Fragile Threads [boyxboy]

Chapter 19

“Are we supposed to be in here?” Ethan questioned dubiously. The building was empty aside from them.

“Hey, Ari said he wanted to see where most of the psychology classes are,” Jace pointed out as he bounced ahead. “They just renovated it not too long ago, so it’s one of the nicest buildings. Though everything is under renovations at some point—so forget the actual name of the place, you can just call it Construction State University.”

Ethan shot Ari an unsure glance, because that still didn’t answer the question of whether or not they were supposed to be in there on a Saturday at nine at night. “Jace, are we going to get in trouble for coming in?” Ari repeated the question more seriously.

“Nah. The buildings are open till ten, even on the weekends. In case someone ever had to come and work on stuff… and then if you’re already in here when they lock up, they don’t kick you out,” Jace explained. “Pretty good for the art students who’ll be there until like three in the morning the night before something is due,” he added on a laugh. “Is there anything you want to see though, Ethan?”

Ethan shrugged and tried to put some thought into it. He wasn’t actually sure what he wanted his major to be. He wasn’t particularly good at anything—he just knew it wouldn’t be math. Or science. He wasn’t even sure what psychology meant as a major, really. He’d put undeclared on his application to apply. “I just want to not fell like I’m trespassing,” Ethan muttered, earning a chuckle out of Ari.

“Jace, how about you show us the downtown lights like you were talking about?” Ari suggested. “Or the fountains.”

Jace agreed to that and so they walked off campus a few blocks. There was the unofficial downtown of the city—it wasn’t the technical downtown, but it was where all the good places to be were. Jace unhelpfully pointed out two popular bars, but also some art center and a concert hall that Ethan had heard of before.

There weren’t any lights up to see yet though; Jace said it really only happened during the winter and when the trees didn’t have leaves on them. Ethan liked the aesthetic of some of the older buildings, and that everything was locally owned or something he’d never heard of. There was only one Subway and one Starbucks within the three block span of the street. There were some coffee shops with bookshops inside with creative names.

Jace insisted they go into some old-fashioned candy shop. Ethan thought that it would only make Jace worse to be around—sugar had to make everything worse. But then there were a few things Ethan had never heard of, or remembered his mom talking about from when she was a kid. He got a few things for her and decided to try some salt taffy, and some foreign chocolate.

Ari got himself some candy jewelry and cream soda. Jace spent a lot more than they did and ate his candy as he walked.

“He’s not going to sleep tonight, is he,” Ethan commented dryly from a few steps behind Jace.

“Probably not,” Ari agreed quietly as he took a sip of cream soda. He tilted it towards Ethan. “Want some?”

Ethan shook his head and unwrapped one of his salt taffy candies. He liked Laffy Taffy, so he figured it was a safe bet. As soon as he put one in his mouth and started to chew, he knew he didn’t like it. He puckered and then tried to get it down quickly—but it kept sticking to his teeth.