Page 61 of The Locker Room

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laugh and roll down the windows for most of the trip down Highway 1.

Chris laughed softly, and pressed his hand next to Xander"s jaw

again. Xander seized it and kissed it as he closed his eyes. “I didn"t need

a date and a time, Xan—just an affirmation.”

Xan fluttered his eyes open, and saw a brief breath of something

like worry or anxiousness pass over Chris"s face. He didn"t understand it

then. As they grew, as their education progressed, and the full weight of

their careers landed on their shoulders like a clanging anvil, he would

understand it, but now, he assuaged it with all he had.

Years later, it was still the only bandage he had.

“Love you, Chris. You know that, right?”

That anxiousness eased, and Xander felt the top sheet and

comforter pulled up around his waist, and then Chris settled into his

arms. “I love you back, Xan. Don"t forget it, ever, okay?”

“Mmm… "kay.”

The Locker Room

53

THEY surfed the next day. They surfed until their bones turned to

overcooked macaroni and their muscles turned to melted cheese, and all

they could do when they trudged back to their hotel under a sky of

velveteen black was shove some salami in pieces of French bread and

eat, and then pass the carton of milk back and forth until it was gone.

They managed a shower and then fell asleep limply on top of each

other, like jungle cats in the heat, and woke up with the sun pouring

down on them from the skylight.

They were both wearing underwear, and that was it, but Xander"s

stomach was nearly howling with hunger, so they kissed briefly then

dressed and went out for breakfast.

When they got back, they looked at each other in confusion.

“Sex or surfing?” Chris asked, putting his thumb on it exactly, and

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