"I need space." Those were the words Jacky said to Ryan the night before they both left for separate colleges. Now, each of them will try to learn who they are without the other. Will their paths lead them back together?
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Ryan
Strange sounds woke Ryan up a long while later. Pots and pans, too loud. Unfamiliar voices. A scent that made him feel inexplicably sad.
When he opened his eyes, he wasn't in his room. He tightened his arms around the dark-haired person in his lap, and by the smell and the feel of the shoulder poking into his chest, he knew immediately that it wasn't Charlie. His heart thumped hard, remembering.
Jacky had shown up last night. He glanced over at the clock on the microwave blearily and saw that it was nearly noon. Jacky had shown up this morning. They had kissed. That hadn't been a dream.
A giggle across the living drew Ryan's attention. A boy with blond hair that was red at the tips sat on the couch with a girl who had long dark hair and perfect winged eyeliner. They were both grinning at him.
Ryan shifted a little, hoping he wouldn't wake Jacky. "Billy, right?" Ryan asked.
"I've been trying to brand myself as Liam, but Jacky fucked that up," Billy said. He didn't seem upset about it. "This is Lilianna. I know we were all introduced last night, but there was a lot going on."
"Yeah, I think we went to middle school together, right?"
"Do you really not remember him?" Against Ryan's chest, Jacky's voice was a rumble.
"Ryan was popular," Billy said. "You can't expect him to remember two gay kids from eighth grade. Even though I do remember you. You really grew into yourself, huh?" He grinned at Ryan.
"You can stop hitting on my boyfriend now," Jacky complained, and sat up.
Boyfriend? Ryan wasn't sure that was the conclusion of the conversation they'd had last night. Maybe it was. They had done a lot of kissing. But Jacky's words hit him, and not in a good way. He filed that feeling away to talk about later. Now didn't seem like the best time, as the other boy on the couch woke up.
"He lives," Billy cawed.
"What time is it?" the guy croaked.
Ryan hadn't really looked at him last night. Billy had stolen the show and then there was Jacky and Pete, and whatever this guy's name was had faded into the background – only now that Ryan took him in, he realized how out of place he was from Jacky's other friends. Ryan wasn't sure about Liliana, but Billy was clearly out and proud, and it had seemed like Jacky had found a group of gay friends like Ryan had, if you counted your roommates as your friends. This guy, though, had a longish crew cut and was wearing jeans and a college sweatshirt like the models used for college brochures. Like a frat boy. This was Jacky's friend?
"Still too early," Jacky moaned.
"It's about brunch-time," Billy said. "Gotta get some carbs or this hangover is going to be harsh."
Liliana perked up at that. "I would kill for a bagel. And a PSL."
"A what?" the frat boy said.
"A pumpkin spice latte, Braedyn," Billy informed him. "Do you live in a cave?"
