Chapter Text
Sunday 1:42 am
People were dancing, making out, and enjoying themselves under the influence of cheap alcohol and smoke. The loud music was filling almost every room in the big house. One of the main bathrooms was closed, and Naim with four of his friends were inside the tub taking turns with a plastic bottle that was intended to work as a bong.
‘There is one, she is hot and has short black hair, and I haven't seen her at our school.’ Naim said.
‘Oh I know who you are talking about. Her ex-boyfriend was a very tall and dark-skinned twenty year old model, which is the complete opposite of your appearance.’ Hunter laughed.
‘I might have luck tonight…I don’t know, I mean you kissed someone here already’’ Naim teased Hunter along with the other boys.
It was almost three in the morning and the boys were in the kitchen area now. A girl and her friend were rushing to the sink, one of them drank too much and the other one was helping keep her hair away. The boys were teasing Naim since Hunter was being too obvious about noticing that it was the same girl they were talking about. One of Naim's friends offered to help so that Naim could get to talk with her.
Naim was still smoking and made eye contact with her first, she smiled back while getting closer to him.
'My name is Sarah by the way.’
'Pretty'. Naim said before stretching his hand. He handed her his joint, she took a hit and started coughing right after.
‘That’s not how you do it, let me do it for you.’ Naim got even closer to the girl, and grabbed her chin with one hand and blew a cloud of smoke over her mouth.
They went into one of the house’s halls, it was not that crowded or perhaps it was but Naim couldn’t tell in the middle of whatever was going on at that moment. The kissing was a dry and starving one and Sarah just couldn’t help but go for his neck. Naim, closing his eyes, tried to avoid thinking of anything else than this. Not even thirteen minutes into the kiss and Naim looked around while getting his neck and chest kissed—when the cops were calling at the door—they were at the entrance asking for ID’s. Naim found a way to make it an excuse to leave the scene, leaving Sarah confused by his sudden behavior. Naim wasn’t sure if it was because of the weed he had in his pocket that Hunter handed to him to take it home or because he didn’t want to go any further with the girl.
He was getting more anxious and kept looking around his way out of the house to escape from the yard unnoticed. Luckily for him a guy who was about to ride away on his bike caught his attention. Naim didn’t think twice and stopped him before he headed out.
‘Can you give me a ride? There’s a raid.’
‘Sure’
‘Sorry, it’s just, I don't want the cops to get me again, thanks’ Naim said as they were leaving.
‘By the way, I’m Naim.’
‘Ryan, nice to meet you.’
Sunday 12:25 pm
Naim right after he could even open his eyes was looking for his phone. He grabbed it and a notification popped up, it was from his mom with a biblical passage. There was a message from Hunter as well saying that the police found some things in Jessica’s house last night. And that she was really mad at him because she had to hide his weed after one of her friends found it during the raid. Naim, feeling his friend’s desperation from just the text apologized, excusing himself by saying that he had to leave it there well hidden before leaving because of the police interrogations happening at the entrance while he was trying to escape and promised he would get it back.
Monday 11:40 am
Naim and his friends were having their daily conversation sitting outside the classroom eating before going back to class. Hunter was telling the others about the other day's issue with the weed.
‘I’m gonna get it back!, I promise!’ Naim spoke quietly and acted like it wasn’t a big deal for him.
‘You better do,’ Hunter responded, shaking his head.
Naim zoning out notices a familiar figure from afar who was talking with someone just twelve meters away.
While being naive of his staring, the guy sensed his gaze and smiled at him, but Naim immediately looked away acting like he was just listening to his friend's important conversation but the truth is that he was trying to figure out if it was the bike guy from the other day.
Jessica came over to them to invite the boys to their friend’s event they had arranged and she knew they wouldn’t decline because she had something they were trying to get back from her.
‘Hi guys, how’s everything going? She said with a sarcastic voice. ‘I just wanted to let you know about our event this Friday, entry fee before 11pm. Don’t miss it!’ Jessica finally said while the boys were looking at each other nonchalantly.
‘Well…we’ll be there Jessica’ Hunter said, and she left with a big reciprocated fake smile.
Naim didn’t have any other option but to think about that as his plan to ask Jessica for the weed.
She would send him and the other boys the location later that day.
Friday 12:15 am
It was just Hunter, Naim and the other boys at the event. Unfortunately for Jessica they were the only male friends from school she could talk to since they knew each other from childhood. After some beers and laughs they were singing their hearts out. It was so fun after all, but still Naim had the mission in his head to persuade Jessica to get the weed. At some point he ended up just following her into the place’s bathroom and Jessica was just messing with him since he was being annoying the whole night.
