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The break room of the Smiling Friends headquarters had fallen unusually silent, devoid of its usual inhabitants. Only the faint buzz of the TV, displaying grey static noise which dimly illuminated the room, filled the air. A clamor of voices drifted towards to the vacant room. Two distinct voices, to be exact..
The door creaked open as a large figure entered, followed by a smaller figure. The larger of the two ran his hand across the wall until he found the light switch, then flipped it upwards, revealing none other than Pim and Charlie, Smiling Friends’ two best employees. Which wasn’t too much of a stretch considering the role of their coworkers, Alan and Glep, was unknown.
Pim offered a rebuttal to something Charlie said back there in the hallway. “You really shouldn’t say things like that, Charlie. You deserve better.”
Charlie groaned. “I don’t know what you want from me, it’s the truth; literally no one would care if I dropped dead right now.”
Pim gave Charlie a look that was somewhere between offended and baffled. “Charlie, you… You actually, genuinely died not too long ago and lots of people cared. Did you forget that happened? Didn’t you see how sad everyone was at your funeral? How sad I was…? We all missed you, dearly. Especially me.”
Charlie rolled his eyes as Pim went on. “Oh, great, so you’re doing this, now. Another example of you bringing up shit that happened ages ago and using it against me.”
“Are you even listening to me?” Pim tried his best not to lash out too harshly. He can’t recall how their conversation had gotten so heated, but he could tell from the moment the two of them came into work that Chatlie was in a sour mood today. He heaved a heavy sigh. A tense moment of silence fell upon the room. Pim hesitantly broke it.
“Charlie… I just don’t know what to do with you anymore. I try and I try to do whatever I can to be a good friend to you. I just hate seeing you so self loathing and hopeless. It really feels like I’m talking to a brick wall. It’s like you don’t want to feel better. You just want to be miserable. I only wish I knew why.” Pim focused his gaze on a single tile on the floor, bracing himself for Charlie’s response.
“That’s bullshit. Why would I want to be miserable? I mean, me, miserable? I’m doing just fine. I never ask you to do anything. You know what your problem is, Pim? You just take everything personally. And you know what else? You may be a happy go lucky little optimist, but me? I’m a realist. It’s not my fault you can’t handle that.” Charlie walked over to the counter and began to prepare himself a cup of coffee. And, fuck it, he makes one for Pim as well. Despite the current hostility between them, he still cared for him a great deal.
Pim took a seat at the table in the middle of the room. He could feel a heavy weight in his chest. Charlie’s words cut a bit too deep. He’s done arguing. “I’m sorry…” He meekly uttered. His tone of voice similar to that of someone who’s just found out his dog died.
Charlie noticed Pim’s shift into a submissive stance and sighed. He kind of feels like an asshole, now. Pim was just trying to help, as always. “No, no,, I should be the one apologizing here. That was uncalled for.” He carried the two mugs of coffee to the table and sat down across from Pim. He slid Pim’s mug towards him. Pim held it by the handle and took a sip. “Thank you…” He mumbled quietly.
Charlie took a big gulp of coffee, then wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his hoodie. “I didn’t mean most of that stuff, I just.. I dunno, I slept like shit and I woke up with a migraine that won’t go away and I’m just having a hard time seeing the point of it all right now.”
Pim tilted his head in curiosity. “The point of what?”
“Life. Just in general. It feels like I’m trapped in an endless cycle with no end in sight. I feel so insignificant.”
Pim frowned. “That’s terrible. I’m really sorry you-“
Pim is interrupted by a loud shriek from Charlie. “Holy crap, dude, watch out!” Charlie pointed to a small black and red dot that seemed to be floating in Pim’s face. It was a black widow spider, dangling by it’s string of web.
“Don’t move. I’m gonna clap it in my hands.” Charlie leans over the table and prepares to crush the spider.
“No, Charlie, don’t!” Pim quickly grabbed the spider out of the air and gently cradled it in his hands. “Poor thing. It deserves to live just as much as we do, don’t you think?”
“What’re you doing?! Put that thing down before it bites you! I’m pretty sure it’s like super poisonous.”
“Venomous, you mean.” Pim said calmly as he watched the spider crawl up his wrist with a smile on his face.
“Okay, whatever, I used the wrong nomenclature, that doesn’t change the fact that that thing’s dangerous.”
