maniac | timothée chalamet ✓

0006

MANIAC,
CHAPTER SIX

"I DON'T GET why you wanted to stop at the food court", Mara Dumont tsked as she sat her bags down next to Elliot. "I mean—"

"Mara-!"

"We have so much to do today, and—"

"Mara!"

"What?" The dark haired girl finall stopped rambling on long enough to notice that a certain Timothé Chalamet had arrived at their table. He was wearing a pair of expensive looking sunglasses, but she'd know that mop of brown curls anywhere. "Oh", she said after a moment. Her brown eyes went back and forth between them for a moment before she began to quickly gather up her bags. "You know, I just suddenly remembered that I went down a dress size. None of these clothes will fit me, and I must return them all immediately. Bye!"

"Wha— I didn't mean you had to leave, Mar!", Elliot called after her. Upon hearing laughter, Elliot turned around with a raised brow. "What? What's funny?"

"Nothing, it's just that this is just like high school", Timothée laughed.

"I've matured", Elliot defended. Lots of things had happened since they attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. (With Ansel Elgort, no less. Elliot didn't really 'meet him' during high school. What a missed opportunity. Timothée and Ansel appeared to be pretty good friends back then, even now still apparently, so Elliot knew him, but he didn't know him.) He liked to think that he had grown and changed in some ways.

"Have you? Because I seem to remember Mara locking us in a supply closet and then running away saying that she suddenly remembered that she wrote down all the wrong answers to keep Milton Keynes from copying her and must go correct it all with Mr. Byrnes at once", Timothée reminded.

"Well, this time we'll actually talk instead of me threatening to punch you every time you open your mouth", Elliot shrugged, taking a seat. "Are you going to keep those shades on the entire time? I feel like I'm talking to a douche."

"Yeah, you just had to taint the memory of the supply closet where we made out for the first time." For a moment, Elliot thought back to that day. Stupid teenage boys sneaking out of class to lock lips in the least romantic of places. His cheeks turned red with embarrassment. As if just realizing that Elliot had asked him a question, a lopsided smirk appeared on Timothée's face. "Yes, I'm supposed to be incognito."

Elliot took in the boy's oversized, white shirt and wrinkled skinny jeans, his exceptionally clean, white sneakers. Yeah, no way. "Okay, Mr. Superstar", he snorted. "You were big enough to be interviewed by Harry Styles for i-D. I highly doubt a pair of sunglasses will keep people from noticing you and your hair." Timothée raised a brow. Slender fingers reached to push the glasses up, simultaneously pushing back his hair. "What, now you suddenly want them off?"

"I like it better when you talk to me like an equal", Timothée shrugged.

Elliot laughed at that, but it wasn't a humorous laugh. It was short and clipped. "Everything you do automatically becomes a blockbuster hit. We are not equals."

Timothée scowled. "That doesn't make me some type of prince, Elliot."

Elliot sighed heavily, busying himself with his phone. "I despise you."

"You didn't despise me when you were letting me su—" Elliot kicked Timothée beneath the table, cutting him off. "Ow! What was that for?"

"We're trying to make amends. Finishing that sentence will make me get up and leave, I assure you", Elliot answered. "How's Lily?", he asked, changing the subject.

"I would assume she's good", Timothée said simply.

"You mean to tell me you don't know how your girlfriend is?", Elliot asked curiously. Something didn't add up, chief.

"We broke up. It was meant to be a break, but I realized it could never work out", the green eyed boy shrugged.

Elliot raised a brow. "Am I allowed to ask why, or is that too invasive?", he asked, taking a long sip of his drink.

"I realized that she was the wrong gender", Timothée answered, as if this was the most boring thing he could be asked.

Elliot choked a bit on his soda before deciding the best thing he could do is make light of the situation too. "If you had realized that in high school, we wouldn't be sitting here."

"Yikes, kitty still has claws", Timothée said sarcastically. "I really am sorry about all that, Elliot. I never meant to actually hurt you. I was stupid and naive, and I just wanted to fit in. And I thought that if I did this, I could find out if I was... If I liked boys or not without anyone knowing if I decided I didn't. We were seniors, you know? I figured everyone would just... forget or not care. I know that doesn't make it right, and being a stupid teen is no real excuse either. Your heart should not have been collateral damage in my stupidity. And I shouldn't have viewed your feelings as anything less than the worth of mine just because I was trying to figure myself out. What I did was messed up, and you didn't deserve it. But please know that I really did care about you, I still do. So, even if you don't forgive me, which I totally understand, I just want you to know that I'm eternally grateful for this chance to explain myself and properly apologize to you. Which, really, is something I should have done ages ago. I never should have let you leave that night."

"I just don't-", Elliot sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead. He did that a lot when he was depressed or over thinking. "I just don't understand why you didn't at least tell me in the end. Why did you let everyone make fun of me like that? It still would have ruined me, but I would have rather heard it all from you."

"Because I was scared. I-" Timothée cut himself off, leaning back with a deep breath. "Fuck, Elliot, I had fallen in love with you. I was in love with you, and that terrified me, because I didn't know what it meant. I didn't know if it meant I was gay, or bi, or what if it was only you? All I knew was that I was crazy about you, and I knew that if I told you I would lose you, and I didn't want that. But it happened anyway. Just please, give me the opportunity to make it up to you." And love you right this time.

"Well", Elliot said slowly, turning his gaze to the table. He certainly hadn't expected that answer. "Anakin says that holding grudges is bad for my eternal soul, or whatever... and Celeste thinks this would help me be able to move forward in my relationship with Percy..." He may not have actually done it, but internally Timothée was rolling his eyes. "So, I'm willing for us to at least try and be... acquaintances. Maybe even friends, but it's going to take me a long time to be able to fully forgive you. So if I ask for space or something, please just give me that."

"Of course. You won't regret this, Elliot, I promise." And when Timothée smiled right then, it was like the sun was pouring out from his expression. "I'll grovel for your approval every day, promise."

And maybe they didn't know it just yet, but Timothée was right. Elliot certainly wouldn't regret it.

JUNE 8/NOVEMBER 19, 2020
well, in the words of donkey from shrek:
now we're gettin somewhere! 🥴