9 min read
And You Are?
July 15, 2017
It was an afternoon unlike any other, Calista had come to pick up Ryder for the day and take him out to the bookstore. Normally Reuben would do it, but he had a full day of scheduled readings ahead and Ryder was getting rather antsy at home without any new books to read. Luckily for him, Calista had weekends off and was able to step in.
The drive was a quiet one. The two hadn't really spoken since their last meeting almost a month prior. Ryder stared out the window and watched as Calista weaved through traffic on the freeway. The drive was tense to say the least.
As the two pulled into a parking space, Calista noticed someone familiar. "Is that.." she began, narrowing in on a couple walking into the same bookstore that Ryder and her were visiting.
Ryder looked in the same direction, but didn't notice anyone or anything in particular.
Calista quickly hopped out of the truck and began to waltz into the bookstore as if she was angered.
Ryder's eyes widened as the scene unfolded in front of him. What on earth was she doing!? He quickly followed suit and rushed in after her. She wasn't about to embarrass him in his temple, was she!? As the frei entered the small bookstore, all he could hear was the voice of his aunt.
"Excuse me!" she called ominously.
Ryder's eyes widened as he heard her. He saw a couple spin around as they were being yelled at.
The woman looked offended and the man just shook his head and shrugged. "Can we help you?" he asked, a brow raised.
Calista instantly felt offended. Her face scrunched up, and all Ryder could do was shudder and hope for the best. He wasn't about to interfere with the wrath of Calista, even though as soon as the man spun around, he knew why she had called him. But before any more words could be shared, Ryder was spotted by the man.
"Oh, wow, hey! You're Ryder, right!? What a coincidence!" the man called, walking straight past Calista and over to Ryder, grabbing his hand to shake it. "Reuben has told me so much about you! I've seen pictures, that's why I know who you are." The man kept a smile on his face the entire time.
Ryder, first of all, was shocked that he had grabbed his hand without permission, didn't humans typically offer the hand and the frei could decline? Secondly, Reuben had been talking about him to his friend? Thirdly, why hadn't Ryder heard of this man before, aside from the one date they had and the snooping Calista had done. "Y-yes, I'm Ryder. And you are?" Ryder tried his best to throw off the trail that Calista had been so rude to create.
Looking over, Calista was obviously fuming, and the girl, Valerie, seemed just happy as ever.
Calista shook her head. "How do you know Reuben?" she inquired bluntly, with such a tone only Calista could muster. The attitude was quite apparent.
Evan chuckled, and chuckled, and chuckled some more. "That's a funny question! It's Reuben. Everyone knows Reuben!"
Ryder's eyes widened and his cheeks went blush. His poison. He looked down at his hands, they seemed swollen, uncontrollably, they were more potent (probably due to his stress level at Calista). Those few seconds of touching Ryder's hand had given Evan a fit. It was then that Reuben began to manifest. It was obvious that it wasn't Reuben, some details were very off, but it was based in Evan's mind; where Ryder could see the hallucination occurring.
Calista's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Valerie walked over to Evan (right through holo-Reuben), rather concerned. "Are you okay, babe?" she questioned.
Evan laughed, eyes puffy and cheeks flushed. "Yeah, babe! Everyone's okay. Reuben, man! How ya been!?" the man chuckled, swatting at holo-Reuben and laughing.
"Who's Reuben, sweetie?" Valerie asked, both out of concern and curiosity.
"Reuben is my best friend. My gay best friend," Calista said walking over. "Someone your little boy-toy here needs to leave the fuck alone," she finished, walking up to Evan and shoulder checking him slightly.
Evan just chuckled as he spun around.
Valerie grabbed Evan's arms and became angry. "Hey! What the hell is wrong with you, lady!? What are you talking about?"
Evan just plopped down to the ground, only to look up and see Reuben smiling back down at him. "Hey good-lookin'!" he said with a smile.
Valerie spun around to see Evan staring up at the ceiling. "What did you do to him!?" Valerie stated, turning to Calista.
