The Boy on the Second Floor ✓

viii. Football

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Hey hey hey! I decided to give you guys an extra chapter as a present because y'all are just amazing!

This chapter goes out to embroideredlove. You've been here for a while and I really appreciate you ♡.
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viii. Football

The game was today and Benjamin had told me that he had the time to come over and watch it with me. He had started to warm up to me a bit and I was happy for that: he didn't really seem like the type of guy to really get too close to anyone.

I'd gone to the bar with my co-workers last week and just like I predicted, I was just about dead at that point. I really should have slept more. The guys who had invited me looked a bit worried when, after a few beers, I collapsed onto the bar from how tired I was. I'd done so much that day before I went out that I guess the alcohol was a bit too much for my tired body to deal with.

To say it was embarrassing was an understatement.

I heard a knock on the door and I rushed to open it. There he was. Benjamin stood in front of me with a timid look to him. "Hi," he said.

I smiled, "Hey. Come on in, the game hasn't started yet." I gestured for Benjamin to step inside and he did so. He took off his shoes and we walked to the living room. "Want a beer?" I asked to which Benjamin replied to with a soft "yes".

I disappeared into the kitchen to get us a couple beers. I soon returned with bottles in my hands. Benjamin had sat on the couch and he looked a bit stiff. "So how are you, dude?" I asked as I handed him the beer. Benjamin nodded in thanks and adjusted his position a bit,

I sat next to him. "I'm alright, I guess. It feels pretty good to have a night where I can relax a bit," Benjamin said. "It's honestly been too long since I had a break."

I grinned, "Dude exactly! Work is honestly so tiring but what can you do? we need the money to survive."

"Yeah," Benjamin smiled. He took a sip from his beer before making a face of disgust. "What kind of piss water is this?"

"Oh god it can't be that bad," I said, taking a sip as well. "Okay, it's bad. This is a totally new brand to me and I had no idea how it tasted so don't blame me."

"No it's fine," Benjamin laughed. "It's still drinkable. It may taste like piss, but it isn't like were going to die from drinking it," he said, taking another swig with a determined expression.

I grinned at him and then looked at the TV. The game was beginning. Benjamin and I watched the game and chatted a bit while doing so. Most of the chatter was sports related, like the stories Benjamin told me about how he used to play baseball, or the stories of my short lived soccer career. He had also made a comment about how Taylor hated football and Benjamin would have to watch games in secret from her because of it. I, of course, found it quite odd but didn't question it.

I wasn't huge on actually playing the sports that I watched. I did play them every now and then, but I enjoyed just going on a jog every now and then instead of playing team games.

At some point, it had become a bit of a game for the two of us to see who could drink the piss water beer the quickest. Benjamin ended up winning and by the time the game was over, he was completely relaxed and laughing along to whatever dumb jokes I made. There was an obvious difference to how he was now than how he was before we had watched the game.

After the game, we ended up watching some random show and talking about random things for a while. Neither of us were drunk by any means but I guess you could say we were a bit tipsy.

"We should make this a more regular thing," I said, taking a short break before continuing: "If you're not too busy for that. You probably have other friends who you'd want to hang out with more than me, a random guy you met a few weeks ago."

"No I don't," Benjamin said, surprising me. I would have thought he had more friends that he hangs out with. "You're honestly the only person in my life that I consider as a friend right now. Not to mention that my girlfriend seems to like you¨so obviously it would be fun to hang out with you on a more regular basis."

"Well then," I laughed, "That settles it. We'll have a guys' night every now and then whenever we're both free." We both smiled and shook each others' hands in agreement.

This would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Benjamin got a notification, so he looked down at his phone. He smiled down at the screen and I spoke with a smirk: "Ooh, is that your girl texting you?" I nudged him with my arm.

Benjamin stiffened again, just like he had when he first sat down on my couch tonight. He shook his head, "No, it's someone else. Someone I haven't talked to in so long."

"Oh well that's nice," I said. "What's their name?" I was genuinely curious.

"It's Miranda. She's my little sister. I really miss her," Benjamin told me. I frowned.

"Why don't you go see her?"

"I can't."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because Ta-" he started before seemingly realising what he was saying. "Because I'm too busy." There was something in his tone that told me to not question him any further, so I didn't. Maybe he would tell me the real reason one day.

After that, I changed the subject and we talked for half an hour more before Benjamin decided he needed to go back upstairs to him own home. We said our goodbyes and made promises to do this again sometime in the near future.

Not that long after Benjamin left, I had gotten rid of the beer bottles and done my night routine. I laid in my bed when I again heard yelling from upstairs. The one yelling sounded so incredibly angry and they screamed loud enough that I could hear the words that were muffled by the walls:

"Why the fuck are you still talking to her?"

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oh hello there. 'tis a chirstmas present for y'all.

Dec 24, 2019