Second Star on Right

Chapter N: Where Hook Falls in the Story

It was Monday morning. Peter wasn’t at the house yet and Scott was still asleep. It rained at some point in the night. I decided to get up early and make Scott breakfast. I made omelets. Cheesy and filled with all Scott’s favorites.

Once Scott was up, I made him sit at the island and eat. “Thank you, Sky,” he said once he was done.

I took the plate from him and rinsed it off. I turned back to him, biting my lip. “Scott, uh, I’ve really enjoyed my stay here.”

“I’m happy you’ve enjoyed it here. I’ve enjoyed you here.”

“As we both know, I leave in about a week… But I don’t want to go. So, what if… I stayed with you. Until I’m eighteen.”

“Is this because of Peter?”

“Well, not directly. Scott, I love it here so much more than back in New York.”

“What about your parents, Sky? They’ll miss you.”

“Scott, when’s the last time you’ve talked to them? They both hate me. They wouldn’t miss me at all.”

“I don’t know if I’d be cut out to parenting you.”

“Scott, we’ve established early on that we have a symbiotic relationship. You wouldn’t be a parent to me, just an uncle. Just… think about it. I know it’s a lot to ask. But… I really like it here.”

Peter walked in the door. I grabbed my backpack and hugged Scott. “Think about it.” I walked out the door behind Peter.

Slightly overhead Peter and my conversations at lunch. We were talking about how we’d spend my last week here. Today, he’d help me pack. Tomorrow and Wednesday we were going to hike. Thursday boating out to an island Len owned. Saturday was a going away party. The weekend will be spent with more packing and reading. Then Monday…

“You’re leaving?” Slightly asked, sitting down across from Peter. “Why?”

“I was only supposed to stay here for a month.” I explained. “I came here the twenty-seventh.”

“Do you miss your house?”

“Hell no.”

“Then why don’t you stay?”

“I want to.”

“So why—”

“Slightly,” Peter cut him off, seeing how his questions made me feel. “No more questions.” Peter took my hand and squeezed. I leaned on his shoulder. “What if you stayed with me?”

“Ugh. I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You are never a burden.”

“I can’t…” I dismissed the thought of living with Peter. Besides, they’d have to buy me a bed. I’d be the only one who would sleep at night.

“But you’re way better than Wendy. The rest of the guys agree.” Slightly said, still clinging onto the hope I’d stay.

The bell rang, saving Peter and I both from the subject of Wendy.

I only left Peter’s side when I had to. Just the thought of leaving him made me worry. Even though I still had a week, I felt every minute pass by quicker, like time was speeding up just to mock my time left with Peter.

One week. Seven days. One hundred and eight hours. Ten thousand eighty minutes. Six hundred four thousand and eight hundred seconds. Including time for sleep. That’s all I have left in Washington.

I wouldn’t sleep much this week, that’s for sure.

I want more time.

Three hours wasted by school since lunch. Ninety minutes. Two hundred seventy seconds. Gone.