Hands In The Stars

46. Hit Like A Wave

If it was the fifth or sixth time that night Ethan's sleep had been disturbed he wasn't sure of anymore.  The couch in Edwin's apartment seemed so soft and inviting during the days. Now, though, in the gloomy silence it was hard and cold. His spine ached and any time he moved he risked falling to the carpet below. His racing mind and relentless gut-turning knot of emotions only worsened the situation. Ethan was convinced the laws of science had somehow been bent the second he stepped foot into the damp, dark apartment last night. Time had slowed, nearly to a complete stop. He thought he looked at the clock each twenty minutes, to find out only two had passed. Yet, it felt morally wrong to sleep in the bed which rightfully belonged to Edwin. He had no idea of how to process it all. His heart was pulling in all directions at the same time.

Today could have been a good day to someone in a better situation. The misty blanket of pollution clouds seemed unusually thin today, the sun pushed through just a bit, tinting the livingroom in a cold light. Ethan kicked a pillow to the floor and sat up, hearing his shoulders crack. Reluctantly, he picked up his heavy phone and flipped it open. The battery was low, he'd have to charge it tonight. Five new messages met him, and his heart sank. Five messages from 'Eddie ( ˘ ³˘)♥'.
"Damn, it's not weekend." Ethan remembered with a heavy sigh. He sent a quick good morning text back to his boyfriend and hurried to the bathroom on tired legs. He had to get ready, Edwin would be there to pick him up in no time. 

"You look worse than ever buddy. Don't let anyone see you like this, you can't afford the hospital bill that follows." Ethan greeted his reflection, then had to chuckle a bit at his horrible read. Ethan plugged the sink, turned it on and fished out the little bit of dirt from the water he could get. He cleaned his face from the makeup of last night's show. Grabbing a light blue towel, he nearly slipped on his own cesire bodysuit, frilled to hell and back, where it laid crumpled up on the floor. 
"I don't have time to die now." Ethan complained to the fabric pile, the way you would scold a misbehaving pet. The shirt of Ethan's school uniform was right on the edge of too small and his pants needed to be ironed. No matter, the school uniform is the school uniform, and today was not a weekend. 

From the moment he texted Edwin good morning, until the moment he had ran across the entire apartment complex and reached the parking lot with the panting of an asthmatic sleep deprived elderly man, eleven minutes passed. Summer had hit hard, the air was almost unbreatheable and his shirt was already sticking to his back. The only thing on Ethan's mind was Zen, as he paced around the parking lot. Back and forth, left and right, theb kac again. Frankly, it didn't take long for Edwin's vehicle to appear in more than full speed. 

The black vehicle had three rows of windows, and Edwin's elbow poked out of the middle row. 
"Good morning love." He greeted Ethan, with a cheerful tone of voice and a stare of ice. "You look bored to death, come on get in." Edwin's hand waved around impatiently in the air and Ethan quickly did as he was told. Bufore putting on his seatbelt, Ethan leaned in and gave Edwin a peck on the cheek, and Edwin's eyes softened within seconds. 
"Thank you for picking me up. You seem like you had a rough morning." Ethan forced a smile. The driver was already at full speed, seemingly eager to get the boys to their destination. 
"The summer sure is hitting hard this year, huh?" Edwin sighed, a sad nostalgia tinting his voice. Ethan couldn't tell if that was meant as an answer or change of subject, but the air was stiff. The city seemed as gloomy as ever. It was all the gray buildings, black and white all around them. The little colour there was came from signs and lamps that only really mattered at nighttime, and the tiny patches dark greenery here and there. 

"How are you feeling?" Ethan asked after a few seconds of driving. The silence came with quite a discomfort. Edwin reached his hands up to his face and removed his pink tinted sunglasses. 
"I'm good, how are you? It's been a while." Edwin's lips smiled with no true emotion. Ethan decided not to press it any further. 
"It's... Good. Hectic night, bad sleep." Ethan forced out a giggle, trying to lighten the mood. Edwin looked over at him, then back at the road, turning the radio on. Cheerful summer music played around them.