how is the sky from where you are?

Chapter Three: Like You're Here

I couldn't sleep. It was currently 2:46AM and I just couldn't sleep. My thoughts were plagued with worries and anxiety and everything except sleep. I pulled out my phone and checked what time it was in Rome. It was 10:46 right now, so maybe EJ would be up?

I sighed and called him. He picked up after two rings, "Hey Dyl. Can't sleep?" He asked.

I sighed, "No."

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"Fuck no. I'm really fucking worried. I mean what if my parents find out? What if everyone finds out? Where am I supposed to go if I get kicked out? I mean this is a fucking lockdown, there's no where for me to go," I rambled, I felt tears prickling in my eyes.

"Hey," He softly told me, "I'm right here. You're gonna be ok Dyl. I know I'm like 5,000 miles away, but I'm right here for you."

I smiled with a sigh, "I love you man, thank you."

"I love you too man. I'm right here for you, no matter what," He promised.

"Even if I become the leader of a pyramid scheme?" I asked.

"Especially if you become the leader of a pyramid scheme. I want some of that scam cash." We both started laughing.

Damn, it felt like he was right next to me. Like we were lying down side-by-side on my bed again and joking around at 3AM. God damn I missed him so much.

"I really miss you dude." I sighed.

"I miss you too," EJ told me, "But we're gonna see each other again."

"Promise?" I asked.

"Promise," He said, "The second I see you, I'm gonna run up to you and give you the biggest hug in the world."

"Uh no, I'm gonna give you the biggest hug in the world. Don't under estimate my power," I warned.

"Oh really?" He asked, I could hear the dumb smirk in his voice.

"Yeah really," I laughed then paused, "So what else are we gonna do when you come back?"

"We should totally go skiing. I'll race you down one of those paths with like the pole things," He suggested.

"And I'll beat you. There's no way your little New England mountains can even compare to our skiing out west." I grinned.

"Oh ho ho little western boy. You forget that I have skied our west before with my siblings. And guess who didn't die? Me," He explained.

"You may not have died but that doesn't mean you were any good," I shot back.

EJ gasped, "Dylan William, do you dare insult my skiing ability?" He asked.

"Well Emmett James, I think I do dare." I grinned.

He chuckled, "What else should we do?"

"We should totally do a beach day. The closest we got was the whale-watch thing at the aquarium. But I want to go to the beach," I suggested.

"We totally should! I have to bring you to the boardwalk dude. It's so cool. We can play games at the arcade, we gotta get ice cream, oh shit we totally have to go to this super good place, oh! And the playground. Yes the playground, we may be 18 year olds, soon to be 19 year olds, but we have to go to the playground!" He rambled.

"That sounds like the perfect day." I sighed.

"It would be. It definitely would be." He sighed too.

"How is the sky where you are?" I asked, "Like I know it's daytime for you right now, but at night. Do you see the same thing as I do?"

"Well we both see the same stars for sure. I don't know how the constellations look based on location, but I'd like to think we're looking up at the same sky," He explained.

I looked out my window and up at the stars, "Me too."

We both stayed quiet for a bit, "Still can't sleep?" EJ asked.

"No." I sighed.

"Want me to just keeping talking until you can sleep? That usually worked at home." He asked.

"If you don't mind," I said.

"Of course I don't mind, you're my best friend man. I'd do anything for you," He told me. Then he launched into a really long story about how he and his roommate Justin had managed to get their neighbors really pissed at them just because neither of them slept at normal hours. I didn't catch the end of the story because I kind of passed out.

EJ was right. Him just talking to me worked just like it always did.

—

I finished my story and I listened for any reply. Instead I heard Dylan snoring just slightly, like he always did. I smiled, my stories always worked like a charm.

"I love you man," I whispered and I hung up.

I groaned and Justin asked, "Were you talking to your boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend, but hypothetically yes," I replied, "Have you been talking to your girlfriend?"

"Well duh. You've walked in on us FaceTiming and you've talked to her before," Justin answered.

"Yeah I know," I said.

"You really miss him don't you?" He asked.

"Well no shit man. I think I might actually kiss him the next time I see him," I groaned and sat up, "But I can't do that."

"Says who?" He asked, "I'm pretty sure he likes you back."

"I'm pretty sure he doesn't." I looked over at him.

Justin likes up from his computer and looked my dead in the eyes, "You two talk all the time, you're the only one that can get his insomniac ass to sleep, he's the only one that can get your dumbass to take care of yourself, and you two are always together even when you're thousands of miles apart. That's love."

"I..what? No..no that's. That's friendship?" I asked.

"I don't know man, it sounds a lot like what Val and mine's relationship is." He shrugged, "But if you want to continue your spiral into denial, be my guest."

I groaned and flopped back down on the couch, "You're wrong. I think. Dylan would've told me the second he started liking anyone...he always does. So of course he'd tell me the second he started liking me, even if he didn't say it was me..." My voice trailed off.

"He did that didn't he?" Justin asked.

"Fuuuuuuuuuck..." I groaned, "He totally did. He told me about this really cute fashion design major kid that he started liking. And he said that the kid loved skiing and gaming and soccer."

"What did you say?" He asked.

"'I love this guy already.'" I groaned, "I am so fucking dumb, I am so fucking dumb!"

"I know." Justin nodded.