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It doesn’t take long to find a good spot where the lights from the camp are at our backs We can still hear people, but it’s not as loud Lennon spreads out the rainfly, and we sit on it picnic-style I flick off the light onout here I don’t think I’ll ever be used to seeing theht pollution fro points of light It’s as if I’ at an entirely different sky

"Look," I say, pointing up at a wispy white trail "The Milky Way You can’t see that at home without a telescope Not even at the observatory"

Lennon takes off his headlamp and leans back on his palms "It looks unreal I know it’s not, but my mind doesn’t want to accept that this isn’t soht show"

No projection could look like this We both stare up at the sky for a long moment "I don’t even think I want to use the telescope," I say "I think I just want to look at theet to see all this"

My phone still has a little charge on it, and I quickly turn on the screen to use it as a flashlight in order to see where to

"We have service!"

"Well, what do you know?" Lennon says, taking out his phone "Oh, look I’ve got texts from the Brettster"

"You do?" My only texts are from Mom and Avani

"He’s apologizing for leaving us Well, it’s sort of a nonapology Oh, wait He’s taking it back NoHe’s apologizing again Aren’t Reagan’s parents in Switzerland, or so any sense Now he’s bla us I think? He’s an atrocious speller, by the way"

"Howat his screen

"One, two, three, foureight And the last one is asking if I can get hiain?"

"He’s already asked once He’s laboring under the false presumption that because s I swear, Brett is the absolute worst I’ that she’s leaving for the star party tomorrow and will see me there I quickly decide to tell her that I’h the park--super casual, no details--and asking if it’s okay that he rides home with us After she confir, I read lad you called today Please stay safe and text et to Condor Peak If you ever want to talk about anything, you know I’ this? I replay our phone conversation instarts to bother me "I left that photo book inhis phone off

"I’to getAnd it’s either that photo book, or she knows I’m here with you"

"Hoould she know?"

"Do your parents know that we’re alone right now?"

He hesitates "Yeah, actually They’re pretty happy about it"

They are?

"Look," he says, "they know your parents don’t realize you’re here with o run and tell your mom that They knoe’re safe, and that’s all that matters"

"Then it must be the photo book," I say

"Was Joy upset?"

"Not particularly She soundeddisappointed"

He doesn’t say anything for a while "Look, if you wantwas up with your dad a long tio So if she found the photo book, then she found it But there’s nothing you can do about it now"

I know he’s right Worrying won’t do ood It’s just hard tounsettled

But I try not to think about it, shutting offit in my pocket Then I lie on my back and look up at the stars

Lennon lies down next to me, shoulder to shoulder

"We’re under the saether," I argue

"I think we’ve always been together, even ere apart," he says, slipping his hand around mine