Trying for Love

Chapter 31

As sleep left him, Henry slowly became aware of the arm draped across his chest and laced his fingers through the hand. In response, the body behind him pressed closer, nuzzling his neck.

"You're still here," said Manny, his voice barely a whisper.

Henry managed a mumble of agreement before drawing them into a kiss. He rolled over and Manny's hand pushed up from the back of his neck into his hair. The gentle, unrushed kiss became more forceful, their hands grasped and drew their bodies closer until no space existed between them.

A phone notification unknown to Henry sounded, prompting Manny to reluctantly break away and reach for his mobile. As Manny typed his reply, Henry stretched and looked for his own phone. The room was mostly neat, except for their clothes which had been hurriedly removed the night - or maybe it was just earlier that morning - before. He retrieved his jeans, which had been abandoned by the door in a heap, and pulled them on. A cork noticeboard had been hung on the back of the door; it was mostly filled with Manny's own notices about tests and paper due dates, written in the same neat handwriting that had once occupied Henry's margins. But there were flyers too, club nights, running and badminton club times - that must be why he was so in shape now - and MedSoc socials, including a winter ball invitation.

"Inspecting my room?" Manny teased from his bed.

"No, just looking for my phone."

"Is that it there?" Manny pointed to the floor near his desk.

"How did it end up with your t-shirt and my sock?"

"A question for another time..."

"Oh yeah?" Henry leaned on the bed, hands either side of Manny's legs. "Then what's a question for now?"

Outside the room, there was a crash followed by more clattering and a string of expletives. Manny chuckled, "Moses must be awake." Seeing how tense Henry was, Manny leaned forward and held Henry's forearms. "Relax, he'll just be getting some cereal, you don't need to worry about the flat burning down, yet."

"You live with someone?" asked Henry, sitting up on his knees.

"Well, yeah. Three someones, actually," Manny let out an amused snort. "It's the only way to afford rent."

"I thought you lived alone."

"Well I don't"

"Do you- do you think they saw us last night?"

"Seriously?"

"No, not like that. It's just, I barely remember anything from last night and they're strangers-"

"- we were in the club with two of them last night," countered Manny.

"Oh, right. Sorry, I think I'm just hungover," said Henry, but Manny didn't look convinced. "I am and I haven't eaten anything since the train yesterday."

"Why not?"

"I thought I was getting dinner with the guys last night but we ended up just going straight out for drinks. Shit, speaking of which..." Henry pulled the phone from his back pocket, it was dead. "Do you have a charger?"

"For an iPhone?" Henry nodded at Manny's question. Pointing to the desk, Manny said, "Check in the drawer."

Sure enough there was a white cable neatly coiled atop a stack of brightly coloured Post-its. The plastic casing at the end was frayed and next to it was a smudge of blue. Henry turned the plug over in his hand, there in between the three prongs in blue ink, HG.

"It's the one you gave me with the iPod, it should work for your phone, right?" Manny was pulling on a hoodie.

"Um, yeah," said Henry, staring at the cable. At the sound of the latch on the door clicking open, Henry lifted his head to see Manny with his hand on the door handle. "Where are you going?"