CHAPTER 10: SOMEHOW, IT GOT THERE

I finally sighed in relief when I put my phone back in my pocket. Allen still sat beside me and didn’t seem to want to move back to his original place so we began eating (me devouring) our food. He kept asking me about stuff; about what I like to eat, my favorite food, my favorite place to eat etcetera.

“So I’ll know where to take you next time,” he said calmly when I asked why he asked so many questions. The warmth was creeping up again but I immediately brushed it off, thinking, well, as long as he’s paying, then I’m good with anything. Heh heh heh.

We finished our dinner and headed back to our dorm and arrived just a little after nine. We reached my door first (because it was closer to the elevator) and Allen was about to wave at me when suddenly, completely out of nowhere, I said to him, “Wanna hang out here tonight?”

Well, maybe the reason I asked was because I was still slightly worried about him. He seemed better, but I caught him staring into nothing a few times at dinner and when we walked from the parking lot.

“Sure,” Allen smiled and followed me inside, albeit after a few seconds of startled silence on his part.

“Sorry about the mess,” I apologized to him, looking around the mess Chuck made. There was his boxer lying on the floor, one of his socks on the couch, his tank top on the kitchen counter. That bastard always left things scattered around whenever he stayed the night here. I practically had a drawer full of his stuff.

Allen just smiled and threw his body onto the couch, ignoring the sock. I scratched my head and started to tidy up a little before getting a fresh towel and handing it to him. He took it gratefully and went straight to my bathroom while I picked out my biggest sleepwear for Allen to wear later.

That guy was huge. I mean, Chuck was big, muscle-y and buff. But Allen was really tall. A little bit taller than Chuck and though he didn’t seem like it, he was also very muscle-y and his shoulders were very broad.

I then walked to my kitchen and took out some snacks and a bottle of beer for myself, turned on the TV and my Xbox, and started playing while waiting for Allen to finish. I was in the middle of leveling up when I heard the bathroom door open and then close and glance at Allen who’s already refreshed and wearing my clothes.

Thank God it fits him.

“Oh, you’re done?” I asked when Allen approached me. “Wanna play?” I asked again when he flopped himself beside me on the floor. He shook his head so I quickly finished the game and turned the TV off before heading to the bathroom.

I took my shower while thinking about how I can get Allen to cheer up. Not that it was any of my business or anything. I just couldn’t stand it when people were down. I was also not the type to confront people about such things. I knew full well that some people just need to think about their own problems themselves. But I couldn’t help but always want to cheer people up, like Marsha and Chuck always managed to do to me whenever I feel down.

I sighed and decided to just try making jokes again before putting my towel around my waist and going out of my bathroom. I forgot my clothes in my room so I just went out looking like that, though I somehow felt shy

(Again… Me? Shy?).

I walked out of the bathroom and see Allen is sitting on the couch, staring at his phone but he looks up when I enter the room and head to my closet, rummaging through it clumsily. I need clothes A.S.A.P. I thought and cheer internally when I find my favorite tank top and boxer to sleep in and I immediately put it on, aware of Allen’s eyes on me. I slid them on then got out the balcony to hang mine and Allen’s towel to dry.

“Want some?” I asked Allen before taking a sip from my beer. He nodded and I walked back to the kitchen and grabbed another bottle for him.

“Thanks,” he said as I handed him the bottle before flopping down on the floor in front of his legs which I use to lean my back on. I put my beer down on the table in front of me, contemplating on what’s to say to Allen so he’ll cheer up when he suddenly moved his legs so I sat between them and he put his chin on top of my head. He dangled his empty beer bottle in front of my face.

“Can I have another one?” he asked. Is he planning to get drunk? I asked mentally but nodded anyway before getting up to grab a few more bottles so I don’t have to keep going back and forth. Mine was also almost empty too anyway.

Once again I sat between his legs while he leaned back on the couch, silently drinking for a while and before I knew it, there were already quite a number of empty beer bottles scattering on the floor. My head already felt so light and my eyelids were heavy. I leaned back on the couch (still between Allen’s legs) and sighed. Allen shifted his body so my head rested on his stomach rather than dangling like it was about to fall off my neck.

“Sorry,” I said weakly to him. He caressed my hair for a while before lowering his body to the floor and hugged me from behind. He put his chin on the crook of my right neck and circled his arms around my waist. I felt kinda awkward because no one (besides Chuck and Marsha) ever really hugged me like this before. This close. I awkwardly patted his head gently and I could feel him sighing heavily in my neck a few times. It’s really ticklish, but I bit my lip so as to not make a sound. I think he needed this, so I just sat there, relaxing against Allen’s broad chest.

