Page 46 of Saints & Sailors

When I opened my heavy eyes, I took in the foreign place I was in, and then I remembered my night out with Bonham. Bonham, who wasn’t beside me as I rolled over.

The twin bed was cold on my left side, letting me know he’d been gone for a while, or had never shared the bed with me.

As I sat up, one thing was clear: my head was killing me.

I got high and drunk to coat the fresh wound of abandonment and now here I was paying the consequences.

Pressing the palm of my hand to my forehead, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, prepared to get up and get out of dodge.

Ugh, it felt like my brain was floating in the pool of my head.

I was only in my underwear, but I was certain we hadn’t had sex. A quick run through my memory left me coming up empty on the act. Bonham had kissed me, drank with me, and smoked a little as well, but when it was all going black, he was nowhere to be found.

I stood up, unsure how I felt on the failed mission of bedding Bonham Church.

Regardless of the fact that I hadn’t gotten laid, the night had still been fun, letting me know that life in Meadow Grove could be tolerable.

Once I was on my feet, I found where Bonham had slept. Out on the balcony, he was asleep on a hammock, having only just a blanket to keep him warm.

For a moment, I stood where I was, watching him sleep. On his left shoulder blade was a sparrow tattoo. The wind blew, causing his messy hair to sway.

I was caught up between going over and climbing under his blanket with him, or simply waking him up to say goodbye and thank him for the night out.

In the end, I decided against both as I knew getting home was more important.

Scott had to be pissed.

Hopefully enough to send me back to my real home.

When I didn’t spot my cut-offs or shirt from the previous evening, I grabbed a pair of sweats and a Grateful Dead shirt from the laundry basket nearest the bed.

It was nice to know Bonham’s mother still did her boys’ laundry and folded it too.

My own mother had done it for a while until I got to an age where I hated her touching my things.

I didn’t want to think of my mom when I had a bigger issue in front of me.

My cell phone lay on the bed and upon pressing the power button, I found a series of missed texts, calls, and voicemails from Scott, and a single call from Cameron.

Shit.

Something told me Scott wasn’t about to let me come in and crash for a few hours, he’d more than likely make a big deal of my night out.

Ah well, it was time to face the music.

On a table near the door, I spotted a flyer advertising an upcoming carnival at the school. Great. Beside it, I noticed a photo of Aidan and Cameron. She was wearing a sundress, a light seeming to be shining down on her, and Aidan was just grinning away as if he were holding the best girl in the world on his arm.

People throughout town probably spoke highly of them both.

Kids like Bonham and me, we’d never bask in sunlight, which was probably why we craved the open arms of the darkness that was nightfall.

Once outside, I stared ahead of me at the sky, scowling at the sunny day above me.

I was just about to make my move when it hit me.

How the hell was I going to get home?

Bonham was asleep, and I wanted my exit to be just that.