golden boy : stozier

one

stanley sunk in his chair, his back still mostly straight. he smiled warmly to a parent passing by, who nodded in acknowledgement. stanley sighed, content for the moment. parents floated in and out of the room the two were in, and stanley was smiling to each one. there was something about being liked by parents. it just felt good. ben's parents were hosting a meetup for drinks and chats, and so stanley was there, to be showcased by his parents.

"hey, stanley, do you have any recommendations for songs?" ben asked, sitting in a recliner next to him. stanley turned his head, musing ben's question.

these were the first words of the night between ben and stanley besides, "hey", despite the two of them having known each other for years. family friends, and all that business. stanley pretended to bite his lip while thinking, which made ben laugh.

"uhm, i'm a big fan of "slaughter beach, dog" if you know who they are. they're kind of like the front bottoms? i think you'd enjoy them, ben. what kind of music do you like?" stanley said, ben nodding along. ben's grin stretches across his face, and he takes out his phone, as if to write it down in a note. stanley liked ben. he was easy to talk to and get along with. not everyone was.

"cool. i like joy again, they're really good. i'm also a huge fan of the beatles. i think everyone could benefit from a beatles song or two." ben replied. stanley hummed an agreement.

"hey, kid, could you come help set the table?" some parent stanley did not recognize walked up to him, asking him a question. stanley nodded and got up promptly. while setting the table, he wondered why the man hadn't asked ben, too. he flapped the tablecloth, and the thought left his mind.

a couple weeks later, his parents were hosting the same kind of get together. all the same people, the same kids, but now in stanley's living room. and he was okay with that. he was okay with everything.

"chelsea! i'm so happy to see you could make it!" andrea uris greeted her friend, kissing each cheek like they were in france. donald smiled warmly, inviting her further into the house. stanley stood next to them, smiling charmingly and offering a drink. 

he looked over and saw ben, motioning him to come over. he glanced up at his parents, chelsea, and then back at ben. he smiled, mouthing, "one minute," and then looked around. 

he found a table and placed the platter of drinks on it. he re-approached his parents and said, "i'll be right back, promise," and then disappeared into the crowd towards ben. his parents said nothing, only watching him wade through the crowd. they watched him reach ben, and ben showed him something on his phone. it made stanley laugh, and the two continue to talk for a bit.

eddie suddenly walked into the uris residence, his mother trailing behind him.

"sonia! so lovely to see you," andrea's painfully fake voice echoed in the entryway, repeating her face-kissing routine. there was no stanley to offer her a drink, so she did not take one.

"oh, andrea, have i gotten a chance yet to tell you about eddie's piano?" sonia started, eddie looked a little embarrassed. he got up on his tiptoes and kissed his mommy on the cheek. then, looking around the room, he wandered off to stanley and ben. 

"what on earth are you laughing at?" eddie asked, stanley clutching his stomach. ben was snickering, and immediately hid his phone.

"do not show him!" stanley exclaimed, him and ben laughing harder. eddie furrowed his eyebrows and unintentionally flared his nostrils (which only made ben laugh harder).

"i won't, eddie trust us it's for your own good," ben said, swiping something away on his phone. 

meanwhile, eddie's mom was going on and on about eddie's piano accomplishments. passing his exam with flying colours, all things of the sort. donald looked around the room for stanley and found him quickly, sending him a look that meant come back here. stanley, who was still laughing, didn't see it. the look turned into a glare, one that andrea repeated, and stanley was still too distracted to see it.

"shit, stanley," eddie elbowed stanley, pointing with his head over to stanley's parents. stanley stopped laughing and immediately muttered, "thanks," to eddie as he sped walked back across the room.

he felt himself heating up, embarrassed. fuck, he'd embarrassed his fucking parents. couldn't he just be a good kid once? that's all. 

"drink?" stanley suddenly appeared next to his dad with the drink tray again. sonia kindly took a drink and gave stanley a very sloppy kiss on the cheek. stanley gulped and smiled.

"well, our stanley here is currently in the midst of some interviews for a second job to take on with school, aren't you?" donald suddenly spoke, sonia opening her eyes in surprise. she congratulated stanley, who simply continued to smile.

he held in a sigh.

later, after everything was cleaned up and everyone had gone home, stanley was snacking on a granola bar while looking at some of his physics homework. his mother passed by him and put a hand on his shoulder. 

"better watch your snacks, you don't want to be like big ben, do you?" she joked, laughing heartily. stanley smiled, though he thought the comment was kinda rude. soon enough, she kept on walking, and stanley let his shoulders slouch (if only for a moment). 

"have you ever considered learning an instrument, stanley? i think eddie's feats on the piano are quite impressive, don't you?" his dad then asked, walking by in the same fashion. stanley nodded, silent.

this was normal for stanley, but he still wasn't used to it. he'd never get used to it. 

he listened as his parents continued to talk in the room next door. something about a family to invite next time. a troublesome son, a good daughter. stanley sighed and got up. he rubbed his eyes. 

you fucked up again.