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Benjamin and Julia were enjoying the beautiful summer day and sitting on their balcony. It was one of those perfect days when they were in no rush to go anywhere. They'd been wrapped up in a casual conversation but spent the last few minutes in silence, both thinking about their own things and drinking some homemade lemonade. All of a sudden, seemingly unprompted, Julia burst out laughing. Mildly confused by this, Benjamin set down his glass, still half-full, and turned to look at Julia.
"What's so funny?"
Benjamin couldn't help but wonder as he saw how Julia's shoulders trembled as she did her best to calm down enough so that she could speak.
"Oh, I just remembered that it's the anniversary of when I first called you Fanboy,"
she was finally, after a while, able to explain. A sudden realization dawned on Benjamin.
"Ah, of course.. That was quite something, wasn't it.. And there I was, hoping that the nickname wouldn't stick,"
he sighed and shook his head. Julia then leaned in close and playfully punched his forearm.
"How could it not stick?"
she continued and wiped the corners of her eyes. Some tears of joy were threatening to break loose.
"You were out of control the very first time I learned about your obsession with Linda Q! Apart from captain Koskiniemi, I've never met anyone who's such a huge fan! Actually.. I think you may be even more far gone than he is!"
Benjamin listened to Julia go over the moments which had permanently solidified his place in the Fanboy Hall of Fame.
"Now, I wasn't all that bad.."
he still attempted to save face, despite already being well aware of how there was no point and that he was only wasting his time and breath.
"Yes you were! Would it be okay if I took a little photo? You looked ready to jump out of your pants when you got to talk to her!"
Julia once again laughed, unable to even hold eye contact with him for longer than a few seconds.
"Please don't say it like that.."
Benjamin mumbled. Julia simply grinned at him.
"But, like I said that time, I thought it was very cute of you. I still do,"
she continued as Benjamin wrapped his fingers around his glass and picked it back up, bringing it to his lips. He was starting to feel his cheeks start to burn and was certain they were brighter than the nose of Rudolph on Christmas Eve.
"Still, I have to say.."
he carried on with the conversation after taking a long sip of his lemonade.
"I think I still owe you a proper thanks for giving me a chance to actually work with her."
Julia shook her head at that.
"You've already thanked me plenty in the past, there's no need for it any longer. And, how could I have let such an opportunity slip through your fingers? It was the one and only, Linda fucking Q, after all."
They then looked at each other, exchanging soft glances as Julia took Benjamin's hand in hers.
"It was the right decision and what you wanted. You could barely even stop talking about Linda, and I had the chance to do something kind for you, so.. I did."
"I didn't talk about her that much!"
Benjamin protested with a playful edge in his voice. He wasn't exactly surprised to have Julia laugh at him again.
"No? Yes you did!"
The sound of Julia's laughter was near impossible for Benjamin to resist, so it didn't take long for him to start laughing, as well.