Cabin Nine [[Revised Edition] Under FURTHER Revision]

Twenty-Seven

We eventually hit the road. We spend ten hours in separate cars without talking to each other. I think he needs some space. Instead, I crank up the music and try to stay as far away from Jack's car as I can. He's blasting Taylor Swift and if I get too close, his bluetooth speaker connects to my phone and starts playing over my music. I can't figure out how to turn it off, and he's too bust laughing at me to help when we finally pull into a rest stop.

I help him move his stuff into the dorms. We meet his roommate, who walks in to grab a hat from one of his many boxes and doesn't acknowledge that were'e there until he turns around to leave. I mean, the man takes one look at Jack and says, "What the fuck do you think you're looking at?"

"What?" Jack asks.

"What, are you deaf? Keep your eyes to yourself, queer."

"Jeez, man, I just wanted to introduce myself."

He doesn't reply. He just looks Jack up and down and raises his eyebrows.

Jack gives him a flat glare and he backs off. Ten minutes later, he leaves the room in a MAGA hat and gives me a dirty look.

I don't want to leave, so I keep making excuses for things to do until it's too late for me to drive ten hours straight. Jack tells me I'm clever like he's calling me annoying but he says it with a smile.

It's sad when I have to leave in the morning, but at least his roommate didn't come back last night. Jack kisses me goodbye and immediately calls me. We spend ten hours on the phone and ten hours the next day. I stay at the same hotel in the same room, which is good. I think Jack intentionally left his Pride hoodie there for me to find.

I don't wear it. I just keep it under my pillow until Jack's smell fades away. It's only then that I can bring myself to wash it and put it on.

We talk every day for a few months and then it fades to maybe twice a week. He planned to come back for Thanksgiving but ended up not having the money. His parents offered to give him some, but Jack, being the proud, job-having college student he is, was too proud to accept. Or rather too Prout. He hates it when I make that joke but it works so well sometimes. All of the Prouts are humble but reluctant to accept help.