The Light That Never Goes Out

Boys Don't Cry

 On Sunday at two p.m., you were walking into the Family Video store with your acrylic paints and brushes. Dustin was waiting for you at the counter, chatting (More like bantering) with Steve. When the bell rings at your entrance, both of them look up at you. 

"Where's Robin?" You ask. "She's at home today, wasn't feeling well I guess." Steve seems mildly agitated by the situation. "She opted to tell me until I was at her house to pick her up this morning." He crosses his arms across his chest and leans against the counter. "But it's not a busy day today so I dont really mind." 

"Great. So can we sit behind the counter?" You try and flash him a convincing smile but you know it only comes off as pleading. He rolls his eyes. "Sure just stay out of my way." 

You give Dustin a "We won" grin and hop over the counter. Steve just stares at you as you do so with a raised eyebrow. Your red, green, and yellow corduroy jacket is loose-fitting as it hangs from your shoulders unbuttoned over a black tank top. Your wide jeans are cuffed at the bottoms with sneakers. You pull out a notepad and a pen to write down the color schemes Dustin wants. 

"Okay, so tell me what colors you want and how you want them designed. Then I can paint them." Dustin laughs and shakes his head. "It would probably be easier if I just wrote them down myself. I'll number the bottoms so you know what goes to what." You slide down onto the floor. "Oh, okay." you shrug and hand him the notepad. Less work for you. You bring your knees to your chest and wait. 

You expect to sit in silence. Perhaps you should have brought a book. 

"How was the movie?" A voice asks. You look up at Steve. He's still leaning his back against the counter. Although his hands grip the edge of it tightly. "Oh, it was trash." His face slightly falls, "Oh I thought it would be a good pick. Everyone loved it." 

You couldn't tell him that you had already been forced to watch it by Aunt Sarah when you were ten. If you had still been ten and this had been the first time seeing it, you would have been able to tell him you loved it. Because at one point you had, but now after being forced to see it again, you couldn't say that it was good. That would be a lie. 

"It was good. It was stupid. Exactly what I asked for." You smile at him from the ground. "Did you love it?" You ask him, raising an eyebrow. 

His eyes go slightly wide and his eyebrows raise with them. His head shakes back and forth just the slightest, "I've never seen it." He admits. 

You roll your eyes a small smile on your face. "That's your first mistake, Steve. Dont ever recommend a book on others' reviews. Perhaps if it were something you enjoyed, I would have liked it more."  You say. He gives you a tight-lipped smile and then turns around to get away from you. You have to stop yourself from flinching at the not-so-subtle rude reaction.

"Okay done!" Dustin hands you the notepad. The entire page is filled with chicken scratch-like writing that will take you at least five whole minutes to decipher. "Okay great."  You give him a half laugh and pull out the first figure on the list. 

You open up your needed colors of acrylics and dab the paintbrush on the paint beading from the tube. You start with a base coat on all of them, getting them as neutral as possible to begin the actual paint process. You look down into the box and see just how many are actually in the box. It seemed like a never-ending pit. You stifle a groan and try not to regret what you had gotten yourself into. 

"Look I'm gonna go. Steve, give Y/N some company, please." Dustin declares as he gets up. 

"Wait what? Where are you going?" Steve says. 

"Im not Dustin's friend, he's like five." Dustin shoots you a glare. "And I dont need babysitting, I'm 19. Steve doesn't have to give me company" You smile. "I can leave if you want," You look over at Steve. He looks relieved for a moment as if he's about to ask you to go.