Home for the Summer (BOYXBOY)

8 | Boys my Age

I woke up the next morning with a headache, a strange throb in my chest, and one notification. All three horrified me.

(8:22 AM) Lilli Sanders: hi apollo! yes, i would love to! are you free at 5? there's a horror film i've been wanting to see

"Oh god," I whispered to myself.

Why was I such an idiot? First, I had no interest in this girl and second, I couldn't stand scary movies. I was on the brink of throwing my phone into the ocean, but I reminded myself that this summer was my last chance to find a life for myself. I couldn't continue on single, boring, angry at the world.

Me: yeah, that sounds great! i'll see you then

There was a tap on the bathroom door and, after a beat, Nico stepped inside my bedroom clad in shorts and a sweatshirt. He looked like he had been awake for a bit. "Your mom says breakfast is ready," he said.

I sat up to peer at him. "What time do you get up in the mornings?"

Nicolas shrugged and leaned against my doorway as I lifted my comforter off of myself. "I'm still sort of on Vermont time, so 8 ish."

It was 10 AM. "Oh," I replied. "You know you can wake me up, right? I don't want you sitting around bored for two hours."

"I don't really mind it," he said as I slid my slippers on. "I usually just... Go on a run."

"For two hours?"

"Well, no. I guess not."

"You can wake me up next time."

He gave me a nod. "Okay."

We traveled down the stairs and into the kitchen where mom had prepared pancakes and fruit picked from my garden. We sat down with full plates and Nico began separating his strawberries from his blackberries.

"So, any big plans today?" mom asked as she, too, sat down.

"I, um... have a date." My mother blinked back at me for a bit too long, like someone else was lying under my skin.

"You do?" she asked and I nodded. "With who?"

"Lilli Sanders," I replied before shoveling food into my mouth so I wouldn't have to say another word.

"I didn't know you were interested in Lilli."

"Well, I am," I said, mouth full of pancakes.

"Hm," she said.

I could tell she wanted to ask more questions, but I didn't have the answers for her. I hardly knew what I was doing myself.

"Nicolas," my mom snapped back into conversation. "If you want, you can go to Armino's and turn in your application. Apollo mentioned you were trying to get a job there."

I desperately wanted to tell Nicolas not to work with me because, honestly, I would probably just get distracted with him there. My work was the one place I was able to focus and him being there may throw off the balance.

"Or we can go tomorrow," I suggested. "I have a shift then anyway."

"What's he supposed to do while you're out, then?" My mother was staring into me very intently, like she was trying to scoop out every thought I was thinking with just her eyes. Nicolas hadn't even said a word since we sat down. He just shuffled his food on his plate over and over silently.

"I don't mind just staying here," he said, finally. "And I can always go down to the beach."

Mom looked between Nico and I before sighing. "Yes, well, I promised my publisher 2 chapters by the end of the week and I have yet to begin them, so as long as I'm not bothered, you're free to venture off wherever. What time is your date?"