While the room was dark, one could say Juan's mind was darker. Unexplained thoughts rang in his head, tinnitus making him want to pull apart his ears from his head. There was a strange feeling taking over him, but it was so familiar.
He knew this feeling, the deep sinking in his chest. The hollow hole sucked in all his emotions like a cyclone engulfing a ship. His blank stare remained at the curtains that swayed from slight breeze, he tilted his head.
"...Oren? Did you leave the window open?" He spoke softly, glancing at the figure that sat beside him.
The dull room echoed with his voice as he stood up to close the window, flinching at the harsh sunlight outside. He hated it. The way it pricked his skin like needles.
Once he was done closing the window, he faced his best friend again, "...I like dark rooms."
"It's broad daylight." Oren, with light brown hair and eyes that seemed to match perfectly – smiled and that comforted Juan beyond limits, "Why can't we go out? We've been here all day."
"I don't feel like stepping out." Was Juan's robotic response. Oren just laughed, the sound of his laughter buried the voices in Juan's head.
"That's what you said the past three days." Oren stood up, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his feet.
Although reluctant, Juan followed Oren outside, goosebumps rising on his skin as fresh air hit him right in the face and body stiffened as he processed the fact that his neighbour's kids were playing and an old man sat by the bench across the street.
People.
There were people outside. He hated it.
"I know you hate it," Oren nudged him softly, speaking as if he read his mind, "But you will start college tomorrow, you know? Will you not be making friends there?"
"I don't need more friends."
"You have one friend, Juan." Oren sighed exasperatedly, "And that's me. We're in different colleges, unfortunately. You have to make some friends there as well."
Juan gave him an annoyed look, "I don't need them. Leave me be." He grunted, opening the door to the cafe Oren led him to, "Besides, I get tired enough interacting with you as is."
"Rude!" Oren rolled his eyes with a playful smile, "Usual? Go grab a table, I'll order."
Juan slumped in their usual table – which was, as always empty – and stared out of the window. He had a permanent scowl etched onto his face. Oren was right, he started college tomorrow, but he was not looking forward to all types of people he will encounter.
There will be grumpy teachers, bubbly students, bubbly teachers and grumpy students…he wasn't prepared to face all of that and still save his energy.
He had a bad temper to begin with, one could hope he won't be decking someone in the face on his first day. Even Oren wouldn't be there to stop him if he were to do so.
"Your coffee, sire."
"Shut up."
With a smile, Oren sat across from him, "I'll need to leave soon. Mum called me."
Juan nodded, although reluctant. He didn't want to be alone, but he brushed it off. When has he ever wanted Oren to leave?
Exactly, never.
Ever since his high school, when he moved here to live alone because his parents worked abroad, Oren had been the only one to provide him a haven.
They were only classmates, but that one rainy and gloomy night had been Juan's best memory as well as worst. There was escaping the daily dose of extreme loneliness but there was also meeting Oren. He was still contemplating if he could even categorise that memory into good memories or bad.
As a solitary soul, he was constantly haunted by the ghosts of his own mind but whenever he spent time with Oren, those voices disappeared.
Perhaps he was a little too self-aware, perhaps he was very little self-aware, but that was the reason he always spent as much time as possible with Oren.
The little time they had together came to an end and Oren bid him a goodbye, ruffling his hair on the way out. Juan grumbled under his breath as he too left the noisy cafe. He very much rathered his numbingly quiet and dark room, much like his mind.