Three Phantoms of You [bxb]

Whatever You Like

Nolan:

The counter rings as a sign of tags being read into receipts. I had already finished picking up my clothes when I accidentally saw Kiev here. Which is possibly not my intention.

I go here mostly every day since I got here, each time to buy something new. It keeps my mind off of school and off of him. And guess what? I somehow met him at the most awkward time when I promised not to bump into him at all.

I was serious when I said that because I didn't really want my vacation or his to be ruined. We'll just be hell for each other if we meet, and I'm not really in the mood for any of it. 

But our town is too small, and he's here, making spaces seem smaller. I want to not engage with him at all here, but somehow I can sense a difference in him. He's still the same cold-hearted bitch, yet he's easier to talk to now. Especially since I didn't expect him to care when I told him goodbye at school last week. Yet, here I am.

Side by side with him at the counter.

"You're for real, buying that?" I say curiously as my eyes lay upon a shirt that says DILF in the front. Worst. It is actually an acronym. 

He takes his wallet from his pocket as he replies to me, "Yeah, it's my favorite thing to be called as."

I don't know if he's serious or not, but judging by his face, I can tell his bluff. Being with him for years now made me secure a few details from him: he's always into sarcasm and always tries his best to get a reaction out of me, even if it's negative. Honestly, fascinating.

"I doubt anyone will call you that," I insist.

He looks at me with one eyebrow raised, questioning. "And why is that?" he asks.

I act to think, even if it's out of line, "Because you're a twunk," I joke.

He kind of is, but not really. And we have the same build, so I'm technically calling myself one as well.

He just blatantly smiles at me as he pays the cashier. "Damn it. I thought I was more of a DILF," he mocks. "I shouldn't have bought it."

"It'll apply in twenty years; don't worry," I assure.

We walk out of the thrift store as the cold hits both of us again. We have nowhere else to go, yet somehow I don't want our interaction to end. 

It's unlikely for us to even talk at school other than hating each other. Okay, sure. I'm the one who's always hot-headed, but he gave me rude vibes before, so that's that. 

But I don't really have anything else good to do. I'm just hurled in my room and go out whenever I get the motivation to. "Do you want to get coffee?" I blurt out.

It's the easiest excuse when you want to hang out with someone. "Aren't you fed up with having coffee every day at the cafe yet?" he asks.

My eyebrows furrow in wonder, and I look at him, confused. "I barely drink coffee or go to a cafe."

He rolls his eyes at me as if I'm joking once more. "Sure," he replies. 

I continue to think over what he said because that's not really what I expected to hear when I asked for a request. However, he didn't give me time to think as he held my arm firm and pulled me with him. "Let's just get sushi," he starts. "I heard there's a newly opened one here."

I had no choice but to say yes because it's the first time I've seen him being this enthuasistic anymore and, moreover, bringing me with him. That's new. 

So I let my feet follow wherever he trails as we walk our way to the diner he just mentioned.

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