(David POV)
It's finally the weekend, but the only plan I had was going to visit Romeo today. He had invited me over and I didn't have anything else better to do so I agreed. I actually enjoyed being at his house because of how cozy it is. His parents decorated it amazingly with colors like brown, tan, white, beige, and a few others.
His bed was way more comfortable than mine as well. We both had full sizes, but his mattress and blankets felt way smoother and different from mine. Enough about his house though. I loved the connecting I had with him. It's safe to say we were close at this point, but at the same time we were still learning and warming up to each other. I don't think there has been a day we didn't speak since I had met him.
I went over to his place, and waited at the door for someone to answer. I thought nobody was home on the first ring, but then Romeo came down the stairs and opened the door from me. He had on sweats and a tank top that seemed a bit small for him since he had a pretty big chest. He looked tired, but I didn't pay too much attention to that.
"Hey Romeo. How are you?"
"Exhausted. Come in, nobody's here as of right now. I think they went to visit family or something."
I followed him up to his room and leaned my back against the wall as he laid down and faced me.
"I have something you can change into if you want to lay down too, David."
"No, I'm fine! Seriously. You don't have to share your bed with me."
"I prefer to. Body heat helps me sleep. Don't take that weird though."
"Haha, I won't," I chuckled.
"The clothes are in the middle drawer."
I opened the middle drawer and saw all of his underclothes. I'd be embarrassed to show someone all of my underwear. Not because of the designs or anything, but just because it's underwear. Maybe I'm just weird.
After making sure he wasn't looking, I picked up a pair of pajama pants and held it to my nose. It smelled like a box of dryer sheets. Nothing could ever top the smell of fresh laundry.
"You don't mind me changing here, right?"
"Yea, I don't mind."
He scrolled on his phone as I swapped clothes.
"You know the Jets lost another fucking game. Ain't it crazy?"
"Hmm, you really like sports, huh?"
"Yea. All of them."
"Opposite for me. I'm ass at all of them, heh."
He looked up at me with a wide smile.
"I think that was the first time I ever heard you curse. A stupid observation, really."
Had I never really cursed around him? I found it a bit funny he noticed something like that and laughed to myself. I sat upright on the bed next to him and looked over at the window. For a house, the view from his window showed a lot of the area we're in.
"Want to watch something? Saltburn?"
"What's that about?"
"Actually, it's best we don't watch that. I like kids shows for whatever reason. Let's watch avatar."
I had no argument and let my back fall against the bed, our heads now right next to each other. It's weird how even though we had kissed before, I didn't feel any sexual connection to him. I liked us this way. Close, but not close. Close, but far.
"I used to watch this when I was younger. Katara is that bitch."
We looked at each other and busted out laughing. This was the first time I had a genuinely good laugh that didn't feel like I was no obligated to do it.
As our laughs died down, he wrapped his arm around me, but focused directly up at the ceiling.
"I don't want this to sound the wrong way, but I hope you don't love me. Like in that way. Sorry about the kiss, by the way."
"Don't be. Believe it or not, I think the same way. I like be us just being comfortable around each other without any labels."
"Yea. I see it as a platonic relationship," he grinned. "Okay. Let's talk about what's okay and what's not."
"Hugs?"
"Of course."
"Touching."
"Depends. Don't get freaky on me, David," he laughed.
"Kissing?"
"I don't think so. For me it'll feel wrong."
"Alright, anything else."
"Can being clingy be okay?"
I was wondering the same thing, I just was a little afraid to ask. "Yes." I rolled over, making our chests touch. I wrapped both arms around him for a hug and I could practically hear the smile grow longer on his face mixed with the sound of his heartbeat.
"Comfortable?"
"Not yet."
I threw my right leg over his legs just to be funny, making us both laugh. We ended up falling asleep in this position and didn't wake up for a few hours. It was probably some of the best sleep I've gotten in a while.
————
I woke up in the same position we'd fell asleep in and raised my head into the air. It was around after noon by now and he was still sleep next to me. I flipped the cover from over me and got up from the bed. A part of my back felt scorching due to my phone somehow getting in between me and Romeo.
I didn't want to wake him, but I wanted to make sure his parents were okay with the fact that I was here. It's stupid to worry about that now, but it was just a thought.
I opened the room door, only to see Romeo's sister standing next to the railing of the stairs. I panicked, slamming the door shut and locking it. How could I not have heard his family come in. She had already noticed me so it was just about too late to not acknowledge her.
"Who are you," she questioned through the door, "and why are you in Romeo's room with the door locked?"
I shouldn't have answered but instead I just said the first thing that came to mind.