Someone entered the bathroom mid- persuasion and Naim noticed that it was the guy who helped him the other night, Ryan.
He was trying not to act awkward or unconsciously look at him but Ryan just glanced at him as he entered, and closed the cubicle door to pee. Naim was still talking with Jessica when after a couple of minutes Ryan got out and went to wash his hands.
Jessica was in the way of the only water tap working so Ryan asked her if he could use that one.
‘Oh no, sorry I didn't see you darling, she said while moving aside.
‘No, it’s okay, thank you’, he said, smiling back.
‘Hey,’ Naim said, getting a head nod from Ryan. ‘How are you?’
‘Okay’ Ryan said before he grabbed some toilet paper to dry his hands off, then crumpled it into a ball, and threw it from where he was standing toward the bin behind Naim.
‘Cool’ Naim said with an awkward smirk on his face before Ryan left.
After too much beer and a successful conversation with Jessica. He couldn’t take his eyes off Ryan from a distance, it was time to go back home. Naim said his goodbyes and headed outside, sparking up a spliff while balancing his phone and a bottle of beer.
‘Careful’ Ryan spoke almost whispering and caught Naim off guard.
‘You’re funny’ Naim said sarcastically.
‘Don’t…they are around, they could get you for no reason.’ Ryan tried to stop him and helped him with putting his almost empty bottle aside.
‘My taxi is here.’ ‘If you want, we can smoke one at my place.’ Ryan said while entering the car.
Naim and his tiredness were fighting each other but couldn’t say no to the offer.
They were at Ryan’s place and as soon as Naim entered this one was scanning everything—the room had its own kitchen, a single bathroom next to the bedroom, a small living room that had a window with yellow curtains in the middle that goes with the brown couch, a bunch of vinyls, plants and several books piled on top of each other.
After the quick tour, Naim was rolling a joint sitting across from Ryan.
‘You so don’t look like someone who would smoke pot’
‘No? What do I look like?’ Ryan said while looking at Naim trying to close the small jar.
‘No idea’ Naim smirked at him.
‘Come on, I don't mind’
‘I don’t know, you just look so different at school… I mean you have a record player with a Lana del Rey vinyl here’ Naim chuckled.
‘It’s like medicine, her songs are like therapy’ Ryan stood up and played How to disappear.
Naim walked over to the large window in the center of the room since it was raining and stood there watching the rain fall with the joint in his hand. Ryan followed him and sat on the arm of the sofa that was in the corner by the window, facing Naim—and ended up, perhaps, a little too close to Naim’s legs. In his defense, he did it so he could pass the joint to him easily.
There was a tension that made them feel closer than they actually were.
‘When I was little I used to go outside in the morning after raining the whole night and just stand still feeling the morning dew,’ Ryan said.
‘I used to eat the grass when I was little,’ Naim chuckled as he passed the joint over to Ryan.
‘You mean, smoke the grass’ Ryan laughed with Naim as they shared a quick, friendly handshake.
‘Are you hungry?’ Ryan said while standing up and heading to the kitchen.
‘Are you a good cook?’ Naim followed him.
‘I’m good at a lot of things, you know, but I was thinking of just making cheese toasts’
The were standing across from each other and the kitchen table was the only thing that was in between.
‘Do you like some Vegemite?’ Ryan asked putting a small piece of cheese on Naim’s mouth as he acted nonchalant about it.
‘Sure’ Naim said, trying to avoid eye contact looking at Ryan’s rings instead.
‘We have to grab a real meal someday’ Ryan said while cutting more cheese.
Naim agreed nodding his head
.
‘The guys I saw you with the other day are your crew?’
‘I know them since we were like 9’
‘Do you think I could fit in?’
‘Are you trying to steal my friends’
‘Nah…
you are enough’ Ryan said and Naim shook his head.
Ryan fed him a piece of toast. ‘Try it.’
‘Is it good?’
‘Yeah, It’s just toast i guess’ Naim said, teasing him.
‘Do you like… rnb, rock, pop, rap? What do you want me to play?’
Ryan asked with a soft voice.
‘Do you have something from Frank Ocean?’ Naim said after thinking for a minute and he looked at the blond who was waiting for him to talk. ‘If not anything is ok’
Ryan went to look.
He opened an Orange vinyl and Thinking about you started playing. ‘Yeah, I got this from a friend’ Ryan said nodding with a smirk on his face.
They finished their late snack when someone knocked at the door.
‘Hi darling, why didn’t you answer my texts? A girl’s voice came out from the front door and Naim had a mixed expression on his face.
