Touch & Go

18. Autumn Leaves

*** --- indicates passage of time

PS. if you're looking for a sign. this is it. unless you're looking for a sign to give up.

don't give up. it's not worth it.

~~~

"You're miles away and yesterday you were here with me."

- Ed Sheeran, Autumn Leaves

~~~

August 20th, 2018

Confused. Worried. Concerned.

"Drew?" My voice came out hoarse.

"There were a couple of boys roughing up another in a dark back alley. I walked past them at first until I heard one of them shout out "faggot". It got to me. I went in there and sucker punched the both of them, then helped the boy on the floor. He quickly gathered his things, ashamedly so. I told him he needn't be afraid of me, that I was just a friend. The word irked him off maybe.

He told me he wasn't a charity case and he didn't need my pity. Words were thrown carelessly and he replied with a few punches to my face. I didn't hit him back, couldn't. He reminded me of a vulnerable school boy trying to fight for his dignity. I walked away. It seemed like he was following me to the café at first. I didn't know the café was his, of course. Until he stopped me at the entrance and pointed at the sign, then at himself. I knew then that he was Drew. I asked about you and he asked for my name before letting out another word. When I said I was Theodore, he shook my hand, patted my back and let me in."

"So when Drew walked in with his head bowed down and then you showed up all beaten up, I should have connected the dots?"

"No, Sherlock. We didn't want you to know we'd gotten into a brawl."

"Thank you. For Andrew."

"His name's Andrew?"

"Yeah, Andrew and Emma. Twins."

"They're a lovely pair, those two."

"They are." I smiled at him, replaying all the time I'd spent with the twins.

~~~

With a cold milkshake in our hands each, we sat near the fountainhead in the centre of the campus. The sun was right above our heads and we found an excuse to relax in the grounds; blame the English love for sunlight.

"I had sex with Chelsea." I spoke, staring into Theo's eyes. He almost choked on his strawberry milkshake.

"No!" He shouted, not believing a word of mine.

"Yeah, before moving away. I did. I had a couple of one-night-stands here too." He seemed thoroughly intrigued.

"Advantages of being a bisexual in a girl's college?" I shrugged casually.

"God. Chelsea though." He smirked at me; knowing well I remembered he'd slept with her once too.

"Don't you dare think of it, Theodore Edward Knight!" He laughed obnoxiously loud, with his chest rumbling.

"It could be quite interesting, Irie. You, me and her. Ever thought of a three way?" I was too busy controlling my laughter to have noticed that my playful push was a little too hard. So when he landed butt-first in the fountain water, I snorted.