We Need No Introduction

“So you do care?”

I shrugged and looked down. “To a certain degree.”

“B… why can’t things just be the way they used to? Why can’t we be friends, why can’t we pull pranks on people like the good old days and why can’t we play shopping cart derby?”

“You made me hate you,” I said softly while I looked down at my shirt instead of the floor. I toyed with a loose string. “I mean… you got me kicked out and…”

“I know. Don’t be a broken record,” he said with a laugh. I only smiled.

“You know what you did.”

“I do. And I promise not to do something like that ever again. So why can’t you give me a chance to prove myself one more time? I know if I screw up again that you’ll disown me as a person once again. I know. “

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” I quoted. “You knew it last time, too.”

“Don’t blame my actions on yourself, babe. You trusted me again after one of the worst possible things anyone can ever do to a person emotionally, and I didn’t even think about it when I got you kicked out…”

I didn’t reply. I hadn’t even looked up at him yet. I didn’t know what to do, I was so confused. I shut my eyes tightly and leaned my forehead on the top of my palm.

“I’m sorry if I’m stressing you out,” he said. “I don’t mean to.”

“I’m so confused,” I said.

“About?”

I shrugged and turned to lie down on my bed. Gathering a pillow behind my head, I curled up and watched as Bam sat right at my feet.

“You. I’m confused about you. I mean… you’re saying all this stuff and I don’t know if I should keep hating you because that’s what I’ve been doing and I don’t want to easily give in,” I sighed and took a needed pause. “or if I should take the easy choice and forgive you.”

“Well I don’t want to force you into anything.”

“Then don’t!” I exclaimed with an added whine. “You saying you’re sorry and all that shit makes me feel guilty when I know I shouldn’t. Knoxville said you were going into that depressive state and it made me feel bad.”

Bam sighed, turning his head for a moment. “It’s nothing I can help right now… I wish I didn’t do all that stuff, but I did and I can’t change it… besides jumping off a bridge, what can I do to make you forgive me?“ I closed my eyes and shook my head. I didn’t know what he could do… it was like my brain was dead. Not even a simple thought went through at that moment. “I miss you as my best friend,” he said quietly. “I really do.” There was nothing for a moment. I shifted my position so now I was lying on my stomach. I turned my head away from him so I wouldn’t be obligated to look at him. “Let’s try this. Do you miss me? Be honest.”

“Yeah,” I said after thinking it through.

“Well? Then what’s stopping us from being on the same level?”

“You,” I said quietly. “You and your stupid actions that you don‘t think through on.”

“Would it help if I thought them through more? How can I change to make us be friends again?”

I exhaled heavily and turned to look at him. “Bam, the first thing I ever really truly learned from you was not to change yourself for anyone. Don’t be a hypocrite.”

“Then isn’t it enough for you to see I’m willing to go that far for us to be friends again? I’m practically begging here.”

“I know.”

“Well?”

“Bam,” I said quickly. “I don’t know, okay? I just don’t know.”

“I’m gonna stay right here until you think this through.”

“It’ll take a while.”

“So?”

“Bam, don’t be stubborn.”

“Now look who’s being a hypocrite,” he laughed.

“Eh, true.”

“Blair, listen. Yes, I’ve done my evil. I’ve done my good. Just believe me honey, I won’t let go of you.”

I looked at him in disbelief. “Are you quoting Ville?!”

He grinned sheepishly. “Yeah. I am. I went over to Ville’s earlier. He explained a lot, and blamed what happened on the booze. But he said that it was a stupid idea to try and change your opinions of things, and if I needed to he said to use some of his lyrics on you.”

My jaw dropped, but I laughed anyway. “You are so dumb!”

“For using Ville’s lyrics?”

I continued laughing, now on my back as I grabbed my stomach. “YES!”

“Shh! They might think something is going on in here that isn’t.”

“Holy shit!” Knoxville whispered outside the door. “I can’t believe it.”

“Neither can I,” I laughed quietly. I looked at Bam, the laughter gone and arched an eyebrow. “They’re listening,” I whispered.

“Shall we?” he asked. I smiled and nodded. I stood up on my knees and rocked the bed, making the posts hit the wall.

“FUCK YES BAM!” I screamed.

“Oh GOD!” Bam yelled right back. We both had a hard time trying to contain our laughter.

“EW!” Leana screeched outside the door. This only made it harder to keep from falling on the floor… or the proper internet term, rotflmao.

“What’s going on?” I heard Matt say from outside the door.

“They’re all congregating!” Bam said.

“FUCK! FUCK YES!” I screeched, silently laughing until I got a headache.

“NO!” Zacky yelled, swinging the door open. Bam and I whipped our heads to him and began laughing hysterically. Me? I fell on the floor and… rotf and lmao’ed.

“Thank God!” Leana exclaimed. “They’re fully clothed.”

“At least they’re not fighting,” Brian said.

“In any sense of the word,” Dunn added. When I mean everyone was in my bedroom doorway, I mean nearly everyone.

“What… are you guys doing here?” I laughed.

‘”Congregating,” Johnny said. Knoxville stood behind him and was nearly doubled over in laughter.

“Why?” I asked when I stopped to breathe for a second.

“Knoxville said something was going down,” Brian said. “and I wanted to see it… but… by the looks of it, neither of you are dead.”

“Are you friends again?” Jimmy asked. Bam and I looked each other, but didn’t say anything. “I mean, you’re not fighting…”

“And that’s something you would do-”

“And have done,” Knoxville interrupted Dunn. “When you were friends.”

“It all depends on you,” Bam said.

Oh my god, I hate being put in a position like this.

“Well?” Leana asked. “Are there going to be less fights between you two?”