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Beckett checked the tag of a sleeping bag. It was $75. “That’s ridiculous,” he said. “It’s not even good quality. It’d be unusable in winter.” He flipped every sleeping bag tag, his frown deepening.
“I’ll buy one if you want to sleep alone,” Miles said.
Beckett turned his gaze on Miles, and Miles fought the instinct to step backwards.
“It’s too much,” Beckett said. “We can share for the rest of the trip.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” Beckett turned away from the display.
“Are you really sure? Because—”
“Yes,” Beckett snapped, and Miles flinched. Beckett immediately looked apologetic and rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean…think of what Addison would say if he were here. We need to make good financial decisions.”
“Right.” Miles nodded, shoulders relaxing. Truth be told, he was relieved he didn’t have to spend money on something he doubted he’d use regularly.
“Come on,” Beckett said. “I left the ice at the counter.”
They bought the ice and returned to the campsite, discussing what they should do that day. While the air was warm, it wasn’t as hot as the previous day, and the sun was covered with clouds. It was good weather for hiking because they wouldn’t sweat under the summer sun.
Back at their tents, they made two sandwiches for lunch and packed them in their bags, along with water, and chocolate, and nuts.
Afterwards, they began walking the trail. It started nearby the Tidal River bridge, but rather than taking the path that led them to where they’d watched the sunset the night before, they went the other direction, where the path was surrounded by tall grass and shrubs. Beckett led the way, but he never let Miles drift behind him, always making sure they were walking together.
They discussed the latest seasons of their favorite TV shows and the books they were reading—Miles had his history of surgery book while Beckett was making his way through every novel Stephen King had ever published. They talked about people in the Biomedical Science Student Society and discussed what gift to buy Callum, whose birthday was next month.
“A box of condoms,” Beckett said. “That’ll be the most practical.”
Miles laughed. “Hey, come on. Callum has other personality traits.”
“Like?”
“Jogging. His plants. Being obsessed with Ryan.”
Beckett’s playful grin disappeared, and Miles felt he said the wrong thing.
“You said it first,” he explained. “That Callum was obsessed with Ryan.”
Beckett looked out at the landscape before them. “You don’t think it’s weird?”
“Of course not,” Miles said. “They’re best friends. Make sense.”
Beckett said nothing.
You’re my best friend, and I’m kind of obsessed with you, Miles thought.
No, he wasn’t obsessed with Beckett. But he did wonder about Beckett’s sex life, which a normal friend didn’t do. Miles also had a feeling that normal friends probably didn’t kiss and jerk off together.
Before he could worry about that, Beckett started talking about GPA requirements for med school, and Miles let himself get distracted. Talking about med school was one of his favorite topics, and Beckett knew it.
An hour into their hike, they were high enough to have a nice view of Tidal River below them, curving through green hills like a brown snake. They sat down on a granite rock and had lunch.
While eating their sandwiches, Miles glanced at Beckett, then looked away. He looked at him again, at his dark brown hair, the very same hair Miles had grabbed the previous night.
“What is it?” Beckett said, meeting his eyes, and Miles jolted.
“Nothing.” Miles finished the rest of his sandwich. Started on the nuts. Sneaked another glance at Beckett, and once again Beckett caught him, and Miles’s blood rushed to his face.
