"What's so important you needed us to be here?" PJ asks, gesturing around the Bean Scene. 

Bobby pipes up. "Yeah, and why is Bradley here if you guys aren't together?"

"That's exactly what we need to talk to you guys about," I say nervously. "Bobby, you were wrong when you asked the first time, but this time..."

Stacy claps suddenly, appearing from behind the stage curtain. "I knew it! I knew you two were together."

PJ's face remains the same, unsurprised. "Oh, that. Yeah, it was pretty obvious, you guys."

"What?" Bradley asks suddenly in annoyance. "We just got together yesterday, and this is the first time we've seen you in a while!"

"We could just smell the homosexuality when you both walked in," Stacy says with a plain face, sitting across PJ's lap.

Bobby speaks again, his tone confused. "Oh, that's what that smell was? I thought it was PJ."

PJ whacks his arm, and Bobby jolts in surprise before smiling at his friend. Stacy rolls her eyes at the both of them and turns to us once more, studying us like specimen. Bradley just shifts uncomfortably; he's never been on the best terms with my friend group.

"We love you guys," Stacy says, slapping PJ lightly on the face to make him nod in agreement.

"Even me?" Bradley blurts out, regretfully sounding hopeful.

Mocha smiles for the first time since we walked in. "Yes, even you."

I suddenly remember that I still haven't called and told Roxanne. After excusing myself and leaving Bradley with my friends (which I'll probably regret), I walk outside the cafe and use the old payphone next to it. Dialing Roxanne's number, I hear the line ringing and wait for her to pick up.

"Hello?" A voice asks through the receiver. 

I clear my throat, excited to tell my friend about me and Bradley. "Is this Roxanne?"

"No, this is Tammy. Do you need Roxanne?"

"Hi," I say cheerfully, "it's me, Max Goof. I don't know if you remember me-"

Tammy cuts me off, returning my excitement. "Max! How are you?"

"Doing well, and yourself?"

"I'm doing amazing," she says then pulls away from the phone, yelling into whatever room she's in. "Roxanne! Max is on the phone!"

There's a few clicks and crashes before I hear Roxanne's voice cut through the phone. "Hey!"

"Is everything okay over there?" I ask with a small laugh.

"Yeah, just knocked over a lamp while trying to get to the phone." Even through the phone, I can sense her joyful smile. 

Tammy's voice comes from somewhere in the back. "And a table. Plus, a couple coasters."

"I was excited," Roxanne says defensively, most likely scowling playfully at her girlfriend.

I decide to get on with it, not trusting my friends with Bradley for long. "Anyway, I have exciting news."

"Did you find out what was happening behind the cafe?" she asks, prying as always.

"Yeah, but that's a story for another time. Here goes nothing... Bradley and I got together."

I hear a scream through the speaker, and it's loud enough to make me pull the phone away from my ear. Roxanne's voice chitters quickly to Tammy, then I hear a second scream, and I'm unsure of which one of them it was. After a few moments, Roxanne finds her way back to her home phone.

"I wish I was there," she says in a whiny voice.

"Me, too." I sigh into the transmitter, running a hand over the side of my face.

There's some shuffling on Roxanne's end before she speaks again. "I have to go, but good luck with Bradley! I totally ship you guys, by the way."

I laugh a little and get ready to hang up the phone. "It's okay- I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Placing the phone back on the stand, I quickly make my way back inside the Bean Scene. I swear, if I leave Bradley alone with them for too long, he'll probably be running out the door, screaming. If you don't understand, let me put it into simpler words: My friends are strange and tend to scare off my partners. 

It's a guy thing. 

I think.

As I enter the cafe, I spot Bradley sitting in a chair across from PJ and Stacy, his face set in an uncomfortable but polite way. I stride up to them, and Bradley practically melts in relief. Scowling at my friends, I squeeze into the same chair as my boyfriend.

"You didn't tell him about the skateboarding pre-game ritual story, did you?" I look between Bobby and PJ as I ask the question. "You've already scared off two of my girlfriends with that dumb anecdote."

"Anecdote?" PJ says with a raise of his brow. "Wow, has spending time with Bradley made you less stupid?"

Bradley looks over at me, silently asking for permission to sock him. Of course, I declined, but a part of me wished I hadn't because I'd really love to wipe the smirk off PJ's smirk. Not that I have beef with PJ, no, but it's sometimes fun to see friends suffer when they say something at your expense. You get it, right?

"Has spending time in a hot-boxed room all day made you shorter?" I ask innocently. 

Bradley stifles a chuckle, covering his mouth with his hand. PJ kicks my leg from under the table, and Bobby begins to laugh loudly. My gaze travels to the ginger, and he immediately quiets down.

I gauge his reaction as I continue with my pointless insults. "And what're you laughing at, Caterpillar? You're the only person I know that actually likes to smoke hookahs."

Bobby's face turns red, and PJ grins widely at his defeat. Stacy clears her throat, bringing all the attention to herself. She gets off PJ's lap and walks up to the stage, speaking as she does so.

"I'm performing in a few minutes. You and Bradley should stay, Max. I promise you, this will be a special performance."

"Special how?" Bradley asks, speaking for the first time since I came back from my call with Roxanne.

"It's dedicated to you both," Stacy says before she smiles warmly and disappears behind the curtain.

~*~*~

"So," Bradley says as he lays down next to me on my bed, "Would you be open to having dinner with my parents tonight?"

I look over at him, surprised. "Tonight?"

He purses his lips and looks away. "I shouldn't have asked. Sorry."

"I'll go," I say suddenly, hating to see him disappointed. "Only if you go, though."

"Why wouldn't I?" he asks with a laugh.

I turn to fully face him, laying my arm across his chest. "Well, I don't want you abandoning me with them while you go denim shopping."

He brings his hand to rest on the arm slung across him. "I'd never do that. That does remind me that we need to go shopping for some jeans, though."

"We?"

"I haven't seen you wear a single pair of pants without rips in them," he explains, shaking his head in disbelief.

I laugh, hitting his chest playfully. "Shut up, that's how they're designed."

Bradley scowls and rolls over on top of me. "Maybe I don't like it when you show skin for the rest of the world to see."

"Right," I say with a spirited roll of my eyes before pushing him off of me. "Because showing my kneecaps is extremely scandalous."

He sighs in feigned discontentment. "Whatever. Anyway, I was thinking of coming out to my parents tonight, and I wanted my boyfriend to be there, so... is that a yes to dinner?"

"For sure. You think it'll go over well?" I wait for his response as he looks up at the ceiling in thought.

"Probably not," he finally mutters, "but they should know."

I nod, resting my head on his broad chest. "Yeah, but you don't owe it to them, just remember that."

He ruffles my hair and sighs. "I know. I just... love them so much. Even if they might not feel the same way, I'll always love them and value their opinion."

"I get that," I say as he twists my hair around his finger. 

We lay there in silence for a moment, gazing into each other eyes. Bradley wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me closer to him. It's strange how we were basically rivals a few months ago, and now we're... this. I never thought I'd find someone as easy to love as I have right now, and I think we were always meant to be.

"Thank you for helping me become better at navigating myself," he states quietly.

I beam, a wave of happiness rolling over me. "It was a group effort."

"No," he says, returning my smile. "You were my turning point."

Fin.