Breathe.
“Because I haven’t said anything to him—fuck—I haven’t even admitted it to myself, but I think—”
Breathe.
“Actually, I know—”
Breathe.
“I’m in love with you.”
Harrison opened his eyes and squinted at the light.
“I know it’s probably just a bad crush, and it’s okay if you’re not there yet, but I don’t care. I wanted to tell you when I saw you again in person, but I think you need to hear me say it now. I want to ground you if I can, so you don’t feel the need to drown yourself in anything else.”
He tried to speak, but his throat was so dry.
“Harrison.”
Jett.
“I’m not getting off this phone until I know you’re okay. I’ll make my captain sit outside all night if I have to.”
He smiled, even though it hurt.
“I’m not joking. He’s pacing circles around Powers right now, but I don’t give a shit. He’s not getting this fancy car back until we’re done talking.”
He laughed silently, his stomach muscles shaking his entire body with movement.
“I’m distracting myself by digging through his glove box, and I found his stash of condoms. XL, yeah right. The box isn’t even opened, what a pleb.”
The laughing turned to gasps as his throat finally returned to normal function.
“I sleep in the same room as him and I can confirm he has neither used a condom, nor has an XL dick. But I suppose you can’t base everything on what you see. Some guys are growers.”
“Jett…stop…”
Jett went quiet as Harrison coughed, trying to dislodge the leftover weight sitting on his chest.
“Youcan stop,” Harrison said shakily. “I swear, I’m good. I don’t want to hear about anything else you find in that car.”
Jett breathed a strained chuckle.“I don’t want to see anything either. But maybe I should take this opportunity to see if my gaydar is really off with those two. You never know, I might find someI love my goaliestickers in here.”
Harrison moved his limbs, testing to see how seized up he was. Other than feeling tingly with numbness from sitting too much, he was okay.
“If they’re holding hands then they’re fucking. Hands down. There’s no way,” said Harrison. “Also, the shotgun is in the guest room under the bed. The wooden bedframe has a hollow spot inside.”
Jett laughed, and the sound made Harrison feel slightly less shaky.
“Shotgun location noted. And typically, I would agree about the handholding, but you don’t see the expression on Cap’s face when he says they’re not.”
Harrison let out a strangled laugh and sat up, bumping his throbbing head against the shower wall. He tried to come up with a response, but he felt dizzy and still so out of breath.
“How are you feeling?”Jett asked.
Harrison’s lip trembled. “Better now, thanks to you.”
“I’m sorry I can’t be there,”said Jett.“But Harrison, thank you for calling me.”
