Page 39 of Sorry, We're Closed

Avory's face turns from his gorgeous smile to his exaggerated shocked face, resembling the emoji with its hands up to its cheeks, except his hands still have my entire body in a state of pure bliss.

“My first kiss was with my, oh so lovely, Gwen Sweet.”

Avory couldn't have looked more ecstatic.“Do tell!”

I sit myself up on Avory's lap, my arms returning to their position as his own personal necklace. I roll my head around a few times, hearing the crunch of my neck as I swing around.How long was I cuddled into Avory's side?

“So, when we were twelve, we had a school play of Romeo and Juliet. We both got cast as the main roles and the teacher was adamant on a kiss between the two, which obviously makes sense. Anyway, Gwen knew that I had never kissed anyone, so instead of my first kiss being on stage in front of the entire school, five minutes before the curtains went up, she kissed me.”

“Her kiss was so bad that it turned you gay?”

I slap his chest playfully as we both laugh.

“You'll need to meet her properly soon, and not in passing when we've just finished talking about you, like actually meeting her, and her brother, Xander, too. They are practically my adopted family.”

“Aha! So, youweretalking about me then?”

I bury my head into his chest, my cheeks feeling as if they’re going to become the most flushed they possibly can. His lips press against my forehead, and I could just melt into his lips, no matter where they went. His lips stay put for a few seconds before he speaks.

“Adopted families really are something special. While my uncle has always been my uncle, you wouldn't have ever expected him to take in his nephew for over eleven years now.”

A bittersweet smile coats Avory's face, as if it’s trying to say that “I love that it happened but hate that it had to happen”. That smile pinches itself into a thin line as Avory's gaze turns away from me. My hand meets his cheek as I pull him back to me, to us.

“Whenever you want, and if you ever want to, I’ll be here to listen to you.”

And there it is. That gorgeous, beaming smile which displays those beautiful teeth, accompanied with his delicious, smooth lips.

“Sawyer, thank you. I'd like for you to know everything and—”

Avory is interrupted by a buzz which makes the both of us jump and drags us back to this reality. Avory shoves a hand into his trouser pocket and pulls out his phone, still leaving one hand on my side and whispering his apology. His screen is glowing with a picture of him and who I assume is his Uncle Marcus, both with the cheesiest grins on their performance ready faces.

“Hey, it's my uncle. I think I need to get back, it seems important.”

It’s evident that neither of us want to leave this moment. I don't want to return to a reality where this could possibly never happen again. A reality where Avory is just a really good-looking customer who I exchange glances with every now and then. The more I think about it, the more I can't determine what exactly we are, but that's a conversation I'll bring up with him at a different time. A conversation like that is awkward enough for any person with a stable family and healthy concept over their own sexuality, so with my situation, you might as well add a million more steps to follow.

Eighteen

Avory

Leaving Sawyer isn't an option I'd have given myself for the evening, and I didn't want to leave. I could lay here with his head on my shoulder, learning about every single memory and moment, for the entire night until we’re blessed to see the morning sun rise over this town. Just watching how he moves, how he talks, how everything is calculated and thought over in that beautiful mind of his, it inspires lyrics which I never thought of writing. I'll have to try and explain to Marcus why he is suddenly singing about attraction, confusion and dedication. Marcus' text is unexpected as it doesn't include asking me to pick up take out or if I have listened to his most recent demo.

Marcus:Got some big news, kiddo! Get home ASAP! :P

I love that he has just started figuring out how emoticons work, because I won’t dare teach him about emojis. I'm not explaining the world of eggplants and peaches.

“Hey, it's my uncle. I think I need to get back, it seems important.”

Sawyer nods and begins to rise from my lap. I really hope he doesn't notice the tension he has slowly been causing. I shuffle, readjust, and stand next to Sawyer. Our hands lock together as he brushes his lips against mine once more. His soft yet tender lips feeling like a heaven opening its gates to welcome me in.

“You can go out of the back door. I've locked the front already. The alley will take you straight out the high street.”

“I usually go in the back door, but alright.”

Sawyer's jaw falls so wide open that it might as well drag on the floor like the classic cartoons. I laugh as his hands land on my shoulder blades, and he starts pushing me out of the fire exit. It’s cute seeing how much force he has to use to move my stature. I stop and lean on the fire exit frame, taking him all in once more until the next time I’ll see him.

“I'll message you, okay?”

“You better, Bright.”

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