‘I had a guest, sorry’ Ryan said while pointing over toward the kitchen.
Naim after getting the cue headed to the front door to go.
‘Hi, I’m Iris.’ she said nicely.
‘Nice to meet you, I’m Naim’ ‘I have to go anyway’
Naim said abruptly as he said goodbye to both of them.
Monday 11:35 am
It was gym class—Naim and the boys were sitting waiting for their turn to play.
Ryan was there warming up too, therefore Naim was unconsciously distracted by the blond's presence.
Suddenly Ryan was getting closer to them and Naim once again was caught off guard.
‘You forgot this last friday.’ He threw Naim a jacket and smiled kindly and looked unbothered.
‘Is it yours right?’
Naim's friends were just waiting for him to answer.
‘Thanks’ Naim said with an almost awkward smile.
‘Forgot where?’ Hunter genuinely asked, looking at Ryan.
The boys also were staring at the blonde guy now.
‘…In the cafeteria’ Ryan answered and left right after.
‘Who is that?’ One of the boys asked Naim.
‘Is just one of Jessica’s friends.’ Hunter said.
Friday 11:20 pm
Naim was sitting next to Sarah on a couch at Hunter’s party.
Just thinking that maybe she might have been too high to remember what happened last time they saw each other made things easier for him.
‘What music do you listen to?’
asked Naim, trying his hardest to speak loud enough for Sarah to hear what he was saying.
‘I… I like Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber…’
‘What about you, what type of music do you like?’ She asked close to Naim’s ear.
‘Well, you know…Frank Ocean’
‘Who is that?’
‘Oh no no, get out of here’ Naim said with a teasing voice.
‘Do you know who Lauryn Hill is?’
‘I have no clue, sorry.’ She responded.
‘This is… bad!’ Naim said, shaking his head. They were both drinking already really close to each other.
When someone caught Naim’s attention.
It was Ryan with Iris at the door greeting everyone at the entrance.
He could sense his gaze from there.
Ryan and Naim locked eyes but didn’t greet each other. They kept looking for each other while dancing and chatting with others. Sarah was so drunk as well as Naim—She grabbed his arm and went back to the couch to recover.
It was so hot inside and Sarah and Naim started making out. Naim opened his eyes trying to look for someone again when he spotted them. Ryan was looking at him already. They were making out with other people but as their kiss kept going, with time the staring got more intense.
The party ended around three in the morning and everyone was leaving. It was time to clean the whole room. Naim, as Ryan's good friend, had to stay until the last plastic cup was thrown away.
Sarah asked him if he wanted to share the taxi with her and Iris before leaving but Naim decided he would take the bike. She left after saying goodbye to him and the others.
Naim was in the kitchen throwing the last cans of beer away into the bin.
When Ryan appeared with beer bottles and cups to throw away.
‘Didn’t you take a taxi with the others?’ Naim said after he glanced at the blond.
‘I have a bike.’ Ryan answered while emptying the beer cans.
He glanced at Naim with a cocky smile before asking, ‘Were you having a good time with Sarah?’
‘She’s something’ Naim said while cleaning the sink with water.
‘Do you know that Iris and I have been dating since we were like 15?’
‘Okay’ Naim glanced at him and went back to his task.
‘I feel like, as time goes on, we're becoming more and more distant…and, I’m not sure if I still want that,’ Ryan spoke quietly.
You don’t see yourself with another girl right after ending things with her?’ Naim asked.
‘Not necessarily with a girl,’ The blond said with a neutral tone.
‘I just don’t want her to think that is because of her addiction’
‘What do you mean?’
‘She has had this addiction since she was a kid and every week now she goes to some specific places where he finds a specific large snake that is almost 1.40 centimeters long. It’s insane, and she’s trying to get like five of them now and bring them home?!’
‘Are you serious right now?’
‘No, I’m joking’ Ryan said while laughing at Naim's look of disbelief.
‘You’re a cunt’ Naim kept doing his task ignoring him.
‘Five snakes…are you serious?’ The brunette murmured while shaking his head.
‘Did that part give it away?’ Ryan said while laughing.
Naim rolled his eyes. ‘Who does that?…‘She’s still cute’ Naim said her name quietly to avoid the fact Ryan was getting closer while cleaning his hands to dry them off afterwards.
Ryan got even closer and Naim stood still until he found himself hiding his face unsuccessfully to Ryan’s heavy gaze. He was feeling cornered by the blond presence and he almost gave in to the kiss when he stopped Ryan pushing him just enough to make him realize it was not gonna happen.