The Void Between Stars: Book 4 Of The Orion Series

Maybe It's Really Not So Bad, After All

[Preface: All texts that are bold and italicized are Orion. Regular italicized are whoever he's texting with.]

The next day, home safe and sound, I was still feeling good about myself. It was...foreign. Weird. Truthfully a little unsettling, perhaps because I couldn't remember the last time I felt like this.

I was thinking about the Japanese proverb again. As such, I pulled out my phone and began to scroll through all my random interactions. Most were funny; some were heartfelt. I started with old conversations between Jake and myself.

8:45PM

Yo.

Hey

Wanna hang out?

Sure

Okay, lemme in, I'm on your porch already.

3PM

I feel so smart now! Like a person who does complicated math!

I'm a Goddamn mather!

...wait

Shit

Mathematician, even? 👀

Fuck off

I scroll back even farther. When nothing strikes me, I pull up my photos. I know I had a habit of taking screen shots of really funny exchanges. Sure enough, I find my treasure trove.

4:02AM

Jake

Jake

Jakey Wakey

Jacob

JAKE!!!

WHAT?!?!?!

Hi. :)

Why are you awake at 4AM?!

I thought I'd start reading a book before bed. I accidently finished it. 👀

Why are you texting me at 4AM?!

Why are you answering me @4AM???

Bc my phone buzzed!

Sounds like a you problem for not setting your phone to silent

Why am I friends with you?

Because I made pancakes. Want some?

I'll be right there

ISTG tho, if there's no food imma murder you

JACOB!

I'm coming, I'm coming

Ew, TMI

ORION!!!

I laugh, knowing how we drive each other equally crazy. Then I find two that, admittedly, make me a little sad. One was from a long, long time ago, before I went to rehab, before my life fell apart. Long before people thought I was actually suicidal.

4PM

If I die, you can have all of my guitars

...that's seriously the sweetest fucking thing anyone has ever said to me

But please don't die 👀

Wait, why are we talking about you dying?! Do I need to call someone?