boston {h.s.}

trente-trois.

ASHER IS LATE.

Such a statement is an infrequency. Almost an anomaly. Asher is never late. Perfection to a t, Asher is the kind of person who, if he arrives ten minutes early instead of fifteen minutes early, considers himself late. Of course, my brother is the exact opposite. My brother is the kind of person who will arrive by the skin of his teeth five minutes late and you just have to cut your losses because you know it could have been much worse. So, when Asher went out with my brother before our date night, I knew that things could go one of two ways. Either Asher would prevail, or my brother. From the way that things look, it appears that it is my brother who is winning.

Every once in a while, my brother and my boyfriend hang out. Usually, this is when one needs something. If Asher is trying to get sports equipment at a discounted price, for example, he'll bring my brother, the Boston Bruin, to the store and see what he can do. Their friendship works in this strange sort of way in which they both find the beneficial nooks and crannies. Other times, they just hang out. They're friends, shocking as it is. They get along in ways that I would have never predicted. Every day I'm thankful for the alliance that they've made together.

Today, they'd gone out for lunch together. Both my brother and boyfriend have a certain infatuation with a pizza restaurant a couple blocks away from our apartment. Personally, I think the pizza is awful. They'd both been craving it so agreed to meet for lunch. After, they ran a couple of errands together. Something that I found endearing when they had texted me about it. But now, alone in Asher's apartment waiting for him to return home for us to have our designated date night, I find myself growing increasingly impatient by Asher's tardiness.

Already, I've been a bit on edge sexually when I had made my way over to my boyfriend's apartment. I'd used my key to get in and had casually flicked through the channels waiting for something to pique my interest. Unfortunately, nothing of the such came on. For a while I aimlessly flicked through the channels. I continued that way until my phone buzzed in my pocket. A text from Asher telling me that he would be later than he had thought. Later, but still no specification of how late.

I sigh and turn off the television.

Despite my annoyance, I assure him that it's okay. It is, actually. I like it when they spend time together. I want to encourage it. Asher is my person; the one who overwhelms me. Jack is my twin; the person who knows me. The two most important people in my life, I like knowing that they get along. Even if it temporarily inconveniences me, it does gratify me to know that the both of them are friends.

Of course, when I had walked through the door of Asher's apartment I had presumed he would be soon to follow. I didn't plan for this elongated period of waiting. I didn't expect not being met with the instant gratification. Every inch of my body was aching for affection when I walked in the door. Selfishly, I know where to get it.

Before I know what I'm doing, my feet are carrying me in the direction of Asher's bedroom and my phone is in my hands.

are you alone?

I send the message without thought to the consequence.

The answer is fortunately instantaneous; the gratification instant from yet another sin that I've committed.

h: Yes

I don't give myself time to talk myself out of my imminent actions. Laying on his bed, I open the camera. Needy for attention—attention in the place of the affection that I know I would be granted should Asher already have returned home—I direct myself towards the other most consistent source.

The picture is nothing special. I stare at it; a picture of myself laying on the bed with seductive eyes looking at the camera and my hand covering my mouth. There is something inherently sexual in the picture; perhaps the way that my eyes are so suggestive of more. Temporarily I find myself wondering whether this is the expression that Harry frequently sees from me. I find a sort of beauty in it.