Free-Falling

46

I put my hands in the green hoodie that I originally got from Michael and, get this, started to smile.

Maybe I wasn't going to know how Michael felt, and maybe I wasn't going to get a good answer. But I could get a giant weight off my chest.

I would finally be relieved from all of this and I wouldn't have to hide from Michael anymore.

Using the directions Barbara gave me, I found myself standing in front of a tan colored door with the numbers 273 on it.

I sighed and stared at it for a few moments debating on if I should do this or not.

"It's okay Gav." I said.

And then I knocked on the door.

Once, twice, and then a third time.

I started tapping my foot and I began to feel like I was going to be sick. Of course I was nervous.

I was about to tell my best friend I loved him.

There were the sounds of thumping and then footsteps to the door and then a pause.

I assumed it was Michael looking through the small hole in the door and then it opened.

"Uh, hi." I said feeling a smile form on my face.

"Gavin?" He said rubbing his eyes.

The lights were off behind him and I could tell he had been sleeping.

He wasn't wearing glasses and his hair was going every which way.

He was wearing the blue pajama pants I first saw him wear on the flight to Austin.

"Yeah.. It's me." I mumbled and he leaned on the door.

"What's up?" He asked, his voice cracking.

"Actually I needed to talk to you."

He nodded and opened the door more for me to step him and I did.

He shut the door and turned on a few lights to reveal a small but neat apartment.

"I was asleep if you can't tell." He said chuckling slightly.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I just really needed to get a few things out of my head."

He sat down on the leather couch near the door and I followed, sitting across from him.

Immediately he stood up.

"It may be late but would you care for a drink?"

I shook my head and made a few hand gestures to Michael.

"Actually I don't intend to stay long, you need your sleep."

"Sleep is for babies." He said sitting back down.

Then why were you sleeping. I said to myself in my head.

He started tapping his foot and I looked down at my hands.

Lindsey wasn't near Michael, which explains why he was so happy with me. But if Lindsey were here, he wouldn't even have made any jokes at all.

"So what'd you need Gav?" He said.

I leaned forward still looking at my hands.

"Well.. It's just. I think. Well. I mean. For a while now."

"Gavin." He laughed even though it was late,"Spit it out bud."

"Well..." I mumbled.

I didn't want to just say I liked him as more than a coworker or a friend so I resorted to plan G.