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“—are power,” I finish, stepping off the stairs to take the keys I weigh thehtfully “Thanks,” I say down to the her eyes

My mother leans in, kisses the top ofthe tile until she’s also in her bedroom, and the door softly shuts behind her

It is with great pleasure that, at eleven o’clock on the dot, ie’s, the engine of lad to be reunited with ie’s at last with his apron balled up in his hand and sweat staining the pits of his uniform polo, I watch his lips part with shock as he takes in the sight of my bike

I lift my spare helmet to him “Ready for a ride, lover boy?”

Toby gives one nervous glance back at the restaurant before, with a tittering noise of excitement, he rushes up to claim the helmet, then aardly fits it over his head “Like this?” he asks, struggling with the neck strap I take over, strapping him in with care, then take his balled-up apron froo for a little joyride before we head back to your place?” I ask hi with excitement

Toby, still absorbing his own astonishment, hops on behind me, but doesn’t seeently taking hold of his thigh, guiding his foot to the peg “These are for your feet”

“Oh” He seeotten ten times more nervous the ht here in front of Biggie’s Bites in view of all of Main Street “Cool!”

I turn et close” He scoots a little “Closer” His hands slip around ainst ood

At that exact ate all the noise, Mrs Tucker steps out of Biggie’s “Oh, goodness You boys be careful! Phew, all that racket” She lifts her hands to her ears “Don’t go on the highway, Tobias, I’m warnin’ you! Be safe! Goodness …!”

Toby waves at her “Good night, Mrs Tucker! I’ll see you after church tomorrow!” And then I kick the stand and take off, and Toby’s hands find their place right back around my waist With a squeal both from the bike as well as Toby’s lips, we’re off

For quite soht air blasting past us Feeling him squeezed up to uy to callyet Even if we never beco at all Even if all we are in the end is just two lonesome misfits who inexplicably found solace in each other in the middle of nowhere

Just having Toby in my life makes any of this worth it

After we’ve torn a path halfway out of Spruce and back again, I circle around the streets and make my way toward Toby’s house I slow the bike down on the curb to let hi ate if I don’t want to leave it on the street, so I take hi Once inside Toby’s shed,off his sweaty clothes and starting to say so a shower, but I intercept his lips before the words are out, tackling hiht where we left off Friday night, our lips attached, our hands exploring, and our hearts racing

At one point, Toby pulls away “We should really go over our lines some more before Monday”

“Yeah,” I agree, out of breath “But just a few more kisses”

Toby considers it for exactly one seventh of a second “Yeah, a few ether We never once return to studying our scripts, which still lie neglected on the floor of the shed where we left the forgotten

13 | TOBY

I’ this new routine

Ever since Vann ca ether on his non-two-a-day onized as much by Stepdad Carl, either, whose schedule always seems to be opposite mine lately I run my office-aide errands every first period with such a bounce in my step, Becky callsantics in second period, too high on —even sh lunch, I am in total bliss as I stay by my buddy Vann’s side, a real companion, a friend, a partner …