Home for the Summer (BOYXBOY)

3 | Peach Orchards

I had this habit of waking up with amnesia.

I'd blink into my bedroom, and forget my name, my town, my life. I didn't exist for the first 30 seconds of every day. On the 6th day of summer vacation, I woke up with no memory of my 17 years on this planet, but it all came back very quickly and I realized, as I listened to the sounds of my house waking up, that I had lived very little. I was barely a person.

The ocean trumpeted its existence through the window. Sounds of waves crashing and seagulls cawing came to life quietly in the distance. I clicked on my phone- Maybe I'd find a life in there.

9:37 AM.
Text from: Benji

He was the only person that ever really texted me. Maybe that made me lame, but I didn't mind. He was the only person I'd want to text me.

Benji: APOLLOOOOO let's hang out today

Me: right.. do u remember nicolas young? from 6th grade?

Benji: yeah, nico right?

Me: right

Me: long story short, he's staying w me for the summer summer and my moms making him tag along to all my stuff

Benji: he's staying all summer??

Me: yep

Benji: damn

Benji: he's not replacing me right? u cant have 2 best friends

Me: def not

I set my phone to the side and stretched into my unmade bed. I was outgrowing the twin-sized mattress, but I could fold myself up tight enough to fit. My phone buzzed again and I sat up to read it.

Benji: he can hang out w us today then

Benji: bike over to mine? we can get pizzaaaaaa

I texted a thumbs up before falling back onto my bed. I had a feeling Nicolas and Benji would get along. They were similar- carefree, spontaneous, the exact opposite of myself. But, deep down, I wasn't exactly thrilled about them getting to know one another. I sort of wanted to keep those two worlds separate.

"Hey," Nicolas said from the bathroom doorway. I hadn't realized I'd left the door open in the night.

Nico looked awake, despite his pajamas. I didn't take him for an early riser.

"Morning," I replied.

"Your mom's calling us for breakfast," he said. His voice was climbing, like he was nervous to talk to me. I shook it off and smiled.

"Yeah. Be down in a minute."

He slipped away again with a quiet, "Cool," and I peeled myself from my bed to brush my teeth.

The air smelled like bacon and toast when I reached our kitchen. Nicolas was washing a bowl of strawberries at the sink, and mom was pouring me a hefty sized mug of coffee.

"Good morning, honey," she said, not even turning to look at me.

"Morning," I said.

I took the mug from her and stirred in some sugar.

"Nicolas? Any coffee this morning?" she called to him.

"Oh, no thank you," Nico replied. "Not a big fan of coffee."

This was terrible news to both me and my mother, as the two of us were seemingly born with caffeine pumping through our veins. Nicolas took a glass of water to the table instead.