Pitbabe S2, Chapter 24 pg 2

 Pitbabe S2, Chapter 24 pg 2

   “You sure?”

   “I told you to shut up!”

   “Why shut up? Tried it already—not fun.”

   “You little…”

   The small-scale war between me and Babe dragged on with no sign of ending easily, until Kim finally lost interest. I didn’t even notice when he slipped away. By the time I realized, it was just me and Babe at the table in front of the TV, with only the lonely remnants of food left.

   “Big mouth, huh?” Babe kept scolding me, even though he looked exhausted.

   “Who started it?”

   “You went too far,” Babe snapped, glaring at me. “Your stuff? Fine, even if it gets out, it’s no big deal. But my stuff isn’t a joke.”

   “Since when is my stuff a joke?”

   “What, just because you like him, it’s life or death?”

   I sighed. He was right, honestly. My issue wasn’t a big deal. If Kim found out, we’d probably just avoid eye contact for a couple of days. But I was sure that naive guy would try to smooth things over eventually—that’s just how he is. Babe’s issue, though, was pretty significant. But let’s be real, I don’t think it’d be a problem even if Kim knew. Babe was just overthinking it.

   “Seriously, don’t you think Charlie will figure it out eventually?”

   “He won’t,” Babe said before taking a sip of his soda. It felt like he was just brushing it off or reassuring himself rather than speaking his true thoughts.

   “That smart, huh?” I raised my voice. “Maybe he already knows.”

   “He doesn’t.”

   “What if he finds out? What then?”

   “He won’t.”

   “I’m saying if he finds out.”

   “I’ll make sure he never does.”

   “He’d hate you for sure,” I said with a laugh. No matter how much he tried to act confident, I knew Babe was trembling inside. The work he was doing was so stressful, risky, and downright awful that it couldn’t be done with a carefree attitude.

   “Thanks for the heads-up. I had no idea,” Babe shot back sarcastically.

   “But you’re so mad at him. Even if he hates you, what’s the problem?”

   “Why do you keep harping on this hate thing?”

   “What do you think Charlie would feel if he found out you’re not just messing with him for petty revenge, but you’re working with the person he hates most in the world… to sabotage his work?”

   Trust me, I’m not trying to be his enemy. I’ve known about this from the start—what the deal was, and why Babe agreed to it even though he hates my boss more than some vile monster. Everything has its reasons.

   That’s where it all led, but this was one of the most shocking plot twists of my life.

   From lovers to full-on enemies.

   This is straight out of a blockbuster movie.

   “I’d do anything, as long as he gives up on this,” Babe said in a flat tone. He stared down at the soda can in his hand, as if weighing something or reflecting on the choices and cruel irony of his own fate.

   “Even if he ends up hating you?”

   “He doesn’t love me anymore anyway.”

   He acted like it didn’t faze him, but that sentence hit hard. It seems Charlie must’ve been pretty harsh for someone as proud as Babe to admit out loud that he’s no longer loved.

   “But after this, he’ll hate you for real.”

   “Why do you keep bringing him up? Don’t act like you weren’t the one who dragged me into this,” Babe shot back.

   “I’m just the messenger,” I said with a shrug, unfazed despite his jab. “I’m not saying you’re right or wrong. I just want to know how you feel about choosing this path.”

   “And how do you think I feel?”

   “Excited?”

   “Are you nuts?”

   I laughed, starting to understand more and more why Kim said Babe argues with people all the time yet still has true friends—maybe even family—always surrounding him. There’s something about Babe’s roughness that carries a strange frequency. Instead of pushing people away, it draws certain ones closer. His not-so-friendly demeanor, blunt words, and stubbornness—if you’re on a different wavelength, you might hate him instantly. But if your frequencies align, those people will stick to Babe until the end.

   Because every time I’m near Babe, it feels like the boundaries between me and others thin out, almost like they’re reduced to the finest thread. The way he treats me makes me feel both ordinary and special at the same time. It sounds contradictory, but it’s the most honest explanation I can give. To paint a clearer picture, people tend to act better than usual around strangers or acquaintances they’re not close to, which is good social etiquette. But for someone like me, who’s starved for friends, I don’t want people who treat me with constant politeness. What I need is someone who treats me as plainly as possible—maybe a bit rough or even rude—because it makes me feel like my circle is overlapping with theirs. I become someone in their personal circle, a “friend” to someone.

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