Never Means Forever

I woke up really comfortable. I opened my eyes, and I jumped back against of the couch I was on. I didn’t recognize where I was at first. After a minute or two I recognized I was in Lucian’s living room. It took me a second to remember Lucian invited me over, and we were watching a movie when I fell asleep. I felt bad for falling asleep on Lucian. I fished my phone out of my pocket. It was about three. Shit! I had about ten minutes to get home, or I had to call Dad right away and ask if I could hang with a friend.
I hit speed dial to talk to my dad.
“Hey Dad, can I please hang out with a new friend today?”
“Have I met them?”
“Not yet. But you can meet him soon.”
“Do you have work tonight?”
“No.”
“Then invite him over for dinner. Have a fun time.”
“Thank you Dad.”
“And what’s your friend’s name?”
“L-Lucian.”
“Okay. I’ll see you guys at dinner.”
“Thanks Dad. I love you.”
“I love you too, Alex.”
He hung up.
I stretched then noticed Lucian standing in the doorway. I smiled weakly and waved like a dork.
He looked like he had something on his mind.
“I-I’m sorry. I-I would have been late if I didn’t a-ask. W-we don’t have t-to hang o-out. I-I’m sorry.”
Lucian frowned and walked over to me. He sighed like something was up as he sat beside me.
“W-What’s wrong, Lucian?”
“Why are you always so nervous, Alexander?”
I bit my lip. “W-what do you mean?”
“It seems like you’re always nervous.”
“J-just afraid t-to mess u-up.”
“How would you mess up?”
I couldn’t tell him how I absolutely had a crush on him. One that had grown since he had found me and cheered me up.
I didn’t reply. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself in front of him.
“Why did you run away earlier?”
“I just h-had bad m-memories.”
“About what?”
“M-me.”
“Can you talk to me about them?”
I started fidgeting. “S-sure.”
He would surely hate me after I told him. I felt Lucian’s arm wrap around my shoulders pulling me closer and causing my heart to skip a beat.
“Then tell me about the thoughts that were going through your head.”
“I was remembering what M-mom s-said w-when she left…”
Tears started welling up in my eyes, making my vision blurry.
“What did she say, Alexander?” Lucian asked gently.
“I’m-I’m not g-good e-enough for anyone… I’m-I’m t-too m-much trouble…”
I started crying at that point. I curled up on the couch, and Lucian just hugged me, gently rubbing my shoulder.
“Alexander, you’re good enough, and you’re not any trouble at all.”
I was still crying. “B-but s-she l-left b-because o-of m-me.”
“Then you were too good for her.”
I took a deep breath. “I-I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize.”
“C-can we watch some T-TV, p-please?”
He smiled at me. “Sure.”
He reached over to the arm of the couch and picked up the remote. He flipped it on then handed the remote to me.
I immediately switched it to TruTv where they were showing World’s Dumbest. I was giggling as they showed the last minute of a clip.
When it changed to a commercial I looked at Lucian and asked, “I-is it okay if y-you come o-over to my house f-for dinner?”
He smiled and nodded. I turned my attention back to the TV when the show came back on. I was laughing at the stupidity of the show with Lucian’s arm around me. I think it was the calmest I’d ever been near him because I had stopped fidgeting and was sitting there comfortably.
“Oh. Dinner’s going to be a six o’ clock sharp.”
“Okay. We’ll leave in a bit then.”
I smiled at Lucian then got distracted by a comedian saying something.
I wondered, in the back of my mind, how bad Dad would interrogate him. My dad always wanted to make sure I had good friends. I had no doubt my dad would like Lucian. I just hoped Lucian wouldn’t mind getting interrogated.