"Sweet death has taken this brave man from us..." I muttered the words in a hushed song, as I dragged the cloth across the window, scrubbing away the smudges.
"Requiem Aeternam.
Friends, take what comfort that you can from us.
Dona Eis, Domine..."
"A death song again?" My mom asked as she walked in and set the laundry basket on the couch. "It's always a love song or a death song with you, isn't it?"
I shrugged, moving onto the next window. "Two great genres of music that I just happen to admire."
"You're a twisted one, I'll say that." She shook her head. "Are any of your friends obsessed with death like you are?"
"Out of my five acquaintances, you mean. Aiden's pretty sadistic, probably more so than I am."
"Aiden...she's the only other girl, isn't she?"
I rolled my eyes, realizing exactly how the rest of the conversation was going to go. "She is."
"And there are four boys in that group?"
"Yes." I sat down in on the floor in front of her.
"Are they handsome?"
I folded the cloth and set it next to me. "I suppose so."
(Spoiler alert: the answer is "yes")
She handed me a couple shirts to fold. "And how is, what's his name? Benjamin?"
"He's alright." I shook the shirt out, folding it in half.
"Have you spoken to him recently?"
"I saw him yesterday." I said, nodding.
"They invited you to lunch again?"
"Yes."
"How was it?"
I picked up the next shirt. "Good."
"You like them?"
"I haven't ever really had friends, Mama. Not like that. So, yes, I like them."
"Good." She said. "I'm glad."
The genuine tone in her voice startled me.
I glanced up at her.
She didn't look as stern as she normally did. In fact, I could almost swear I saw a faint smile on the corners of her mouth.
She looked up, feeling eyes on her, and I quickly lowered my eyes before I could be caught.
•••••
It'd been nearly two weeks since I'd met Ben, and since he'd introduced me to the others.
They often asked me to tag along to meals and officially added me to their groupchat, giving me more time to get to know each of them.
Unfortunately, it also allowed more time for my wariness of Sky to deepen, and it seemed to me that he was beginning to notice.
It was highly probable that I was merely overestimating his perception, but neither approach was going to help me.
I was nearing the option of outright telling him the truth, but my lie was holding steady so far, and I wasn't ready to accept the risks yet.
The thing was, if I didn't tell him soon, I wasn't sure I ever would.
My spirits were down, my mind heavily weighed with these thoughts, but they lifted a bit a few days later.
Group:
-Aiden:
«Is anyone down for a movie this Friday?»
After we'd all accepted her offer, I received another message, direct this time.
Ben
«You're coming this Friday, right?»
«Yes. I think everyone is.»
«I have some news for you.»
«What is it?»
«You'll have to wait until Friday.»
«Why?»
«I've gotta have some reason for you to want to see me, don't I?»
«How shallow do you think I am??»
«Well you're no Marina Trench...»
«Ouch.»
«But it's *Mariana»
«Alright, genius.»