The Lost Boys

Chapter 19: Stuck In The Zone Of Friends

Edited ☑️

gif of Carter !!

Carter's P.O.V

I think the moment I met Brandon, I realized maybe there's more to life than hiding away and hating everyone. Granted, I was eight but I was the most depressed eight year old there ever was. And he was the happiest kid I've ever had the pleasure to meet.

"Hey freak did you feed Satan today or is that every other week?"

I grunt as I pass the crowd, trying to silent their laughter from meeting my ears. It's not a mystery that they hate me. It's definitely a no-brainer that I hate them more. There were a few kids who tried to befriend me, but long story short, I didn't want friends and I still don't. Friends are too exhausting, and I'm already exhausted for life. I learned a long time ago that I was destined to be alone forever, I've accepted that now.

"That's not very nice." Huh? I furrow my eyebrows out of confusion as they silent themselves. I've never heard that voice before. Must be a new kid, did he not get the memo? I turn around, ready to tell him to get lost and forget about being nice but something happened before I could. His eyes. It was his eyes.

"Hellooo? Carter have I lost ya?" The voice snaps me out of my daydream, his voice. I lift my head to meet his eyes. Those eyes. He smiles down at me but I can see the confusion laced around his face. He doesn't understand why I get like this sometimes. When I'm quiet and moody and don't want to talk. He doesn't understand but he never leaves. He doesn't have it in his heart to leave.

"Nope. I'm here." I answer finally, watching him as he collapses onto the couch, sitting down next to me with a sigh. I didn't notice 'till now but he put on Friends and it makes me smile. It's my favorite show and I bet he thought it would make me happy. He doesn't know that just his presence makes me happy.

"Well good because tomorrow is Christmas and we have all of today to hang out before I have to leave." He pouts reminding me of the vacation. How could I forget? Every Christmas, Brandon and his parents leave for the rest of winter break and go to Minnesota, his parent's home town. It sucks when he's gone but I manage. Usually.

"Yeah I know, what do you want to do?" I ask, knowing that he would want to do something epic before we have to say goodbye. Last year we went ice skating outside for twelve full hours. I couldn't feel my legs by the time we got done and Brandon fell on his butt so many times I had to carry him to the car.

"Actually can we just stay here for a bit? I heard a Christmas special Simpsons marathon was gonna show today."

"Sure." I shrug, relieved since I don't want another repeat of the other times we tried to make this day memorable. Brandon goes overboard with that kind of thing, he want's everything to be perfect when usually it's not.

"Great! You make the coco and I'll make the popcorn?"

"Okay, help me up."

Brandon jumps to his feet, sticking out a hand for me to grab and when I do he pulls me up and, suddenly we are very close. So close.

I freeze, staring into his eyes as they look back at me and our heads graze against each other. It was probably five seconds but it felt like hours and when he finally steps away, I attempt to clear my throat.

He acts like nothing happened and maybe for him nothing did happen, but for me I'm trying to hide my shaking hands from view cause he'll ask about them and then what am I suppose to say?

"You know where the popcorn is right?" He asks me even though I know his house like the back of my hand. I probably know it better than him.

"Duh." I deadpan, walking into his pantry and gathering two packets of popcorn and a big bowl to fit them both. The sense of comfort is growing as we work beside each other, sometimes I glance out of the corner of my eye and watch him attempt to make hot chocolate. He gets really distracted easily so it takes a while for him to accomplish anything.