Stay a While

---

[Jay > Noah | 11:04 AM]

you always disappear right after class

like poof. shadow realm.

what do you do after?

[Noah > Jay | 11:05 AM]

library.

far back corner

behind the study carrels. nobody looks there.

[Jay > Noah | 11:06 AM]

you hide from the world like it owes you rent

[Noah > Jay | 11:07 AM]

world is noisy

I prefer fiction

[Jay > Noah | 11:07 AM]

fair

but hey

what if the world brought you coffee and sat quietly with a book next to you

would that be okay?

[Noah > Jay | 11:08 AM]

...you?

[Jay > Noah | 11:08 AM]

me.

no chaos

no talking

just two chairs. one quiet guy, one trying-not-to-be-annoying guy.

deal?

[Noah > Jay | 11:10 AM]

what kind of coffee?

[Jay > Noah | 11:10 AM]

you tell me

i’ll brave the caffeine storm for you

[Noah > Jay | 11:11 AM]

iced chai latte. oat milk. no sugar.

don’t forget or I’ll ghost you for real

[Jay > Noah | 11:12 AM]

noted

if i mess this up consider it my funeral

---

[1:06 PM | Library - Group Study Room Chat Notification]

Jay has entered the chat.

Jay changed the group name to: “Silent Book Cult”

[Jay > Noah | 1:06 PM]

i have arrived

bearing sacred offering

(attachment: iced_chai_delivered.jpg)

[Noah > Jay | 1:07 PM]

you got the milk right

you get to live another day

[Jay > Noah | 1:07 PM]

blessed be

also

this spot is... cozy. almost like you don’t want to be found

[Noah > Jay | 1:08 PM]

that’s because I don’t

[Jay > Noah | 1:08 PM]

i feel honored

you’re letting me into your lair

[Noah > Jay | 1:08 PM]

don’t make it weird

sit down and read something

[Jay > Noah | 1:09 PM]

yes, captain introvert

i brought my psych notes

and a book i will 100% not understand without sparknotes

[Noah > Jay | 1:09 PM]

don’t insult the notes

some sparknotes are masterpieces

---

(1:09 PM – 2:41 PM: No messages)

(Quiet scrolling. Pages flipping. Two iced drinks half-melted.)

---

[Jay > Noah | 2:42 PM]

you breathe differently when you read

like the world disappears and you’re somewhere else

[Noah > Jay | 2:43 PM]

I forgot you were watching

[Jay > Noah | 2:43 PM]

that’s the best part

you forget

but I see everything

[Noah > Jay | 2:44 PM]

that’s dangerously poetic for someone failing lit theory

[Jay > Noah | 2:45 PM]

hey. rude

i am barely failing. thank you.

[Jay > Noah | 2:45 PM]

but seriously

do you always read like it’s the only thing keeping you here?

[Noah > Jay | 2:47 PM]

maybe

it’s the only place where I feel like I belong

books don’t expect me to speak

they just... stay with me

even when people don’t

---

[Later That Night | 11:27 PM]

[Jay > Noah | 11:27 PM]

do people not stay with you?

[Noah > Jay | 11:28 PM]

not really

they usually get tired of trying

or I stop answering

same end either way

[Jay > Noah | 11:29 PM]

and here I was thinking I was special

you’re ghosting people left and right huh?

[Noah > Jay | 11:30 PM]

I don’t mean to

it’s just easier

when you don’t expect anyone to stay

you don’t get disappointed

[Jay > Noah | 11:31 PM]

that sounds lonely

[Noah > Jay | 11:32 PM]

it is

but it’s mine

[Jay > Noah | 11:33 PM]

can I change that?

[Noah > Jay | 11:33 PM]

why would you want to?

[Jay > Noah | 11:34 PM]

because

when you sat next to me today

and said nothing for over an hour

it was the most peaceful hour I’ve had in months

and I want more of that

more of you

even if it’s in silence

[Noah > Jay | 11:35 PM]

I don’t know how to be that kind of person

the kind someone wants to stay with

[Jay > Noah | 11:35 PM]

you don’t have to know how

just… don’t push me away yet

deal?

[Noah > Jay | 11:36 PM]

…deal

---

[The Next Day | 3:14 PM]

[Jay > Noah | 3:14 PM]

can I ask you something kind of stupid?

[Noah > Jay | 3:15 PM]

you’ve already said three dumb things today

might as well keep the streak going

[Jay > Noah | 3:15 PM]

ouch

anyway

what would you do

if someone wanted to hold your hand

but didn’t know how to ask?

[Noah > Jay | 3:16 PM]

I’d say

if they were already sitting next to me in a library with an iced chai between us

they wouldn’t need to ask

[Jay > Noah | 3:17 PM]

Noah.

[Noah > Jay | 3:17 PM]

Jay?

[Jay > Noah | 3:18 PM]

I think I’m going to pretend we’re holding hands next time

just mentally

for practice

[Noah > Jay | 3:18 PM]

you’re ridiculous

[Jay > Noah | 3:18 PM]

but you’re smiling

[Noah > Jay | 3:19 PM]

…maybe

---

[Saturday | 12:02 AM]

[Jay > Noah | 12:02 AM]

can’t sleep

mind’s being too loud

[Noah > Jay | 12:03 AM]

join the club

I haven’t slept before 2 AM in weeks

[Jay > Noah | 12:04 AM]

what do you think about when it’s late?

like

what’s the playlist in your brain?

[Noah > Jay | 12:05 AM]

books I want to write

people I wish I could be

things I should have said

and

lately

you

[Jay > Noah | 12:06 AM]

me?

[Noah > Jay | 12:06 AM]

you ask a lot of questions

you listen

you remember what I like

and you don’t treat me like a problem to solve

[Jay > Noah | 12:07 AM]

you’re not a problem

you’re a whole novel

and I’m just starting chapter one

but I don’t want to stop reading

[Noah > Jay | 12:08 AM]

you’re getting dangerously smooth again

[Jay > Noah | 12:08 AM]

i’m serious

when I talk to you

i don’t feel like I have to perform

i can just be me

and you still reply

you still stay

[Noah > Jay | 12:09 AM]

I never said I was leaving

[Jay > Noah | 12:10 AM]

yeah

but I’ve heard silence louder than screaming before

and yours is different

yours feels safe

---

[Sunday Morning | 9:33 AM]

[Jay > Noah | 9:33 AM]

hey

random idea

don’t block me for this—

[Noah > Jay | 9:34 AM]

…you’re already being weird

[Jay > Noah | 9:34 AM]

brunch. with me.

outside your books

outside the library

just us. maybe waffles. maybe sunlight.

[Noah > Jay | 9:35 AM]

I don’t do brunch

[Jay > Noah | 9:35 AM]

you do now

i’ll sit in your quiet the whole time if you want

no pressure

just waffles and potential eye contact

[Noah > Jay | 9:36 AM]

I hate you

[Jay > Noah | 9:36 AM]

lies

you like me

a little

[Noah > Jay | 9:37 AM]

…send me the address

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