyway don't do drugs.

ben: can i call you?

mike: that makes me nervous, but yeah, go ahead

"hello?" mike answered the phone after a moment of deliberation.

"hi. uh, i'm on a walk right now, but i have something to tell you." ben said, the tiredness of walking present in his voice.

"i think you already know, i'm not exactly sly, but yeah. uh, i like you, and it's okay if you don't, i just wanted to say that." ben admitted, cars driving by loudly. mike felt himself becoming awkward, and forced himself to speak.

"cool. i like you too, so that's cool." mike replied, cursing himself under his breath. cool? COOL?? but he persisted, hearing ben hum on the other end.

"oh, fun. some guy just stared me down from his yard" ben whispered the last part, mike letting out a little laugh.

"but uh, do you want to go out on a date then?" ben asked, mike nodding and then realizing he couldn't see the action.

"yeah, sure." mike replied, his voice weak. why was he so awkward? it was so much easier to just talk about anything but his feelings. mike had no experience with anything romantic, and he had no idea what to do.

"well this went better than expected. um, when are you free?" ben said, still walking through neighbourhoods. mike's heart was SCREAMING and he wasn't even sure if it was good or bad.

"uh saturday?" mike barely got the words out, his face on fire. his phone was pretty hot too. was it his face or his phone?

"oh good. me too." there was a pause afterwards, neither knowing what to say. "i'll text you details later?" ben asked, digging his toes into his shoes as he walked.

"yeah. i'll leave you to your walk now," mike responded. was it always going to be this awkward? how had it been less awkward when neither of them had said anything? god.

"okay, talk to you later, bye mike." ben said, mike responding and both of them hanging up.

ben was ecstatic. the boy he'd liked for months had said yes to a date! they would be going on a date! now their affection would mean something, thank god. he smiled brightly, unable to wipe the grin off of his face.

mike was excited. he was pretty sure he was (scared of it but) feeling things for ben. and he was smiling as he hung up the phone, but something in his heart was nervous. he figured maybe it was normal, first relationship jitters, gay jitters or something.

was that a thing?

mike: is gay jitters a thing?

richie: absolutely,, why do you ask?

mike: no reason

richie: ben?

mike decided to leave him on read.

"b-buh beverly, i h-huh-have a weird question." beverly picked up the phone to bill's voice.

"yeah, what's up? why did you call instead of text?" she replied. she was still moving about her room while on the phone.