"Uhh...tutoring? Yea, tutoring."
She left a bit of silence in the air for a few seconds before finally responding
"I don't believe it not one single bit. What are you really here for?"
"I'm his best friend. We were playing and then we fell asleep."
"I swear to go if he's doing the deed in there while we're home I'm going to tell mom."
She tried opening the door, but the lock wouldn't turn. She groaned and began frantically knocking on the door. Romeo's was right about Riley being annoying. What did she want anyway?
"Open the door. I need to ask him something."
Should I open it? Would he have wanted me to? I wasn't sure if she genuinely needed something from him or if she just wanted to be nosy and tease and annoy her brother, so I finally shook him awake.
"Hmm? What?," he groaned.
"I think your family is home. Your sister is knocking on the room door."
"Just ignore her," he whispered. "She probably doesn't need anything important."
"You sure?"
"Yea just leave it."
While walking to the bed, I heard a metal scrape against the doorknob and before I knew it, the door swung open, revealing his sister standing ever so short before me.
"You look a lot different than I anticipated," she went on. "I can't believe you came here for him."
"Excuse me, bitch? Can you close my room door back before I screw it shut?"
The compliment, if it can even be called that, barely even mattered to me given the fact that she somehow was able to pick the door open even though it was locked. Romeo of course didn't seem too thrilled to see his sister, so I was just stuck in the middle of them two.
"Just wanted to see what you were up to."
"If you see I clearly don't want to be bothered, that doesn't mean be nosy and break my fucking door open. I'll strangle you next time you do that."
"Oh please, Romeo. The door isn't even allowed to be locked in the first place."
"It can be if y'all are not home."
"So you're defying mom's rules?"
"Why?"
She laughed and walked into the room, turning left at me to eye me up and down before plopping down next to her brother.
"Why must you be so difficult? All I wanted to do was-"
"Be nosy," Romeo cut her off. "That's all you ever do."
"Call me nosy one more time and I swear I'll tell mom you have drugs in your room."
"As if she'd believe something like that."
"They believe anything I say. You should know this by now," she giggled.
"Riley can you just get the fuck out?," he shouted. I don't even think he cared if his parents heard him. "Leave."
"Fine, whatever," she replied, standing from the bed and walking over to me. "What's your name?"
"David."
"You're a shy one, not that I care."
Why does everyone think that? That's actually a pretty dumb question, but people should realize that not speaking doesn't mean you're shy. Someone can just not feel like speaking.
She picked up her hand and caressed my shoulder.
"What do you like?"
"What?"
"What do you like?"
I was confused at what she was asking me. I wasn't sure whether she meant who I was attracted to or what did I like about her appearance. "Everyone?"
"That's a bad sign. I can't have a guy that likes both, or everyone, as you said."
She finally walked over to and out the door, leaving it wide open.
"Romeo, I think I'm gonna get going."
"You're not leaving because of her, right?"
"No. I should go back since my mom doesn't know I'm here," then it dawned on me. "Wait, I had wanted to ask you something too."
He didn't seem too amused, but he game me his attention anyway.
"I wanted to ask you if...okay hear me out of this please."
"Now I'm worried. Spit it out."
"What if you threw a party to maybe have fun with Missy and try to become friends again?"
I cheesed hard as hell to the point it probably looked weird, but I did have to smile to make the idea seem good.
He sighed before answering. "Okay. I get that you still think you're the blame for that situation, but there's multiple problems with that plan."
He stood up and paced the floor. "First being the permission to even have a party in here. I told you how my parents are, so that it's damn near impossible."
"What if you lied and said it's to celebrate something your sister has done?"
He stared at me as if I had found the cure to cancer.
"Why did I never think of that?"
I smiled. "So you're for the idea?"
"Hmm...fine. If I get permission, we'll go get the items tomorrow."
I ran back and hugged him. I never threw a party, but I guess there's a first time for everything. "Alright. I'll text you. Bye."
He waved and I headed down the stairs for the front door, only to be stopped by none other than his dad.
"Who are you?," he turned over to the empty staircase. "Missy, I know this isn't a boyfriend of yours."
"It's not mine, it's Romeo's," she shouted from her door frame. Shit.
"Oh, really?"
"No sir. I'm just a friend of his. We met today to do schoolwork. We gotta hit the books, you know?," I nervously laughed.
"Just get on home."
I went past him, closed the door behind me, and ran straight home before my mother could grow any suspicions. It's actually ridiculous how easily my mom could drag a situation. At least now I had another shot at fixing the broken problem between Missy and Romeo.