Number 1

The Night Before: June 21st 300 NW

I lay in my bed in Rays house. The white, blank drywall walls seemed to tower over me and funnel to the ceiling. The green sleeping bag and mattress is moderately comfortable and it wouldn't matter if it didn't produce much heat as in the house there was already enough being produced by the heat generator.

I hear steps coming up the stairs

Crick,
Crack,
Crick,
Crack,
Then, the slight noise of metal being twisted around and slightly jiggling, then my door creeks open and in comes Ray,

"Hi Adelaide, can I talk to you for a second?" He asks.

"Sure!" I say sitting up in my bed and shifting to face him, he looks nervous.

"Adelaide, in complete honesty, I don't think we'll be able to leave if Barley isn't on our side. Or that they hate us, it won't go well.

And we need to make a plan, we don't have much time.

I need both of you on board, now. So we can discuss,

finalize our plan and go!"

"But," I say, thinking, the rest then comes to me, "what do you mean? What do you have planned?"

Ray does that mischievous smile I remember from when I was a kid, oh I miss it, "Once you get Barley on board, I'll tell both of you. Those are my conditions.

"Ok then, I'll go tell them."

"Good! I'll be waiting Adelaide, in the last door, on the left, it's my temporary sleeping quarters, there we will make a plan."

Before I get through the door, I run back, "and if I can't get them to agree to our plans and stop acting how they are?"

Ray puts his hand up to his face and thinks, "Well then we'll have to try it without them."
—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—*—*

"Hi Barley," I say walking into their room, I see them shuffle, they're not asleep yet.

"Adelaide, I'm really tired." They start, at least they aren't angry off the bat.

"Can we talk please?" I ask, now tears coming from my eyes despite me not wanting them there.

They nod hesitantly, so I quickly take a seat, criss cross apple sauce on the old, heated floor.
"Barley," I start, making sure to muster the most sincere tone I could into my voice, "I'm sorry. I don't even know if it's my obligation to you or anything, I couldn't comfort you after what happened. I don't want to lie to you, never, I could not lie that I had feelings for you when I didn't. I struggled to make friends as a kid, but we just clicked. I had some of the most fun ever with you. I love you with all of my heart platonically. Now I feel terrible that you are hurting, and I can't do anything about it. I just wish we could cuddle again and have a hug and," now more tears were barreling out of my eyes, at faster and faster rates that I could not stop, now my face is all red and splotchy, I try to hide it with my sleeve.

What I don't see it, Barley comes out of their bed, comes to me and then wraps their warm arms around my ribcage, using their arm to pry away my hiding hand and just having us sit there on the floor in a hug. Our body heat and emotions simmered and ruminated as we sit in a firm hug, that I don't want to end. Finally, Barley slowly went out of the hug, I start resisting, which just makes them chuckle.

I see them sneakily wipe a tear from their eye, sit back on their bed and then face me,
"Adelaide, I have been keeping this from you, and I'm sorry but...