Constellations

Hobby Farm

The guys had played well into the night and only Joel and Ray were still awake playing Halo 4. "Jesus fucking Christ," Joel murmured. He kept dying at the same spot and as he respawned he was killed again. "I'm done," he said as he threw his controller down. Ray chuckled to himself. Joel propped himself up with one arm. "You wanna go for a drive?" Ray shrugged. "Sure." They tiptoed around their friends and out the door to Joel's car. He started it up and set the music to a comfortable background noise.

"So," Joel started. "How was your day?" Ray huffed a laughed. "Well Ryan was just-" They both laughed. "Yeah. I'm sorry about that. He's usually much more subtle." He pulled out onto the main road and headed out of town. The house seemed to fade away behind them and soon they were in the country.

Ray could see nothing but fields of corn and sunflowers that seemed to stretch for miles down the road. He was snapped back to reality when he felt the car slow down. Joel turned into a lot in front of a barn and drove down a dirt road that ran smack in the middle of a sunflower field. "Where are we going?"  "My mother's hobby farm. She's got too much free time. Besides, it's my favorite late night hangout.... In a non-creepy way. I come here to clear my head."

Joel pulled up in front of a house and they got out. "Does anyone live here," Ray asked as Joel found the key on his ring and let them in. "Nah. It came with the land."  He led Ray up some stairs and into a sunroom that opened onto a balcony.

"Wow." Ray was awestruck by the beauty in front of him. The stars and moon were bright against the navy blue sky, their light casting on the heads of flowers down below.

They sat in the bench and gazed up at the constellations but eventually Ray broke the silence.

"What were you and Jack talking about in the kitchen? That's if you don't mind me asking."

Joel shifted awkwardly in his seat. "I-uh. I broke up with Adam and Jack didn't think that was a good idea. "Oh. I'm sorry. How come?" Joel stood up and walked to the railing, eyes still fixed on the sky. "I fell in love with someone else but I haven't quite gotten the chance to tell them how I feel. Sounds a bit cliché, right?" Even though Joel couldn't see, Ray shrugged. "Sorta. I mean, of you went through all the trouble why don't you just tell them. You obviously care about them a lot."

Joel spun around. Well, here goes nothing, he thought to himself.