The Oldest Dream of Eternal Night
Chapter 48: I need to get a boyfriend

Chapter 48: I need to get a boyfriend

Ben and Yuki, lugging their backpacks, navigated the rush of peak hour, dodging groups of noisy students and hurried teachers. Ben, in a black leather jacket, fidgeted with the moon amulet in his fingers. Yuki, in a gray hoodie, tapped on his phone, his glasses reflecting the screen. He was messaging Miranda, a subtle smile on his lips.

"Dude, you’re always glued to your phone," Ben said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Miranda got you under a spell, or are you just addicted?"

Yuki looked up, his tone serious but playful. "It’s not a spell, it’s love. You’ve got Sabrina, you should understand."

Ben chuckled, leaning against a locker. "Sabrina, yeah. It’s... intense. But I’m not talking about her 24/7, unlike you."

Yuki shrugged, putting away his phone. "To each their own. Miranda’s my muse. Her voice, it’s—"

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Ben cut in, raising his hands. "A goddess, an angel, blah blah. You’re two steps away from writing poems, man."

Before Yuki could retort, they turned a corner and ran into Dyana, Ben’s cousin, and Lynn... Dyana, with her curly hair and leather jacket, was talking animatedly, her laughter echoing. Lynn, her black hair with red streaks falling like a curtain over her face, fidgeted with a strap on her bag. She had piercings on her face, but they only added to her rebellious beauty. Seeing her, Ben froze, his gaze immediately averting.

"Yo, Dyana!" Yuki called, his smile widening. "You look like you’ve won the lottery. What’s up?"

Dyana stopped, placing a hand on her hip. "Just a good day, Yuki. And you, still dreaming about your perfect Latina?"

Yuki blushed slightly but held his ground. "Miranda, yeah. She’s perfect, and I own it."

Dyana snickered, glancing at Ben. "And you, cousin? You don’t look like you’re sleeping. Sabrina got you on a leash?"

Ben grunted, crossing his arms. "Very funny, Dyana. I’m fine, okay? Just... stuff to deal with."

Lynn, silent until now, still stared at Ben with disdain. The tension between them was palpable, a remnant of their complicated past. Ben opened his mouth to say something, maybe just a "hi," but Jane appeared out of nowhere, grabbing his arm. "Ben! We need to talk, like, now!" she said, her brown hair in a bouncing ponytail.

Ben frowned, letting himself be dragged away. "Damn, Jane, what now? I was in the middle of... a conversation."

Yuki raised an eyebrow, looking at Dyana. "What was that? Jane’s in spy mode or something?"

Dyana shrugged, a smirk on her face. "No idea. But Ben seems to attract drama. As usual."

"I gotta go." She said and slipped away, leaving Dyana and Yuki alone. As if she needed to confirm something. Yuki sighed, his tone softer. "Is she okay, Lynn? She seemed... distant."

Dyana nodded, her smile fading. "She’s been struggling with her boyfriend lately. It’s complicated, you know. But she’ll get through it. And you, still loyal to Miranda? Ever thought about... I don’t know, looking elsewhere?"

Yuki raised an eyebrow, sensing the teasing. "Elsewhere? Are you hitting on me, Dyana? I’m taken, sorry."

Dyana burst into laughter, nudging him with her shoulder. "You’re an idiot. I’m just saying, you’re a cool guy. Miranda’s lucky."

[A/N: That must be it, yeah 😂]

Yuki smiled, but his gaze remained firm. "Me too, I’m lucky. Come on, let’s find Ben before Jane drags him into an interrogation."

At the other end of the hallway, Jane let go of Ben’s arm, crossing her own. "Okay, Ben, I’m not beating around the bush. It’s about Kaiser and Katrina. Hannah’s in full-on fury mode, she thinks it’s serious between them. Is it?"

Ben chuckled, putting away his phone. "Straight to the point, huh? I don’t know if it’s serious, but Kaiser enjoys talking to her. Katrina’s cool, she doesn’t take him seriously, and he likes that. Why? You’re into gossip now?"

Jane shrugged, playing innocent. "Not me. Let’s just say... someone’s interested. Like, Hannah. She acts like she doesn’t care, but she’s all over Kaiser."

Ben burst into laughter, shaking his head. "Hannah? Seriously? She’s jealous? Damn, that’s hilarious. Kaiser doesn’t give a shit, you know. He’s just doing random stuff, she doesn’t need to take it to heart. She knows him well enough—Kaiser’s just a guy who does random things, no need to try to understand his thoughts. But I’ll tell him anyway that Hannah’s sending spies."

Jane grimaced, raising her hands. "Hey, no spies! I just wanted to know, okay? Don’t tell Kaiser, it’ll cause drama."

Ben shrugged, a smirk on his lips. "Not my style to keep secrets. But I’ll give you advice: tell Hannah to drop it. Kaiser’s not into the whole couple thing."

Jane sighed, twisting a strand of hair, uncomfortable. She finally nodded. "Okay, I’ll try. But Hannah’s stubborn."

Ben put his earbud back in, his tone detached. "Good luck, then. I’ve got enough drama with my own shit."

As she walked away, Jane took out her phone, her thumbs hovering over the screen.

Hannah: So? Did you talk to Ben?

At the other end of the school, Hannah sat in class, her knee bouncing nervously. The blue light of her phone illuminated her face, pale under the fluorescent lights. Her free hand gripped her bag strap hard enough to whiten her knuckles. When Jane’s reply appeared, her breath caught.

Jane: Yeah. He says Kaiser likes her. And... he figured out you’re jealous.

No no no... Hannah’s fingers tightened on the screen. Her cheeks flushed. She typed a message in one go, her heart pounding.

Hannah: What? What did you tell Ben? Damn, Jane, this is getting more and more awkward...

She flipped her phone against her thigh as if to bury the shame, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. Now Kaiser will think I’m a pathetic obsessive— A vibration made her jump. She flipped the phone back quickly.

Jane: I didn’t say anything crazy! Listen, Hannah. From what I’ve seen, Kaiser’s nothing special, you’re way better than him. So stop hurting yourself. He’s just an asshole.

Hannah let out a sharp breath, her shoulders slumping. The truth hurt, but Jane’s words pierced the fog in her head. She stared at the message, her thumb tracing the crack in the corner of the screen. Maybe... maybe Jane was right.

Hannah: Yeah, you’re right. Actually... I need to get a boyfriend.

Jane:Huh?

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