How to Stay Afloat

~25: Where He Finds a Place to Stay~

He gave Fallon a sympathetic look before turning and leaving the apartment.

For a moment Fallon didn't say anything. She just stood there taking shaky breaths, her hands clenching and unclenching. I had no idea what to do. I ended up leading her to the couch and just sitting beside her silently like an absolute moron.

"The boy he was talking about. Jamie. He's my brother." She finally murmured. Her tear-filled eyes met mine. I gave her a nod. I'd pieced together that much on my own.

"Remember when I told you that my brother had been adopted almost immediately after the crash took place?" I nodded again. She took a deep breath. "What I didn't tell you was that I hadn't even known my brother existed before Mr. Patterson contacted me a while before my eighteenth birthday to tell me that I was going to get my father's convertible. He lives in Florida with his adoptive parents and he doesn't know about the plane crash or the fact that he has a sister yet. My father left Jamie his antique watches and Mr. Patterson planned on going to Florida to give them to him but I told him to wait because I wanted to talk to him first. I want to be the one to tell him . . . but I'm so scared."

My heart ached for her. I wanted nothing more than to wrap her in my arms and shield her from the world.

"What are you scared of?" I asked gently.

She swallowed. "He's happy Archer. I looked him up online. His life is nothing like mine and I'm glad. I'm so relieved that he has loving parents and a nice house and friends who clearly adore him but. . ." She takes a shuddering breath, "What if he takes one look at me and decides he wants nothing to do with my pathetic existence? What if he hates me for bringing up an ugly past he'd been blissfully living without knowing?"

"He won't hate you," I told her firmly.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because it's impossible to not like you," I murmured as I tilted her chin up with my thumb. "Trust me I've tried."

She smiled at that but it quickly disappeared. "But what if telling him the truth ends up hurting him? I don't want to cause him any pain."

I smiled at that. It was such a Fallon thing to say.

"It would still be worth it," I told her, my eyes not leaving hers.

"What do you mean?" She whispered.

"It would still be worth it because in return he would get to know you, Fallon."

For a moment she didn't say anything but then her shoulders seemed to relax a little.

"Thank you for saying that." She breathed. "I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that. I'll go see him I promise, as soon as we're done with finals I'll go see him and I'll ask him to come to my graduation."

Her tears started falling then. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her face was blotchy but I realized that she was still the most perfect thing I'd ever seen.

I sighed.

"I'm sorry for doing this right now but it's getting late and I really should go."

Her eyebrows drew together in confusion.

"I still have to find a place to crash," I told her gently.

My father had given me a choice and I'd chosen to leave. So I was pretty much homeless at this point. But I would rather sleep on the sidewalk than go crawling back to him.

I had my own money. I'd saved up every dollar I earned from fixing cars the past couple of years. It was enough to get me a room and food for a couple of weeks which left me enough time to look for a job.

I started to get up from the couch but Fallon's hand clamped down on my wrist.

"You can stay here." She said, her eyes hopeful.

I froze in shock.

"Fallon, I couldn't possibly-" I started but she cut me off

"You definitely can." And before I could interrupt she continued. "Archer, you didn't let me pay you for fixing my car. I know you paid for all the repairs with your own money."

I clenched my jaw in agitation. "That was different. It was something I wanted."

She smiled. "And this is something I want to do for you. Please stay here."

It was that please what finally got me.

"Fine but I'm paying my share of the rent," I said begrudgingly. She started to protest but I gave her a look saying that was the only deal she was going to get and she thankfully didn't argue further.

My eyes took in her tiny apartment. The apartment she shared with two other roommates.

I ran a hand through my hair.

"This is a three-bedroom apartment right?" I asked.

"Yes." She said brightly.

"And you have two flatmates," I said slowly.

I eyed the couch she was currently sitting on and winced. It looked super uncomfortable and it was definitely too small for my six-foot-three frame.

But I guess beggars couldn't be choosers and having a backache from sleeping on a couch was still better than being out on the street.

Before I could contemplate further Fallon's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"We can both sleep in my room."