Cardboard Lover × HARDZELLO

5

It wasn't a coincidence that Ben showed up when Paul punched Joe. Ben was watching Joe the whole. In fact, Ben had his eyes on Joe for a while now. A while being a year.

*****

Ben was a junior at school. Huge glasses rested on his nose, his blond hair messily tucked into his beanie, wearing his new maroon Adidas. Hand clutching a whole stack of textbooks, he timidly walked to class. Of course he kept his head low. He didn't want to get into trouble with anybody, or rub anybody the wrong way. With his huge nerdy glasses and scrawny frame, he knew he'd be the target of many bullies. But Ben made a huge mistake of keeping his eyes to the floor, because he suddenly walked into someone, causing him to fall and drop all his books. His glasses flew off his face and was left strewn on the ground. "I'm so sorry," Ben's heart pounded as he recovered from the floor. Opposite him was a huge, burly guy, eyes flaming with unspeakable anger. The guy shouted with such menace, " Fucking faggot! Open your fucking eyes!" Ben crumpled back to the ground, watching in horror as the bully brought his shoe down onto his glasses. 

Tears threatened to spill, but he refused to let them. No, not on the first day. "Scram the fuck away blondie, I don't wanna see your pretty face in this school again." The bully said before walking off, leaving a huge group of students circling Ben who was still sat on the ground next to his books and broken glasses. Yeah, everyone watched, no one helped.

Until he came.

 Out of the corner of his tear-blurred eyes, Ben saw a small figure with a brown hair coming towards him. Ben blinked to clear his eyes, only to see that the boy's hair was not brown, but in fact a dark ginger. " Don't mind Roy," the boy said, his voice surprisingly soft, " He's being sent to Juvie in a month so you'll be safe." he continued as he helped Ben gather up his books. Ben was too stunned to notice the ginger handing him the stack. "Th..thank you," Ben said, trying to meet the boy's eyes. However he couldn't because the boy kept looking down. The boy smiled, still keeping his eyes trained on Ben's maroon Adidas. it was the first smile directed at hims  since he had entered this school. "Oh!" the ginger yelped before picking up Ben's broken glasses and passing it to Ben, which caused him to stutter another awkward thank you. The crowd that had surrounded them had started to disperse, till only Ben and the boy were left. 

"I guess I'll just go then." 

" Wait no," Ben grabbed the boy's wrist, preventing him from leaving. The ginger turned around, his eyes still not meeting Ben's. "What's your name?"

"....... Joe. Joe Mazzello."

He quickly walked off before Ben had a chance to thank him again.

*****

Since then, Ben had an interest in Joe. Joe Mazzello. Such a simple name, but it always got Ben feeling jittery all inside. Ben had had a huge transformation since then. He ditched his messy hair and beanie for a clean cut. He started working out and joined the football team. He switched his broken glasses for contacts, though he kept the frame that Joe had passed to him, and he kept it sitting on his bedside table. 

Of course with his huge transformation, and the fact that Joe didn't look at him at all during their first encounter, he wasn't surprised when Joe didn't notice or say hi to him in the hallways. To be honest, Ben didn't know how to approach Joe too, but the prolonged lack of communication left Ben more attracted to the ginger who had helped him when no one did.

So you could imagine how happy he was when he got to enter Joe's dorm. 

Now he was in Joe Mazzello's room, inside Joe Mazzello's adorable pillow fort, watching Jurassic Park on Joe Mazzello's TV, with Joe Mazzello sleeping right next to him. Joe's body was plastered right onto Ben's, his head resting on Ben's shoulder as light snores escaped his mouth. Before Ben could think, his hand moved up and his fingers started to play with Joe's dark ginger strands.  Soft, as vibrant as ever. As vibrant as their first encounter. Joe's eyes fluttered, scaring Ben a little, but then he fell right back asleep. Ben could feel the smile on his face getting wider. This was the boy, the only one, who had helped him back when he was a shy, scrawny, helpless freshman, the one who was totally clueless that he had helped Ben a year ago.

" Thank you. " He whispered in Joe's ear, before drifting off into a blissful sleep.

xxxxx

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AAANNNNDDD SUB TO JOEEEEE