Ryder couldn't sit by and watch. Everything that Calista said to Valerie in that moment went by in a blur. He floated over to Evan and hovered down to Evan's level while the two women went at it.
The frei looked up at the Reuben hallucination Evan was having and then turned back to the man. "It's alright. Reuben isn't here. He's at home."
Evan chuckled and looked right up at Reuben, smiling. He then made kissy lips to him before turning to Ryder and smirking more. The hallucination bent down and when Evan turned back the two 'kissed'.
Ryder shook his head. Calista had been right. Obviously Evan had some sort of feelings for Reuben, this concreted it in his mind. "Evan, Reuben isn't actually there. I'm sorry this is happening to you, but you'll be fine in a little bit."
When Valerie noticed Ryder was crouched down to Evan's level, she came over and pushed the toadstool away, causing Ryder to fall to the ground. "Get away from him, you monster! You're probably the one who caused whatever is happening to him!" she shouted, trying to pick Evan up off the ground.
"I-I didn't mean-"
"Now you've gone and done it," Calista said, waltzing up to Valerie and throwing a right hook right into the poor girl's face, instantly breaking her glasses in half and causing her to fall into Evan and the two of them ended up right back onto the floor.
"HEY! WHAT IS GOING ON OVER HERE!?" a disgruntled manager screamed as he ran over from the back. "GET OUT! ALL OF YOU! AND NEVER COME BACK! YOU ARE BANNED FROM TODAY'S BOOKS!" the man said, phone in hand. "I'm calling the police!"
"No need, we were just leaving," Calista stated loudly, narrowing her eyes at Valerie and motioning for Ryder to follow as she began to leave. That, however, didn't stop the man from walking back over towards the registers on the phone angrily.
Ryder's heart sank as deep in his chest as it could. Never come back? Was the manager serious? Was he really banned from the bookstore!? This wasn't something that Ryder could just take. He hadn't even gotten a new book yet! He quickly glanced at all the books around him and truly felt sad for the first time. In fact, he was sad enough to actually feel tears well up in his eyes as he floated quickly to catch up to Calista. Before he got too far, he turned back around to see Valerie trying to compose herself and pick up Evan once more. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
The drive was a quiet one. The two hadn't really spoken since their last meeting almost a month prior. Ryder stared out the window and watched as Calista weaved through traffic on the freeway. The drive was tense to say the least.
As the two pulled into a parking space, Calista noticed someone familiar. "Is that.." she began, narrowing in on a couple walking into the same bookstore that Ryder and her were visiting.
Ryder looked in the same direction, but didn't notice anyone or anything in particular.
Calista quickly hopped out of the truck and began to waltz into the bookstore as if she was angered.
Ryder's eyes widened as the scene unfolded in front of him. What on earth was she doing!? He quickly followed suit and rushed in after her. She wasn't about to embarrass him in his temple, was she!? As the frei entered the small bookstore, all he could hear was the voice of his aunt.
"Excuse me!" she called ominously.
Ryder's eyes widened as he heard her. He saw a couple spin around as they were being yelled at.
The woman looked offended and the man just shook his head and shrugged. "Can we help you?" he asked, a brow raised.
Calista instantly felt offended. Her face scrunched up, and all Ryder could do was shudder and hope for the best. He wasn't about to interfere with the wrath of Calista, even though as soon as the man spun around, he knew why she had called him. But before any more words could be shared, Ryder was spotted by the man.
"Oh, wow, hey! You're Ryder, right!? What a coincidence!" the man called, walking straight past Calista and over to Ryder, grabbing his hand to shake it. "Reuben has told me so much about you! I've seen pictures, that's why I know who you are." The man kept a smile on his face the entire time.
Ryder, first of all, was shocked that he had grabbed his hand without permission, didn't humans typically offer the hand and the frei could decline? Secondly, Reuben had been talking about him to his friend? Thirdly, why hadn't Ryder heard of this man before, aside from the one date they had and the snooping Calista had done. "Y-yes, I'm Ryder. And you are?" Ryder tried his best to throw off the trail that Calista had been so rude to create.
Looking over, Calista was obviously fuming, and the girl, Valerie, seemed just happy as ever.
