~*~
By the time I pulledup to their place, the windows glowed warm against the chill night.Toby met me at the door, grinning, already holding a blanket like a peace offering.
“You made it,” he said, ushering me inside.“Justin started without you, but don’t worry.He paused it at the first explosion.”
Which didn’t say much, the first explosion was like five minutes into the movie.
“Obviously,” Justin said from the couch.“Can’t let her miss the ‘plot.’”
I kicked off my shoes while Toby claimed his spot on the couch.He held out his arms for me without saying anything.I knew it was more about him needing contact more than he’d ever admit.I let him because frankly, I needed it too.I practically crawled into his arms, letting him squeeze me to his side as he rested his head against the top of mine.Justin reached over and tugged the blanket across my legs, his hand resting on my ankle in a way that grounded me.
The movie blared nonsense on the screen with impossible chases, cheesy one-liners, and overly large explosions that had Toby cackling.
Halfway through, he whispered, “Okay, but admit it, this scene’s kinda badass.”
“It defies the laws of gravity,” I whispered back.
“That’s why it’s awesome.”
Justin snorted.“You two are impossible.”
I smiled without forcing it, and it felt good to do it.The heaviness didn’t vanish, but it softened, like maybe it didn’t have to crush me tonight.
When Toby drifted off in the middle of the second half of the movie, I listened to his soft snore, preferring that over the movie.
Justin glanced over, voice quiet.
“You okay?”
“No,” I whispered.“But this helps.”
He nodded, eyes gentle.“Then that’s enough for now.”
The movie ended sometime past midnight.Toby was asleep, sprawled like a starfish across the couch.I was trapped beneath his arm, but I didn’t mind.
When the credits finished rolling, Justin leaned forward and turned down the volume.The light from the TV painted his face in cool blue shadows.
“You should stay,” he said softly.“It’s late.And you look tired.”His brows furrowed in worry.“And not a sleep-deprived kind of tired.”
I hesitated, glancing at Toby snoring beside me.“And him?Should we wake him so he can go to bed?”
“He probably sleeps on this couch as much as he does in his own bed,” Justin said, smiling faintly.
“All right.”
Justin helped me get off the couch without disturbing Toby, and then I headed to Justin’s room, which was also on the first floor, down the hall from the living room.There were originally only two bedrooms upstairs, so they had long ago converted a space downstairs into a third room for Justin.
I’d been to Toby and Justin’s house a handful of times and had stayed overnight once when it got too late and I fell asleep on their couch.Justin’s room was small, tucked in the quiet back corner of the house.The moment I stepped in, I paused.
The walls were lined with framed photos, neat and intentional.The first one I spotted was of Justin’s parents when they were younger, probably in their early twenties, smiling bright.
Next to it was one of his sister with soft dark curls and bright eyes, the picture capturing her in mid-laugh.
Then there was a photo of the entire family together at a park.A perfect happy family.
A family that didn’t exist anymore.
My chest ached as I took them in.“I didn’t realize you’d hung these up.”
