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I turn aith a sigh “Just a long day, I guess”

“Long day, is it?” He chuckles to hi text back instead of leaving et”

Seriously, with this boy “Uh, sorry, maybe you’ve never actually had a job,” I retort, “but you’re not supposed to have your phone out while you’re on the clock, and—”

“I’m just messin’ with you Still, you look constipated Should probably check that out Maybe eat some Raisin Bran, I dunno”

I close

Now’s definitely not the time

The house is filled with the aroma of braised beef, potatoes, and buttered corn My pa shows up only minutes after we do, and the four of us are deep into our dishes of food in no time My ma asks a hundred and a half questions about my day at the theater while Jiood,” every ten seconds

Whenroom, I retire tochair by the hile I’ainst the headboard and ed into a pair of red shorts and a loose t-shirt Jiout whatever’s on the TV (that I’ attention to anyway)

Still, I let out a sigh and blurt, “Can you be any louder?”

Ji away from his phone for even a second “Just one more level”

I force ht … My heart picks up pace My ht in the hotel hen you … when the two of us … My lungs force a deep breath into them and out of them

Jiame cheats” He scowls and crosses his arms like a petulant kid “Fuckin’ unfair”

“Jimmy”

He lifts his eyes to

I stare at him across the room, then take a quick breath Just say it Just say it, you idiot

“What?” he says impatiently

“Jimmy Can we …” Why is this so hard? “Can we talk?”

His eyes harden at once There wasn’t a tense bone or muscle in his whole body, and in an instant—and without hiht up

He ss It seems to be an effort “Talk ‘bout what?”

“You knohat”

His eyes scrunch up, as if waiting for me to just let it out

Is that sweat under ht,” I elaborate At the sight of his still-scrunched-up face, I just say it: “The kiss”