Ben
Our shopping had started in Bed, Bath and Beyond. I told Bryce I was going to get him new bedsheets since he only had two sets and we changed them after our nightly activities. We needed an extra set so we could wash them on laundry day and not have to worry about sleeping on a bare mattress.
"How about this one?" I pointed out a pastel colored bed set.
"Want to get your ass kicked?" he replied, "It's too girly for my taste."
"I think it's cute," I said, "What about that one?" I pointed out a white and tan colored bed set.
"Nah, too pale."
"What about that one?" I pointed out a black and crimson bed set.
"Love it if it were blue instead of red."
I call the sales associate over and she makes a bee line towards us, her face bright and smiling. "Yes sir, how may I assist you?"
"Yes," I said to the sales associate, "I was wondering if you had this set but in blue instead of red."
"I'll check that out for you sir," said the sales associate, "So you're looking for a black and blue bed set for a King size bed, correct?"
"King?" Bryce responded, "We're looking for a set for a full sized bed, not a king." Bryce's voice had a hint of annoyance to it.
"Oh, I'm sorry," said the sales associate, "I thought you two were…"
"You know what?" Bryce said, "Pick whatever you want. I'm outta here." He stormed out and said to me, "I'll be at the food court."
"I apologize sir," the sales associate said, "I shouldn't have assumed."
"It's ok, miss," I told the associate, "Don't mind him. My boyfriend is just shy."
The moment she heard the word boyfriend, the sales associate started squealing like a schoolgirl who just got asked to the prom by her crush. "I knew you two were together."
"Well," I said, "We're not officially together, so for now he's my future boyfriend. So about that bed set?"
Bryce
I know Ben was happy with people assuming we're a couple. But as for me, I couldn't see us as a couple. At least not now. The idea was too strange for me.
Ben came to the food court and asked me what I was in the mood for lunch. We agreed on this Asian fusion restaurant. The moment we sat down, I started picking at my food. Ben picked up on it and knew I was still bothered by the incident at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
"Come on, Bryce," he said, "You can't still be angry with her. She apologized."
"Fine," I said, "But I'm still pissed at you."
"Why?"
"Because," I replied, "I know that's what you want to hear. It's not going to happen."
"Is that all you're going to eat?" He asked me, "Want to order more?"
"No," I said, "I want to go back to the dorm."
"Come on, Bryce," he said, "Would it kill you to have a nice meal out with me?"
"Well then," I said, "Hurry up and eat."
Ben stopped talking and proceeded to eat his orange chicken. After a few bites he handed me a bag. In it was the bed set I had told him I wanted from the store.
"Thanks," I said and I was happy he got me new sheets for my bed, that is until I saw the price tag. "What the fuck? Ben, it's almost $200. What kind of sheets cost that much?"
"Yeah," he answered, "It's pricey, but the quality is pretty good."
"Forget it," I told him, "I don't want it. It's too expensive."
"Just take it," he said, "I told you I would buy it for you."
"I said no," I replied, "It's too expensive."
"Take it."
"No," I kept denying him, mainly because he had spent so much on me and I felt guilty for it, "Are you rich or something?"
"No," he answered, "I bought it with my own money from my part-time job."
"Wait," I was surprised about this job he mentioned, "You have a job? What job?"
"It's just a job," he told me, "Don't worry about it?"
"Uh-huh," I didn't believe what he told me, "What job? You never told me. Nothing illegal, I hope."
Ben laughed and said, "No, nothing illegal. I sing at a bar."
"Oh really?" I asked him, "How long have you had this gig?"
"Since my junior year in high school," he answered, "A friend of my ex's opened her own bar a few years back. She heard I was in a band and she hired us to perform."
"You're in a band?"
"Was," he told me, "We disbanded halfway through senior year and even then, she still kept me on."
"Why did you disband?" I was very curious about him and his past.
My question made Ben change from his smiling, goofy self to a sad and regretful. He didn't answer and it seemed that the subject was a painful memory he didn't want to dig up.
"Nevermind," I said, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
He immediately grabbed my hand and held it like a man trying to reassure his girlfriend. Or his lover in this case. I looked around to see if anyone was watching.
"Ben," I told him, "Let go of my hand. We're in public."
Ben ignored my request and proceeded to answer my question, "I had a fight with a bandmate."
"Why," I asked him, and jokingly asked the next part, "Did you sleep with his brother or something?"
As I laughed about it, Ben remained silent. I knew his silence confirmed that my joke was the actual truth.
"Oh man," I started, "I'm sorry, I meant it as a joke. You serious?"
"Yeah," he said, "I dated his twin brother. We were together for a year, before we became a band. We hit the one year mark and out of the blue, we broke up. Because we broke up, my bandmate accused me of hurting his brother, when in fact, I was the one who got dumped."
"Why did you share that with me?"
Ben looked me in the eyes and said, "Because I want you to know me. All of me. The part of me that has been hurt in the past."
We finished our plates in silence. I never realized that Ben had experienced having his heart broken and yet he still stayed cheerful and kind. We finished our shopping and once we were about to leave the mall, I had to go to the bathroom. I was on my way out when I heard someone call my name.
Champ
Now that we are on our off season, my weekends are now free. However, since I'm usually at a game on Saturdays but since we didn't qualify for any championship games, our season is over for the remaining term.
My friend from highschool, May, had called me and asked me to watch a movie with her. I asked my roommate, Walter, if he wanted to come since he has done nothing but study.
"Hey Walter," I asked him, "Do you want to watch a movie with me?"
Walter dropped his pen and looked as if I had won the lottery and asked him if he wanted to travel the world with me.
"Um, uh, a movie," he stammered, "W-with you?"
"Yeah it'll be me, my friend May, and maybe some other people."
Walter smiled and acted a bit shy. He was really cute at times. However, I couldn't tell him that. Especially after what had happened with Bryce and those two students. I became more afraid to tell anyone. Even my roommate.
I told May that my roommate was coming and she decided to call our other friend Fae. We met at the mall and hung out for a bit after buying our tickets. We were at the food court, grabbing a bite to eat and saw Bryce coming out of the bathroom.
"Hey Bryce," I called him, "Hey, what's up?"
"Hey Champ," Bryce said, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here with my high school friends. And you?"
"I'm here with my roommate."
"Oh well," I continued, "If you guys are free, we're catching a movie in few. Wanna come with?"
"Love to," he said, "But can't. My roommate's waiting on me. But you guys have fun."
Bryce left and suddenly Fae asked me, "Who was that? Friend of yours?"
"Yeah," I answered, "He's on the football team with me."
"Oh," May said, "He's your type, Fae. Tall, handsome, athletic."
"Oh shut up, May," Fae said, "I just think he's cute, that's all."
"Well if you like him," May continued, "Why don't you ask Champ to help you?"
Fae leaned in and asked me, "Does he have a girlfriend?"
"Bryce?" I replied, "I don't think so, but I'll ask him for you."
"Well then," May said, "We just have to wait for the update then. For now, let's get to the movie, it's going to start soon."