Calista shook her head. "How do you know Reuben?" she inquired bluntly, with such a tone only Calista could muster. The attitude was quite apparent.
Evan chuckled, and chuckled, and chuckled some more. "That's a funny question! It's Reuben. Everyone knows Reuben!"
Ryder's eyes widened and his cheeks went blush. His poison. He looked down at his hands, they seemed swollen, uncontrollably, they were more potent (probably due to his stress level at Calista). Those few seconds of touching Ryder's hand had given Evan a fit. It was then that Reuben began to manifest. It was obvious that it wasn't Reuben, some details were very off, but it was based in Evan's mind; where Ryder could see the hallucination occurring.
Calista's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Valerie walked over to Evan (right through holo-Reuben), rather concerned. "Are you okay, babe?" she questioned.
Evan laughed, eyes puffy and cheeks flushed. "Yeah, babe! Everyone's okay. Reuben, man! How ya been!?" the man chuckled, swatting at holo-Reuben and laughing.
"Who's Reuben, sweetie?" Valerie asked, both out of concern and curiosity.
"Reuben is my best friend. My gay best friend," Calista said walking over. "Someone your little boy-toy here needs to leave the fuck alone," she finished, walking up to Evan and shoulder checking him slightly.
Evan just chuckled as he spun around.
Valerie grabbed Evan's arms and became angry. "Hey! What the hell is wrong with you, lady!? What are you talking about?"
Evan just plopped down to the ground, only to look up and see Reuben smiling back down at him. "Hey good-lookin'!" he said with a smile.
Valerie spun around to see Evan staring up at the ceiling. "What did you do to him!?" Valerie stated, turning to Calista.
Ryder couldn't sit by and watch. Everything that Calista said to Valerie in that moment went by in a blur. He floated over to Evan and hovered down to Evan's level while the two women went at it.
The frei looked up at the Reuben hallucination Evan was having and then turned back to the man. "It's alright. Reuben isn't here. He's at home."
Evan chuckled and looked right up at Reuben, smiling. He then made kissy lips to him before turning to Ryder and smirking more. The hallucination bent down and when Evan turned back the two 'kissed'.
Ryder shook his head. Calista had been right. Obviously Evan had some sort of feelings for Reuben, this concreted it in his mind. "Evan, Reuben isn't actually there. I'm sorry this is happening to you, but you'll be fine in a little bit."
When Valerie noticed Ryder was crouched down to Evan's level, she came over and pushed the toadstool away, causing Ryder to fall to the ground. "Get away from him, you monster! You're probably the one who caused whatever is happening to him!" she shouted, trying to pick Evan up off the ground.
"I-I didn't mean-"
"Now you've gone and done it," Calista said, waltzing up to Valerie and throwing a right hook right into the poor girl's face, instantly breaking her glasses in half and causing her to fall into Evan and the two of them ended up right back onto the floor.
"HEY! WHAT IS GOING ON OVER HERE!?" a disgruntled manager screamed as he ran over from the back. "GET OUT! ALL OF YOU! AND NEVER COME BACK! YOU ARE BANNED FROM TODAY'S BOOKS!" the man said, phone in hand. "I'm calling the police!"
"No need, we were just leaving," Calista stated loudly, narrowing her eyes at Valerie and motioning for Ryder to follow as she began to leave. That, however, didn't stop the man from walking back over towards the registers on the phone angrily.
Ryder's heart sank as deep in his chest as it could. Never come back? Was the manager serious? Was he really banned from the bookstore!? This wasn't something that Ryder could just take. He hadn't even gotten a new book yet! He quickly glanced at all the books around him and truly felt sad for the first time. In fact, he was sad enough to actually feel tears well up in his eyes as he floated quickly to catch up to Calista. Before he got too far, he turned back around to see Valerie trying to compose herself and pick up Evan once more. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"What the hell do you mean, banned!?"
