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Sacrilege.
Pulling open my door, I call, “Sarah! I know what we’re watching.”
Sarah and Joel walk out of her room.
“What?”
“Jesse needs an education on Humphrey Bogart.”
Sarah turns to him, wide-eyed. “You’ve never seen any of his movies?Casablanca? Key Largo? The Maltese Falcon?”
He groans. “Aren’t those movies in black and white?”
Rolling my eyes, I say, “You have no culture. Be a good boy and make some popcorn.”
“I don’t get a say in this, do I?”
Joel laughs and smacks his brother’s shoulder. “When it comes to classic movies, absolutely not.”
Finally, Jesse relents, putting his hands up. “Fine. Fine. I’ll make the popcorn. But this better be worth it.”
We walk down the stairs, Jesse complaining, and the rest of us laughing. At leastthisfeels normal again.
I jolt awake at the sound of a car horn. Why anyone needs to honk their horn so loudly at—I turn to look at the clock—five in the freaking morning is beyond me.
I rub my eyes and then realize I’m not alone in my bed. I laugh at Jesse sleeping with one arm over his face. He could not hang last night. AfterCasablanca,we moved on toKey Largobut he fell asleep halfway through. I don’t know how you fall asleep during a classic like that, but whatever. Sarah, Joel, and I finished it, then rather than wake Jesse up, I put a line of pillows between us and went to sleep too, while Sarah and Joel went to her room. I am choosing not to ask any questions about that.
At this point, I know there’s no getting back to sleep, so I carefully climb out of bed, go to the bathroom, then grab a blanket and sneak out to the deck, getting cozy on the lounger. It’s a beautiful morning. The fog is slowly lifting as the sun makes its way above the horizon.
Peace.
It reminds me of Charleston.
Just a couple more weeks and we’ll be there. My stomach knots, wondering what that means for Aaron and me. I know what I want. Maybe Charleston is the answer. It’s always felt… magical.
Before I thought space would hurt less than being around him every day, but lately I’m not so sure about that. I’m wondering what hurts more. Only one way to find out.
Grabbing my phone, I pull up my texts with him.
Me: Hey… so it’s been a while since we’ve hung out, and I… miss you. Let me know if you have any free time today or tomorrow.
This is good, I think. Then I look back at the sky.
Pink, orange, and gold blend together with the lifting gray of night and it is absolutely stunning.
“Hey.”
I turn at the sound of Jesse’s voice. “Hey. Couldn’t sleep?” I scooch over so he can sit on the lounge bed with me. Once he’s sitting, I throw the blanket over him, too.
He shakes his head. “Woke up and was confused about where the hell I was,” he says with a laugh. “Then I had to piss, and I was too awake.”
I nod softly.
“What about you?”
“Car horn woke me. And I enjoy the sunrise. It’s good for… thinking.
“We’re a mess, aren’t we?” Jesse asks.
