It was an any other Sunday night at the Phelps, Travis was doing homework while his dad was gone, late duties at the church as Kenneth called it, Travis didn't know what that meant but knew better to ask questions. It was around 10pm when a pebble was thrown at his window. Travis tensed up and he wasn't really sure why. He dropped his pencil and stood from his desk. He turned and stepped back when another pebble hit his window, he walked over and opened the window and stuck his head out. He tensed, blushed even, when he met eyes with Sal Fisher. He hated how bad he had him without even trying or even knowing, he hated that he felt this way. "What the hell are you doing? My dad will kill you if he sees you." Travis spoke in a whisper but loud enough for Sal to hear. Now, he knew his dad wasn't home and won't be til 4am, like every Sunday, but neighbors talk.
"I-I know, I just- His car's not here and.. I had no other place to go." Travis' eyebrows furrowed. Sal's voice was wobbly and high-pitched, like he had been crying or maybe he still was, he couldn't see him that well, he can't see anything out of his left eye, it being badly damaged by his father. "My dad, he drinks and I don't like it. He's been sober but with the anniversary of my mom's death being in a couple of days, I-" He huffed and looked down. He was upset and it scared, worried Travis because in all the years he's known Sal, he never saw him upset, he was the kind of guy that would brush things away like they were nothing but he can tell this was something he couldn't, it was hard for him, and that caused Travis' heart to feel heavy. "Can I just stay here for an hour or two?" He asked, desperation in his voice. Travis couldn't say no, not when he saw the tears gathered in Sal's eyes, not at the amount of desperation in his voice, he came to him of all people and he didn't want to turn him away.
"Okay..." Travis replied. Sal smiled and climbed up to his window. Travis moved aside as he climbed in. Now that Sal was here, in his house, in his room, he was more nervous than he had ever been. He was flustered and he knew Sal knew it. He walked past him to shut the window, Sal watched as he did, he didn't know why but he did, though Travis didn't know until he turned back and caught him in the act. Sal broke eye contact and moved to sit on the bed. Travis stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, his hands in front of him as he stared down. Sal stared down at his hands in his lap. It was quiet for a while, it was an intense silence. Finally, Travis looked up but didn't look at Sal directly and he spoke. "So," Sal looked up. "Why did you come to me instead of Larry or.. anyone else?" He regretted his choice of words after he finished, he wanted to take it back, but before he could, Sal spoke.
"Larry.. has a lot on his mind, I didn't want to bother him with this." Travis just nodded. "And my other friends, they don't get it. They're all happy, yeah.. they fight with their parents but they're still happy and perfect and.." He sighed. "Mine's not." His voice grew quieter, weaker. It made Travis feel like hugging him, the kind of hug that's filled with love that makes you feel warm inside, safe even. He didn't, of course. He would die.
"And mine?" Travis wasn't aware of the question until Sal answered it. He thought, what a stupid question to ask, but Sal didn't think so, that's what he liked about him, he didn't judge people, he didn't judge him.
"Well, we both lost our mom's and.. your dad.. well," They both grew nervous, not at the presence of one another but because of the sole reason of knowing what Travis' father does to him. "You know." Again, Travis doesn't respond because he wasn't aware that Sal knew and now that he knows that he does, he wanted to die. Sal observed him, realizing he was still standing and avoiding any sort of contact possible. "You don't have to feel weird around me, you know? I'm your friend." Travis clenched his fists and gulped hard. He felt hot, like really hot. He sat with him nonetheless. It's silent again, for longer this time. Sal leaned his head on Travis' shoulder. He tensed completely and his face only grew hotter. "Thank you.." Sal took Travis' hand. Travis didn't move, he didn't want to and even if he did, he knew he wouldn't be able to. "For letting me stay." He finished. And yeah, they ended up falling asleep sometime after that, it was unintentional, of course. Travis woke up because the sun was in his eyes, he found himself in Sal's arms and he just about died right then and there. He didn't think twice, he stood, his face bright red. Sal woke up after that. "Shit. Did- Is it morning?" His voice was sort of raspy, it made Travis nervous.
"Yeah.."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep." He stood. "I'll get out of your hair."
Travis watched as he walked to the window and without any hesitation, he spoke out. "Wait." Sal turned. Travis turned and took a hoodie from his closet and turned back to him. Sal looked down at his gestured hand then back up at him, a smile crept upon his face. "It's, uhh, getting cold out, you should take this..." Travis grumbled.
Sal took it. "Thank you." He pulled it on. It was much too big for him, reaching down to his thighs and you could barely see his hands, his small figure being hidden underneath the bagginess of the hoodie. It made Travis want to laugh, but he didn't. He only smiled. Sal caught him off guard when he hugged him. Travis didn't know what to do, his hands sort of hovered over Sal's back until they relaxed and wrapped around him. "Thank you for letting me stay." He spoke softly. Travis' head tucked into his shoulder, he missed this feeling, the feeling of being hugged with such love and certainty.
"You're welcome..."
Sal pulled back a moment later and stepped back. "Bye." Travis only smiled in response and that's it, Sal left. He sort of felt empty when he did but he knew as long as he had Sal as a friend that he'd be okay.