Ryder could hear his guardian yelling at Calista from his bedroom. He'd never heard Reuben truly yell before, at least not like this. Ryder just wanted a new book and Calista had to go and be a hot-head. Even the frei was so mad at Calista for starting up everything. Why did she have to stir the pot? The two hadn't even done anything to her. In fact, Evan was being a nice guy! But now, because of what she had done, the frei was never allowed back into that bookstore again. He rolled over in his bed, tears falling from his face onto the pillow sheet.
More yelling could be heard up until the front door slammed, shaking the whole house.
It only took a few moments before Ryder heard a knocking at his bedroom door, only to ignore it.
The door creaked open. "Want to tell me your side of the story now?"
Ryder winced and sniffled a bit before rolling over to see Reuben standing there, arms crossed, angrily huffing. His tone wasn't mean or angry, but his entire body seemed to be stiff and just so. "Not really."
Reuben's eyes narrowed a bit behind his glasses, and Ryder instinctually knew that he wasn't going to leave until he talked.
"Calista fought Evan's girlfriend."
Reuben shook his head in shock. "Evan who!?"
"Your friend."
"What? How do you even know Evan? How did she know Evan?"
The frei sniffled, knowing the secret that was kept was about to run out of his mouth without another thought. He tried to keep it back, but his anger with Calista over the days events just made him want Reuben to be mad with her. "The night you went on your date, Cal-"
"My date!? What the hell do you mean?" Reuben sliced Ryder's words in half.
Ryder heaved a big breath before letting it out with a few more tears, trying to push the words from his mouth in between sobs, "Calista said you were on a date. So we followed you to Dur-"
"You what!?" Reuben cut into the raevan's sentence again. Angry, and getting angrier by the second, Reuben couldn't help but storm out of the room, grabbing his cell from his pocket as he walked away and closing the door behind him softly as to not alarm the frei. He knew it was best for his own sanity to calm down before discussing anything further.
Ryder's thought process continued, only circling back around to the fact that he was never allowed into the bookstore again. He rolled over on his bed to face away from the door. He held onto the pillow tightly for comfort, sobbing and thinking into the night.
Ryder could hear his guardian yelling at Calista from his bedroom. He'd never heard Reuben truly yell before, at least not like this. Ryder just wanted a new book and Calista had to go and be a hot-head. Even the frei was so mad at Calista for starting up everything. Why did she have to stir the pot? The two hadn't even done anything to her. In fact, Evan was being a nice guy! But now, because of what she had done, the frei was never allowed back into that bookstore again. He rolled over in his bed, tears falling from his face onto the pillow sheet.
More yelling could be heard up until the front door slammed, shaking the whole house.
It only took a few moments before Ryder heard a knocking at his bedroom door, only to ignore it.
The door creaked open. "Want to tell me your side of the story now?"
Ryder winced and sniffled a bit before rolling over to see Reuben standing there, arms crossed, angrily huffing. His tone wasn't mean or angry, but his entire body seemed to be stiff and just so. "Not really."
Reuben's eyes narrowed a bit behind his glasses, and Ryder instinctually knew that he wasn't going to leave until he talked.
"Calista fought Evan's girlfriend."
Reuben shook his head in shock. "Evan who!?"
"Your friend."
"What? How do you even know Evan? How did she know Evan?"
The frei sniffled, knowing the secret that was kept was about to run out of his mouth without another thought. He tried to keep it back, but his anger with Calista over the days events just made him want Reuben to be mad with her. "The night you went on your date, Cal-"
"My date!? What the hell do you mean?" Reuben sliced Ryder's words in half.
Ryder heaved a big breath before letting it out with a few more tears, trying to push the words from his mouth in between sobs, "Calista said you were on a date. So we followed you to Dur-"
"You what!?" Reuben cut into the raevan's sentence again. Angry, and getting angrier by the second, Reuben couldn't help but storm out of the room, grabbing his cell from his pocket as he walked away and closing the door behind him softly as to not alarm the frei. He knew it was best for his own sanity to calm down before discussing anything further.
Ryder's thought process continued, only circling back around to the fact that he was never allowed into the bookstore again. He rolled over on his bed to face away from the door. He held onto the pillow tightly for comfort, sobbing and thinking into the night.