He glares at me, his jaw clenching. "Me!?Out of all the places on this Earth, you chose to be here, in Toronto, on thisexactdate. I'm the one that should be pissed."
I exhale slowly, letting his anger roll off me. “Listen, it’s a big city. I’m sure we’ll both manage.” I roll my eyes, casually scanning the sidewalk as if I'm in no rush to leave, even though every part of me wants to. I add, “But you didn’t answer my question—what are you doing here?”
The edge in my voice doesn’t go unnoticed. He lifts his chin, acting like he doesn’t care. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” he asks, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Why, so you can beat me to it before I get there?” He huffs, arms folding across his chest like he’s trying to guard himself.
I can't help it. I smirk again. It's sick, but I’m glad to know I’m not the only one carrying around that mess from prom night. The mess that tore us apart. If I had the chance, would I go back and do things differently? Yeah, maybe. Wasn’t my smartest move. But I’m not about to give him the satisfaction of admitting that.
“Whatever,” I mutter, turning away from him. It’s supposed to feel like a victory, like I’m walking away from the past once and for all.
But then I stop. There’s something I can’t shake. I glance back over my shoulder, and I see the confusion etched across his face, his eyes glued to the tiny screen of his phone. He’s biting his lip, the same way he used to when he was frustrated. I can't ignore how much that little gesture makes my stomach flip. The same way it always did. My feet drag me back toward him before I even realize it.
It doesn't feel right. I have this nagging instinct to make sure he’s okay, even though he’s not my problem anymore.
"Dude, where are you headed? I can drive you," I offer.
His eyes snap to me, disbelief clouding his features. "What? No. I’ll figure it out." He stands taller, trying to act like he doesn’t need me.
But I keep pushing. “Are you waiting for a taxi? An Uber? Where are you staying?” I fire off questions, and I can see him growing more and more agitated. “Do you have any plans? At all?” I feel the weight of his silence between us, pulling tighter.
His confused eyes connect with mine.Fuck.
And then it hits me. “You don’t have anything planned, do you?”
He opens his mouth to argue, but I’ve already walked over to grab his mini suitcase and yank it away from him. The move is abrupt, and the shock on his face is exactly what I was hoping for.
“Hey! Give that back–” he shouts, but I don’t stop.
“Listen,” I snap, “you don’t have to do whatever I say, but it’s clear that you need help. You’ve got a problem, and I’ve got a solution. So stop being such a baby.”
I pull his suitcase towards the idling Chevy, ignoring the way his glare burns into my back.
The driver calls out, “Mr. Brown.”
I toss the suitcase into the backseat, not even looking back at Nathaniel. “This is us,” I say, sliding into the backseat.
He slides in next to me reluctantly, still muttering about how insufferable I am as he closes the door behind him. I can feel the weight of his frustration. I like how easily I can still read him even after all this time. His eyes flicker to the window, and he leans back in the seat, his hand running down his face. And then I notice the absence of his Clark Kent glasses.
Fuck. I loved those glasses.
It’s weird. It’s like we’ve both been caught in this strange orbit, unable to fully escape the other. And then I ask, half-joking, “I really hope you're not here for the same reason I am.”
His eyes meet mine, and I see that we’re both thinking the same thing. His expression shifts from annoyance to something else—apprehension.
The possibility of it all crashing in.Wait, no, no, no.
Fuck.
10
nathan
"I'm sorry, sir, but that's the lowest priced room we have," the front desk worker says, flashing a sympathetic smile.
Caleb is insane.Eight hundred bucks forone nightin a standard room? That’s my whole damn trip budget—gone. How the hell am I supposed to swing this and still afford my rent next week?
"I can’t believe you talked me into coming here. I can’t stay here. I’ll find another hotel. This is ridiculous."
"Dude, it’s Pride weekend. Every hotel in the city is booked. It’s not that complicated. You're stuck. I’ll pay." He pulls out his annoyingly sleek wallet like it’s no big deal.
