Page 67 of Talk to Me

“Come on,” I said again. “We can share the bed and blankets. Being under the window over there just makes it worse.”

Without any further questions, I could hear Theo springing off of the cot. I scooted back in the bed until I was against the wall that my bed was against. With the blue moonlight coming through the windows, I watched Theo traipse across the room and toss his covers over me on the bed. Then he lifted them, cold air rushing in to attack me, before he slid into the bed and pulled the covers back over us. With my butt against the wall, I was facing Theo, and he turned on his side to face me.

“Let’s just make sure we put your blankets back on the cot in the morning,” I said quietly. “Otherwise, my parents will have questions.”

“They won’t get mad that we shared the bed, will they?” he asked in a hushed whisper.

“Well, no,” I whispered back. “I’m twenty-one years old. But I don’t want the questions.”

“Will they get upset if I posted a video of all the pictures I took?”

I thought about that. “No. As long as you ask permission to use any photos they’re in, I guess.”

“I’ll ask first if I do that,” he said, reassuring me.

“I still…don’t get it,” I whispered. “Peepers. Social media. The influencer thing.”

“What do you mean?” Theo shifted in bed, holding the covers up to his chin with a shiver.

“Why do you do it?” I asked. “Why give up your privacy like that? I mean, does it even make money?”

Theo sighed. “Well, not a ton right now. But when Ben and I had our mutual account, we were making ten-thousand dollars a month each. Between Peepers and brand partnerships and stuff.”

My eyes grew wide and I knew that the whites of my eyes had to be like headlights in the dark. Theo laughed at my expression.

“I should have made you buy twice as many road trip snacks,” I said.

“Right? It can be decent money. If everyone doesn’t hate you.”

“Is it worth it?” I asked. “The money? And the hate?”

Theo thought about that for a moment.

“I’m good at it,” he said. “Getting people to engage online. It’s something I can do naturally. Some people are born to be accountants or doctors. I was born to entertain people with silly shit online.”

We both chuckled.

“So, yeah,” Theo said. “It’s worth it. The money outweighs the bad stuff. Most of the time.”

“Okay.”

“You know, it’s weird, sharing a bed sometimes,” Theo said. “I think I’ve shared a bed more in the last few months than I ever have in my entire life.”

I laughed. “What? You and Ben just screwed and hopped in separate beds to sleep?”

Theo didn’t laugh.

“We both liked our own space when we slept,” he said.

“You do take up more room than you should,” I replied. “For a skinny guy, you take up big guy space. If I’m being honest.”

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“It’s okay,” I said. “As long as you keep me in snacks.”

He chuckled softly. We stared at each other in the darkness, my full belly and the warmth from the blankets making my eyes heavy.

“I really like your family, Josh,” Theo mumbled sleepily. “And your house.”