Just Friends

17

୪𝚃𝚎𝚜𝚜୪

We're both completely silent as we climb in the car. I don't even bother reaching over to turn the music up.

And that's how we stay the entire drive to my house.

Because what else is there to say? Absolutely nothing.

When I get out of the car, Levi wordlessly does the same. He's still going to walk me to my door just like he did when we first hung out.

He's not weird, and he's not a creep. He's sweet and does his best to keep the air clear. He doesn't like the fighting, and I don't either.

Levi tucks his hands into his pockets and looks around us as I struggle to jam my key into the door through the blurriness in my eyes. When I finally get it open, I step inside and spin to face him. Levi looks back at me with a frown.

"I'm really sorry, Tessa."

That's all he says before he turns around and starts going back towards his car. His simple apology somehow means more to me than it should.

I think it's the fact that he doesn't have anything to apologize for and is still apologizing. Sincerely too.

I frown deeper when he turns. "Levi."

Levi reluctantly pauses and turns to me. "Yeah?" He breathes. I can see it come out as a little cloud at his mouth, visible in the freezing air.

I bite the inside of my cheek. "Please don't go yet."

Levi hesitates. I watch his Adam's apple bob as he slowly begins stepping closer. "Okay." He quietly agrees.

I take a deep breath as I step to the side to let him inside. When he slowly walks in, I shut the door softly behind him. "Please, just stay for a little bit." I request, unable to really meet his eyes.

"I'll stay for as long as you want me to."

That makes me smile—just a little. "You'll be here for a long time."

"That's okay." He nods.

I look up at him and try to take a deep breath so I don't cry right here in front of him. Honestly, I wouldn't mind a good crying sesh right now, but I want to do that when I'm alone. And I don't feel like being alone.

I can't tell if Jasper was telling the truth back there, but I don't ask. I can't ask. Not right now. Maybe I'll ask later after I've made sense of what that means for Levi and me.

But for right now, I take Levi's hand and pull him into the living room. Levi lets me pull him along, keeping his mouth shut entirely.

I sit him down on the couch and weakly smile as I look around desperately for something to do. Anything that will keep him here for just a little longer, I guess.

He said he'd stay as long as I want him to, but that doesn't mean he'd be happy about it. Levi is the type to sort of just sit here in silence if I had nothing for us to do but didn't want him to go yet.

I snatch the remote up quick. "It's not Halloween yet, but we could watch more scary movies." I blurt, awkwardly showing him the remote like he doesn't know what it is. "I mean, if you're...okay with that." I mutter.

Thanks to Jasper, I find it hard to completely meet Levi's eyes.

Levi nods. "Okay." He agrees simply.

I nod back but stare at him for a few extra seconds. There is one question I have from all of this.

Well, multiple. But one of those questions I can't shake off for later.