(@ ShpookyJimKristmas' chapter Who's next?)
It was getting pretty dark outside. Since the confrontation, Brett showed no signs of wanting to get back to Eddy.
"Come on, bro, don't isolate yourself like that..." Eddy muttered to himself. He checked the clock on the office wall.
9:58 PM.
Worth noting is, Eddy didn't move from the office at all. He just sat there, hand on Brett's empty spot, feeling its warmth drain into the atmosphere, other hand scrolling through Instagram until it was sore.
It was getting really late, so he decided to call his friend. Just... to be on the same page.
Try once, try twice.
Try thrice, no answer.
Try text him.
Eddy:
Bro, it's late.
U ok?
10:01 PM
Brett:
Yea
Don't worry bout me
Please
10:06 PM
Eddy:
...ok
Just checking
Even tho its p late, want me to come over?
10:07 PM
His answer was delayed. For a good period of time.
Eddy's finger was hovering over the keyboard, unsure if to ask Brett why he's not responding.
Brett:
Nah
All good
Stop worrying
Please
10:16 PM
Eddy:
Bro you didn't answer my calls either you SURE you good?
10:16 PM
Again. No response. Eddy gave up. Didn't wanna press on.
....Truth is, he didn't want Brett crying into a pillow, eyes red, just because of a video they'd made.
Then, again, he might've had a pretty good reason. And Eddy didn't want to dwell on the subject for long. He was scared that was the case.
***
Eddy: broooooooooo
Wanna go out
Boba tea
Just the two of us
Answer
09:09 AM
Brett:
Very much fine thanks
09:10 AM
Eddy:
Come on
Come o u t
09:11 AM
Brett:
Where the fuck are you
09:12 AM
Eddy:
In front of your house
Move it bad boi
09:12 AM
Brett:
...gimme 5
09:20 AM
Eddy:
Yaaaaaaaaay
09:20 AM
Eddy's legs hurt from standing, but it was ninety-nine percent worth it. He had been thinking of yesterday's incident all night. Maybe a bit too much, if he put it into perspective, considering he had slept three of the seven hours he gave himself every night.
Brett got out in fifteen minutes.
He looked natural. Aside from the prominent black circles under his eyes and the red blood vessels spreading in his eyes like webs. Eddy noticed those, and drew out the assumption it was yet another unslept night for his best friend. He stopped his thoughts from going any further down the line.
"Brett! Bro, I mi-" Eddy stopped. Missed him? He surprised himself. "Uh, it's good to see you this morning."
Brett was drowsy. "Hi."
They took the usual route to the mall. They took it so often they could swear, Eddy could swear he saw their footprints stuck into cement by now.
"Brett."
"Huh?"
Eddy was kind of curious about... things he dared not mention, so he decided to question Brett as low key as possible. "Why didn't you answer yesterday? I called you three times."
Brett had seemingly decided to give him the silent treatment.
"Hmmm... In another order of words..." Eddy paused for effect. "I would've liked talking to you."
...
"I don't know!" Brett raised his voice. "Stop asking, okay? Probably didn't wanna snap at you on the phone."
Eddy stopped dead in his tracks and frowned to himself. "Snap at me..."
Silence ensued.
They picked up walking again.
"...Why snap?" Eddy asked.
There was a brief pause.
"Weather's capricious today..." Brett had decided to change the subject. Once and for all? Expressly for Eddy, he wasn't sure. He will try to get to the bottom of things one day.
His and Brett's hand brushed together for a moment. Brett almost imperceptibly jumped and shied away by an inch, while Eddy just felt a rush of something through the tips of his fingers all the way to his head and toes. From then on, it just became quieter and quieter.
Streets were awake. People were chatting. Kids running around. A pale blue gust of wind ruffled their hair and leftover autumn leaves left trees and rested on the ground.
The mall and coffee shop weren't crowded at this time. They went in and Eddy went up to the counter to order while leaving Brett to find a table, as they usually would do.
This time, Brett didn't leave Eddy's side. When Eddy opened his mouth to order, Brett slightly, peacefully almost, touched his hand and said: "I'll order and pay. Just this once. Never bothering you again ever."
Surprised, Eddy just shrugged it off and left it up to him while he got a table.
Their time together went out quickly, like a candle. Eddy would just space out with the straw in his mouth, and occasionally wake up and see Brett staring into his eyes, and, at times, he saw a bit of something in them. Hope? Possibly. Anger and frustration? Yes, but why?
...Love?
Eddy preferred to go around that notion.
Why aren't we talking, Brett? Why did you shy away like that? Did I do something? Anything? Even if you swore at me I'd feel better than I do now. What's all this for? I wanna know...
It was still early when they got back in front of Brett's house, 11:09 PM. So they maybe had some time to practice. Together. Tension was still floating in the air when Eddy threw in the fatal words. "Want me to stay? Or do you wanna come over?"
Brett was already halfway up his alley when he had said that. He stopped for a moment, as time did too, maybe. When he turned around, Eddy could see a glimmer in his eyes, two pearls at the corners of them.
"I'm okay. You can go home." He paused. "Besides, we haven't practiced for quite some time."
Before Eddy knew it, the door closed behind Brett, leaving him outside, alone. On the other side, he heard a loud thud against the door, as if Brett had slammed his whole body onto it. Eddy leaned against the grillage.
He could hear a couple of tired, almost annoyed groans, before it went silent. Brett had gone inside completely.
Eddy turned down the driveway and started walking back to his own place. Brett had been right. He hadn't practiced in days.
(Who's the next author for our collective Breddy, our cadavre exquis? @Melinflower? )