After Dark

Nineteen

At ten thirty there's several taps on the window. Liam sits up and walks over to open it. He smiles at Ian who's grinning back at him. He's crouching on the roof in black shorts and a red and yellow hoodie.

"You tired?" Ian asks, not making a move to climb inside. Liam shrugs in reply. "Wanna go somewhere?"

Liam thinks about it. He looks down at himself in his black joggers and a gray shirt. It wasn't the most fitting thing to go out in but he figures Ian won't care. He slips his vans on and grabs his phone, wallet, and keys - just in case. He turns off the TV on his way to the window, leaving the lamp on his desk on so they'll have light on their way back in.

"Come on." Ian smiles and backs away so Liam can climb out the window. He's never done that before but he decides to try.

It doesn't work out too well. Once he gets his body out, his foot hooks on the windowsill and he trips. He stumbles on the short ledge and there's a split second where he feels genuine fear that he'll go tumbling down the side of the house.

Ian grabs his arm while laughing. Liam steadies and Ian keeps laughing. Slowly, Liam smiles and lets out a small laugh too.

Ian leads the way to the edge. He grabs ahold of a small branch above his head and then jumps onto a bigger one. His feet stay steady on the thick branch and he backs up to allow Liam room to get on.

"I won't let you fall." Ian says like it's a promise. He holds his right hand out while his left stays clamped on the branch above him.

"Or we both fall because you try to save me but I just end up taking you with me." Liam deadpans, looking at the long drop.

Ian laughs. "Yeah, or that happens. Guess we won't know until you jump, huh?"

Liam looks back down at the drop then back up at Ian on the branch. The boy is smiling at him and still holding his hand out. Liam takes a breath and reaches one arm up to grab the branch above and jump over. Ian grabs his other hand and pulls him up so he doesn't fall. He didn't really need the extra support but it's appreciated.

Ian leads the way down the tree, showing which branches to grab and where to step. They eventually slide down the tree and hit the ground. Ian grins at Liam and tugs at his arm before spinning and walking away.

They go down the driveway and to the road. Ian had pulled onto the grass in front of the gate. Liam looks over his car. It's an older beat up dark blue.

Liam smiles while climbing in the passenger seat. Ian starts it and the radio turns on immediately. He turns it down so it's just a quiet hum in the background. Then, he starts driving.

The heater is on, warming up the inside of the car. It's a big contrast to the chilly outside air. Liam appreciates it. He turns his head to stare out the window.

All the lights from the lamp posts in the streets or from the insides of a window shine brighter in the dark. It's beautiful really. Liam watches them all as they drive.

"How was the movie?" Ian breaks the comfortable silence and brings Liam's attention to him instead of the street.

"It was good. I think Ember enjoyed it more than anyone else there. I did like it though, that was my first time in a theater."

It doesn't occur to Liam until after that he's oversharing. Ian probably didn't want a detailed answer when he asked. Simply saying good more than likely would've sufficed.

Ian smiles though. "That was your first time watching a movie in theaters?"

"Uh, yeah." Liam nods. "It was."