I kept brushing his soft blonde hair that’s tickling my face with my right hand while my other hand rested on Allen’s hands which rested on my stomach. His hands were so big but surprisingly soft. For a basketball player, that is. I could also feel his muscles as they moved along with every heavy breath he inhaled and exhaled. I could smell my shampoo and soap on him, but they smelt different somehow. Sweeter? Better than when I smelt them on myself (if that’s even possible… Or makes sense).

Allen then buried his face further in my neck (it’s so ticklish!) and kinda squeezed my body (I can’t breathe!). But I just sat there, not wanting for him to get discouraged and awkward if I brush him off. I was just sitting there, leaning against Allen’s squeeze on my body, thinking, when I suddenly let out a chuckle as I remembered something of the past.

Allen shot his head up and turned to me with a frown. “Oh, sorry,” I immediately turned to him and apologize. “I’m not laughing at you,” I told him as I shifted my position so I’m halfway facing him now. “I just remembered something,” I smiled at him and he looked at me curiously. He looked at me intently, closely and the warmth is back to my cheek but I brushed it off again as I chuckled before telling him a story,

“I remember in sixth grade, I have my first fight with Chuck,” I told him without looking at him as I reminisced about the past. “I mean, like a real fight. With fists and everything. We were on the playground, during recess, I think. And like, on the ground, kicking, punching, and wrestling each other for a good fifteen minutes, more or less. None of the kids dared to break our fight because they were afraid they’d also get punched. And then Marsha, little Marsha with her beautiful long hair and beautiful long dress, threw a bucket of ice water on us,” I chuckled again.

“We’re drenched head to toe and finally stopped fighting. We stood there flabbergasted staring at her. We’re covered in dirt and blood. There were scratches all over our bodies. Then Marsha, sweet, beautiful, calm and compose Marsha started to very calmly, and coldly, and very politely,  scolded us, saying all of these things about me and Chuck being friends and how stupid we were for fighting over silly things and about how we should stick together forever if we still want to be friends with her.

“That was also the first time we realized that Marsha was, and is, in fact, the scariest of the three of us. The next day, Chuck, as usual, picked me up and we headed together to Marsha’s house to pick her up for school. Just like usual, walking together, chatting, laughing, just like nothing happened the previous day. Only our bruises and bandages indicated that we had a fight. But I think, even then, that very next day we didn’t quite remember what the fight was all about. In fact, until now, even if you ask, none of us really remembers what happened,” I chuckled again then I turned my head towards Allen, tilting it a little so I got to see his face which was apparently smiling at my story.

His eyes were still a little dark when it usually shines so brightly, just like the sky in the spring. Bright and warm. Blue and beautiful. Especially when he smiles. My hand moved unconsciously to touch the base of his eyes. Frowning, I continued. Hoping that he’ll get what I wanted to say, what message I wanted to relay to him.

“That was the point where our friendship changed,” I continued, stroking his face absentmindedly. “We got even closer and we promised, silently and with words, that we’d stand by each other’s’ side through everything, bad and good. Staying strong at the worst and celebrating at the best,” I lowered my hand from his face to hold his hand.

I knew exactly what I wanted to say to him. What I wanted to tell him. But it’s kinda embarrassing to say it straightforwardly. So, I was really hoping that he understood where my blabbering is going as I gently put my hands on top of his. Squeezing it gently, I continued, “It’s nice, isn’t it? To know that you had, have, and always will have people who will stand by you no matter what? To realize that you are not alone. Because it’s a fact that you indeed, are not alone. Probably never have, and definitely never will,” I said softly to him, smiling. Embarrassment creeped up to me in the most annoying way.

Hey! I’m trying to do a good thing here!

Allen blinked at me a few times before his lips started to curl into a smile. He let go of his hands and gently caressed my hair. “Thank you,” he whispered softly and I turned my head in embarrassment.

Well, at least he got it.

We were staying in silence once again but this time, Allen’s eyes were a little brighter. I sighed and leaned my body sideways so my cheek leaned on his chest and he engulfed me in his embrace, pulling me closer and I relaxed myself against his warmth. It was very comfortable and I was tired. I closed my eyes and stayed that way for a little while longer, letting my drowsiness took over once again, claiming me as I fall asleep in Allen’s arms.