Page 16 of Lost Boy
He closes his eyes, but I get a full response.
Score!
“What the hell is that?” he mumbles in a sleep-groggy voice.
And I’m all too eager to answer him. “Oh, they’re these cute little fluffy things, but they’re complete assholes when they get angry. Make this loud-ass noise. Sofie used to have one. Mr. Two Chins.”
“Hmm,” is all he responds.
“Here,” I say, nudging him with my granola bar and orange juice. I like to have a second breakfast, not unlike a hobbit, but I’m willing to share with Fallon. He needs the energy.
He sits up fully now, once again mumbling “thanks” and taking the offering, devouring it in less than five minutes.
By the time he’s done, we’re parked in the staff lot, and Joel and Sofie are already out and on their way to Aspen Hall after a quick goodbye. I have a key to Joel’s Bronco so we don’t need to rush. Sofie just likes to gossip with her friends, and Joel has to get ready for his first gym class of the day. I also let him know this morning that I have Fallon’s back. He doesn’t need to worry about him at school.
“Ready?” I ask, and Fallon nods, so I hop out and jog around to his side as he attempts to get out of the lifted vehicle. He stumbles, but luckily I’m right there to catch him. I wrap my arms around his smaller body and pull him to my chest so he doesn’t hit the pavement.
Oof.
“I got you,” I whisper, letting him slowly slide down the front of my body and press against my dick.
Shit.
I swallow roughly and release him, brushing his hoodie off like he’s five years old and got grass all over himself. I clear my throat, trying to let the awkwardness kill my semi.
“Sorry. Big drop,” he mumbles, and I burst out laughing like it’s the funniest thing ever.
“Yeah, dude. Take it easy next time. Or I could get you a step stool,” I tease, seeing if I can pull a smile from him that way.
He narrows those steely eyes on me, but I see the quirk in his lip, and I will fucking take it!
I hold my hands up in mock surrender. “Kidding.”
My smile is wide and earnest. I couldn’t wipe it off my face if I tried.
CHAPTERSIX
RYDER
Iconstantly wonder what Fallon’s doing—if his ride home on the bus went okay—and wish he was watching me on the bleachers instead.
When Joel and I get back to the house, I drop my things by the door since I know I won’t be staying the night.
“I’ll order some pizzas for dinner. Tell your sister and Fallon, please,” Joel says as he trails down the hall toward the kitchen in search of my dad.
“Get pineapple and green peppers, please and thanks!” I shout as I head in the opposite direction, snickering at his mumbled disgust over my fruit and veggie pizza. He’ll still order it. Joel is awesome and loves Sofia and me like his own.
I climb the modest stairs with the soft beige carpet runner so different from the ridiculous grand staircase at home. I honestly prefer to be here, and I know Dad does too. After he came out and Mom left so negatively, the house became an empty shell, and no one wanted to be there. We all like it here with Joel and now Fallon, too.
Mom left five years ago, and Dad and Joel bonded over mutual trauma in a local support group, reuniting when I made varsity. Joel was dealing with the death of his older brother, and Dad was still processing the ugly divorce with his wife and her bitter attitude toward him coming out and finally living his truth. As if I’d ever feel comfortable talking to her aboutmytruth after how she treated Dad.
I don’t even care about me, though. I can handle her not being in my life. I have, just fine. But no sixteen-year-old boy should have to take his crying twelve-year-old sister to the drugstore for stuff for her first period. I did, though, and still do every month. I know the brands she likes without her having to ask. They just appear in her room every month.
Along with chocolate. Lots of chocolate. We don’t have to talk about it, and she doesn’t stress about it. Dad knows I have it handled, so he doesn’t worry either. It’s just what big brothers do.
I hover in the doorway of my old bedroom, Fallon’s room, watching him with Sofia unnoticed.
“Fallon! You’re supposed to let the girl win! Don’t you know that?” Sofie whines like she always does when we play video games.