“Charlie, it’s fine, look!” The spider crawls up to Pim’s shoulder and rests there. “See? It’s harmless. It’s just a cute little misunderstood critter.”
“If you’re not gonna let me kill it then could you at least take it outside? I’m like this close to having a panic attack.”
“Alrighty, then! Time for a field trip, little fella.” Pim takes one more sip of his coffee, then walks towards the doorway. He stops in his tracks before leaving. “Charlie, maybe you should come with us! I think some fresh air would do you well.”
Charlie chugged the rest of his coffee and followed behind Pim. “Yeah, okay, just keep that thing far away from me.”
“Can do!” Pim exclaimed as he gleefully walked out the back door with Charlie trailing behind him at a safe distance from the spider.
Once outside, the two friends are greeted by Alan and Glep, who were hard at work caring for Alan’s little garden. Glep tried repeatedly to lift a watering can that was twice his size, to no avail. He mutters some gibberish under his breath, eventually improvising by spitting on the plants.
Pim smiled upon seeing the progress they had made with maintaining the plants. “Oh, there you guys are. How goes the gardening?”
Alan was busy plucking some pesky weeds that dared to intrude on his precious garden. He glances at Pim momentarily, then focuses back on the task at hand. “It goes well. You’re not going to eat my worms again, are you?”
Pim chuckled awkwardly. “Haha, no, that was a one time thing.”
Charlie felt a chill run down his spine as he watched the spider climb onto Pim’s smooth, bald head. “Are you gonna get rid of that thing or what? It’s freaking me out, man.”
“Oh, I almost forgot!” Pim scooped the spider up in his hands and knelt down to the ground. “Off you go, little one.” He planted a quick little smooch on the spider before setting it free. It scurried into the grass.
“Oh, thank god that’s over with. Let’s go back inside.” Charlie took out his phone and stared at it as he walked towards the back door.
“Wait, Charlie. I was thinking we could stay outside just a little bit longer. If that’s okay with you.”
“Uhhh, yeah, sure. Why not, I guess.”
“Yippee!” Pim exclaimed. He found a good patch of grass and laid down on his back. “Charlie, over here!”
“…What’re you doing?”
“Cloud gazing! Won’t you join me? Pleeease?”
“Dude I’m not going over there, the spider’s in there.”
“Aww, come on, Charlie. Pretty please? With a cherry on top?”
Charlie heaved a sigh and stepped through the grass over to Pim. “Fine. But if that spider bites me, you’re paying for my medical bills.” He awkwardly flopped into the grass and laid down next to Pim. “So, what, we just look at the clouds?”
“That’s the gist of it, yeah. It’s pretty relaxing.”
“Okay…” Charlie folded his hands and rested them on his stomach as he stared up at the sky. “…Right there, that one totally looks like a dick.” He pointed at the phallic cloud.
“I was gonna say that one kinda looks like a puppy, actually.”
“Huh. I guess I can see that, yeah. If you squint a little.”
Pim turned his head to look at Charlie. His mind was racing with thoughts. He had so many things he wanted to say. It ate him up inside knowing that Charlie feels so worthless and unloved.
“…Charlie?”
“Yeah?”
“I just wanted to say you’re my best friend in the whole world.”
“That’s sad.”
“Sad? Why?”
“You know how many people are in the world? Billions. And out of all those people you’re choosing me? I’m just some nobody.”
“Well, you’re right about one thing. I am choosing you, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Nah, you’re just saying that.”
“I mean it, Charlie. Cross my heart and hope to die.”
Charlie remained silent, seemingly stumped. Pim really sounds like he’s being genuine. There’s only so much doubting he can do before he has no choice to accept the fact that people care about him.
“Hey, Charlie?” Pim’s voice cut through the gentle breeze moving though the trees.
“Yeah?”
“You’re very special to me.”
Charlie didn’t respond.
“All the little things you do make my day. Like earlier, you didn’t have to make me coffee, but you did anyway. And it’s not just that. You make me laugh, you’re a great listener, you give me good advice…”
“Alright, alright, if you keep inflating my ego like that it’s gonna pop.” Charlie chuckled lightheartedly. “…Thanks, Pim.”
Charlie folded his arms behind head with a slight, content smile on his face. He pointed out another cloud to Pim.
“That one definitely looks like a dick.”
“Huh, yknow, it actually does. Life is beautiful.”