[DISCONTINUED] string bean pt. 2 | wilbur soot

14

I sat next to Niki, trying to keep my eyes open as the two of us watched her friend, Jack Manifold, stream. As much as I love Little Nightmares and Jack's energy, the jetlag had finally caught up to me. I'm not sure what time it was back home currently, but I'm guessing it was late. Niki seemed to have noticed because she asked if I wanted to take a nap. As I explained to her that I was okay, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

I sighed quietly, not feeling awake enough to hold a steady conversation, which Niki had seemed to understand. "Is there a place that I can take this without bothering you?" I asked her, not wanting to just ignore whoever the caller was.

"Oh, you could take it right here and I wouldn't mind," Niki smiled. "But if you want some privacy, I shouldn't be able to hear you from Wil's room. It's right down the hall. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

I nodded, thanking her as I got up. Privacy wasn't a big deal to me, especially when it was just Niki, but I was curious as to see how Wilbur's room was set up. Of course, I'd seen it before during our FaceTime calls, but it'd be different to see it in person.

As I made my way to Wilbur's room, I finally pulled my phone to see who was calling. Surprisingly, it was him. I answered quickly, suddenly feeling bad for letting the phone ring for so long.

"Vee-" he spoke quickly, not giving me the chance to even speak. "What are you doing in the UK?" he asked.

I paused for a moment. "How did you know that? I came to surprise you, but- Tommy said-"

"Tommy's the one that told me. What did Tommy tell you?"

"That you're in America... To stop me from moving in with Carson."

He sighed. "Well, yeah. That's true."

"What? But how did you even find out?"

"Carson told me," he said. "Why are you moving in with them? What happened to Elena? The last time that I asked, you said-"

I interrupted him. "I know what I said. She kicked me out, okay? She'd rather live with Noah than live with me. And I don't have anywhere else to go. They told me I could just take Noah's spot so that's what I'm doing. I don't have the money to live anywhere else."

I could hear the sadness in Wilbur's voice when he asked me why I didn't just tell him that in the first place. I bit my lip, looking at the ground. I should have told him. He probably would've helped me. No- He definitely would've helped me. 

"I didn't want you to have to worry about it. I'm sorry, Wilbur," I mumbled.

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but I am worried. Vee, you're moving in with Cooper. Did you not realize that?"

"Of course I realized, I'm not an idiot." I stopped for a moment. "Is that really what you're worried about?"

He didn't say anything.

I frowned. "Wilbur. You know you don't have to worry about Cooper. We've been over this, like, a million times."

"I know," he spoke quietly, "but you... you know that I'm always going to. Please, don't move in with them. Please."

"What else am I supposed to do, Wil?"

He let out a breath. "You're right. You're right, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I murmured. 

"Not really, no. I should trust you. I mean, I do- I do trust you. I just don't trust him."

"He was high-"

"He's always high."

Okay, true. I sighed, keeping quiet. This feels like it's going to turn into a fight and that's the last thing I want to do right now. I think Wilbur felt the same way because he changed the subject completely.

"When are you coming back? To America, I mean." He asked, "Do you have tickets already?"

I nodded even though he couldn't see me. "Yeah, um, I'll be here for the rest of the month. My plane home isn't until the first."

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then. Tonight, if I'm lucky."

"What? Wil-"

He spoke quickly. "I don't have my tickets back yet- I can just get them now and then I- I can show you around London! We can meet up with Tommy, Tubbo, George- I think Ranboo is around? If you wanted to- Or not- I don't know, I just... I really want to see you." His voice got quieter as he said, "And to be completely honest, I don't really want to stay in America if you're not here."

I smiled as he spoke. "Alright. Whatever," I chuckled. "We can do whatever you want."

"Mm, no- We're gonna do what you want when I get there. Okay?"

"Okay," I chuckled. 

"Okay," he said again. Just by the way that he said it, I could tell that he was smiling. I was too. I'm really lucky to have him.