The Space Between Us

six <3

Astras Pov.

I shut the door quickly as Caelum made his way into his car. I grabbed my phone out of the pocket of my hoodie and quickly dialed Samarias number.

"Hello?"

"Hi Babes, is he gone?" Samaria asks eagerly.

"Yeah he's pulling out now, come as fast as you can." I reply.

I walk back into my home and find the kids passed out peacefully on the couch. So much for hanging out later.

I turn the television down and dim the lights so they stay asleep. It's roughly 15 till 9 so I have 6 hours before Tess and Jerry get home.

That's plenty of time.

I walk back towards the front door and bright headlights blind me almost immediately. I see Samaria hop out of the car and move to the passengers side.

Samaria texted me while Caelum was here and told me she had befriended the new kid. You remember Jake right?

Well, he's here too.

Hand in hand they approach the front door. I open it slowly and bring my index finger to my lips communicating that they need to be as quiet as possible.

Quickly, I shut the door behind them and make my way upstairs without as much as taking a breath before closing my bedroom door behind me.

"Holy shit." Samaria let's out.

"You're telling me." I say in return.

I look up at Jake, he's about six foot. Probably taller. His dirty blonde hair compliments his freshly tanned skin nicely. His grey eyes don't stand out as much against his skin. At least not like Caelums emerald ones.

He's nicely dressed and very handsome.

"Well, nice to meet you Astra." He says kindly.

"Nice to meet you too Jake." I reach my hand out to shake his but he pulls me in for a hug instead.

I don't do hugs.

I pull away quickly and shoot him a kind half-smile. Samaria gives me a weird look and flops down onto my bed.

"Okay well, I think it's time." Samaria says weakly.

"Time for what?" I ask out of confusion.

I look at both of them with a puzzled expression on my face. They look at each other and an eternity later Jake elbows Samaria. Then she blurts out this.

"Long story short, Jake is gay. Kat is his cousin and their family is homophobic so we need to help him. She caught him flirting with a guy at the mall yesterday, and he's afraid she might out him. It could ruin his life Astra."

"Woah, slow the fuck down. What?" What the fuck did she just say to me?

Ive never talked to this man in my life, and Samaria spent four hours with him. Now he's in my house coming out to me?

What?

"I'm so sorry love, I just started talking to Samaria at the diner and she just seemed so kind so I dropped a huge load of baggage onto her. All my friends are back in California. I have nobody here." Jake states weakly.

I knit my eyebrows and sit down on my bedroom floor. This is a lot to take in. I mean, it's not a big deal or anything. It's just. How can I even help?

"So, why did you think to tell me of all people?" I question.

"Well I proposed it because you're in the community as well, and you're single!" Samaria's straight lined lips turn up into a smile.