Projection

40 • depressed

Austin stared wide eyed at his approaching boyfriend. Abel had bags upon bags draped from his arms. Various colors and prints were screaming from the bags, but Austin was more worried about the defeated look on his face.

Abel's eyes widened in surprise when he saw Austin by his apartment door.

"What are you doing here?"

"You weren't answering your phone. I was worried."

"I must have left it here..."

Abel shuffled his bags around to find his keys. Austin took the bags from the floor as Abel unlocked the door.

The younger man made a beeline for his room and deposited his haul on his bed. He immediately began sifting through the bags and buried his face in a new summer dress. From the doorway, Austin saw his shoulders shake with uncontrollable sobs.