Page 32 of Chasing You

“Okay, nice, I didn’t need that info.”

Isla giggles into the speaker and it pulls the smile on my face even wider. “It’s been so nice to get away and explore somewhere new.”

Isla and Caio have been in Australia on their honeymoon for three weeks already; they’ve got another three before they head home. I feel a hint of jealousy at what a good time they’re having. All I’ve done in the last three weeks is get on and off planes, and in and out of hotels. I’m itching for something else, something that makes me feel like my sister sounds. Fulfilled.

I scoff, shuffling down the bed until I’m staring at the ceiling. “As if you don’t live in paradise already.”

“Well, yeah,” I can hear the smile in her voice. “But this is a different kind of paradise. How about you? Where are you right now?”

It doesn’t go over my head the fact that my family never knows where I am, wouldn’t know where to find me, and they can’t rely on me in any way. If anything ever happened to anyone, I wouldn’t be there. Not right away anyway. “I’m in Vegas.”

“Vegas? Doing anything exciting tonight?”

“If you call staring at the ceiling of my hotel room exciting, then sure.”

“Miles.” I can just imagine the look on her face.

“Isla,” I chirp back, rubbing my hand over my brow.

“You’re in Vegas and you’re spending the night at your hotel?”

I shrug, not that she can see me. “Yeah.”

I leave out the fact that this is what I spend the majority of my nights doing these days.

“Is Wes there too?”

“Yeah, but knowing him, he’s probably out getting himself in some kind of trouble.”

“So go find him, get into some trouble yourself, or keep himout of jail for the night,” she suggests. It’s almost like she can feel my boredom through the phone line.

“I don’t know.”

“You deserve to enjoy yourself, Miles. You travel the world every day! Take one of these days to enjoy it, have your own little holiday.”

“Yeah, I?—”

“Oh! Sweetheart, I think that’s a kookaburra, can you hear that?!” I can’t help but laugh at Caio’s excitement through the phone.

“Okay, I have to go look at this kooka-whatever. I’ll talk to you later, yeah?”

“Okay, have fun, I love you.”

“Love you too, bye!”

The silence in this damn hotel room is deafening when my sister hangs up the phone. So loud I decide to pick up the phone and text Wes.

Me

what are you doing right now?

Wes

oh my god are you coming out?

Me

depends what you’re doing.

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