Lukas’s dad frowns. “That’s not enough sleep.”
“Well, we got you registered,” Lukas’s mom tells them, handing out their lanyards.
The guys shuffle along to the competitor waiting area and I follow their parents to the audience viewing area. It’s even more crowded than Nationals and it’s only the first day. I’m sure it’ll get even more packed before the world champions are named.
“Thanks for checking them in,” I say, as we settle into our seats. “It helped to sleep in a few extra minutes.”
“You’re welcome. We’re family, we’re here to help. Besides, they needed all the sleep they can get if they’re going to win this week,” Mary says, smiling.
Her words are sweet, but fill me with guilt. It’s my fault they arrived so late. If it weren’t for me, they would have arrived early yesterday, checked in, and gotten a full night’s sleep last night. We were all so exhausted, we didn’t fool around at all once we got here. Just crashed into bed. I think Elliot even considered skipping some of his cleaning steps. He didn’t do it, but he really looked like he was thinking about it.
The guys all make it to the next day of competition, but by the time we’re heading up to the hotel room at the end of the day, they’re all rather subdued with exhaustion.
“At least you’ll have some good material for your class article,” says Lukas as we step off the elevator onto our floor.
I wince. I haven’t told them yet about everything that happened at my work.
“I actually already turned it in. My professor loved it, so I sent it to my editor at the newspaper,” I explain, taking a deep breath to help mentally prepare myself for the next part.
“That’s awesome!” says Felix, pulling out the key card to open our door.
“Of course he loved it, you’re a great writer,” Elliot agrees.
“I got fired.” I let the words tumble out as we go inside, and I drop onto the bed to stare up at the ceiling.
“I’m confused,” says Sebastian, sitting down next to me so he can lean over and look down at me. “Did your editor not read it? He has to read it to know how wonderful it is. How would you showing him an article you wrote get you fired?”
“Oh, he did,” I assure him. I don’t want to tell him that I didn’t get fired because of the article, but because I was fooling around with them and one of the other reporters figured it out.
“Will you send it to us so we can read it?” asks Elliot, taking off the shoes I’d left on and replacing them with my hotel slippers.
My mind had been too distracted, but not Elliot’s. Even when I miss something, he takes care of it, without complaining.
“Thank you,” I tell him, reaching out to squeeze his hand. He smiles down at me. “You want to read the article from class that got me fired?”
“Of course,” says Lukas immediately, taking off his outside shoes and sliding on his room slippers. “We want to support you, and be involved in your life.”
“And we meant it when we told your mom that we would always support your goals,” adds Felix.
I’d thought they meant it in the way Mom had earlier, that they would financially support me and keep me. That’s why I’d been so pissed and snapped at them. But of course they mean that they’ll always support my goals. They’re better guys than I’ve ever given them credit for.
“Well, my advisor is working on finding me a new internship, so hopefully I’ll be back in a newsroom for the fall semester at least. There’s nothing you can do in that department, but I appreciate the thought.”
“You know we’d do anything to help you,” says Sebastian, leaning in to kiss me.
It’s so sweet, and I want to sink into the feeling. Or maybe cry. I’ve missed them so much. I never should have let Ronnie’s teasing freak me out so much that I threw this away.
For the first time in my life, I think that maybe I can have both a career and love. The I can let someone else care for me without losing a piece of myself.
“And support you,” says Elliot, turning my chin so he can capture my lips with his own.
“I should have said this a long time ago,” I say when we pull apart, “but I was an idiot and didn’t realize what was happening.”
“What was happening?” Felix asks, leaning in for a kiss of his own.
I look around at each of them in turn. “I was falling in love with you.” I grin at the looks of shock on all their faces. “I love you. All of you. And I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it.”
I pull them towards me, and we all fall together in a tangle of limbs on the bed. Suddenly, no one seems to be very tired anymore.
