Rooftop /SALVIS / TWW

20

SALLYFACE POV:
Me and Travis follow my dad down the stone path surrounded by grass to the apartment buildings door. My dad pushes it open releasing the smell i'm so used to. I notice Travis' nose curl as he walks in, though he stays silent, hand grabbing his arm. We get to the doors of the elevator and my dad steps to the side to let Travis and I through the dull metal doors first. The elevator smells worse than the lobby, everyone in Addison Apartments uses it so it's a combination of aromas. We wait in silence as the machine slowly limbs up the elevator shaft, shaking because of how old it is. After about a minute I try to start a conversation.
"I should probably warn you that our apartment isn't very clean."
"Hey! My room is clean, it's just yours." My dad says, giggling.
I smile under the prosthetic, feeling a wheezed laugh leave my mouth. Next to me, Travis stays silent for a second. I turn my head and see his right hand digging into the skin of his tricep. Before I have a chance to question it he starts to talk.
"I don't mind, besides i've been here before."
"Oh shit I forgot, uh, well it's definitely gotten dirtier"
Travis loosens the grip on his arm as hair falls in front of his face. When he laughs he drops his head, hiding his smiling face. I've noticed he has different laughs for how funny something is. What I said wasn't the funniest thing, but enough to let a strand of hair fall from his neatly combed blonde hair. I notice myself staring so I pull my eyes away from Travis as he pulls his head up to stop giggling.
The doors to the elevator screech open as it comes to a full stop. We all get step out on to the floor, breathing a sigh of relief as the elevator smell stays with the elevator. For the second time in the past couple weeks me and Travis walk up to my apartment door and open it. This time my dad is home, which doesn't change anything because he just stays in the kitchen.
Sitting on the couch, with the TV on some show I have never heard of, is Gizmo, my cat.
Travis' eyes light up as he see's Gizmo, sitting upright, eyes on the screen. Before I go over to say hi to him Travis starts crying laughing. He tries to explain through gasps and tears of laughing but he can't form the words.
"You- ** He- How.?**" He breathes.
I smile and look over to Gizmo who has turned his head toward us because of the noise. Travis, still laughing, puts his hands on his knees to hold himself up as he coughs. He laughed so hard tears stick to his face and drip down his neck. He takes a moment to pause, breathe, and pull himself together. I want Travis to feel this comfortable around me always. I pull on the straps to my prosthetic and unclip the buckle. I take it off and set it on the couch's arm rest, next to Gizmo. By the time Travis is done wiping the tears from his face, I had just pulled my hand away and he watched me set it on the couch.
"Do you want a snack?" I ask.
Travis contemplates for a moment and blinks before responding.
"I- Uh, yeah! Only if it isn't a problem." He responds as I walk past him, towards my kitchen.
He follows behind me as I open my pantry, I step to the side so he can pick whatever he wants. His eyes dart between me and the cupboard, like he isn't sure of what he can take.
"You can have anything." I say, gesturing towards the food.
"I don't know what to pick." He whispers.
His shoulders relax as he finally pulls something out, goldfish crackers.
"Is this alright?" He questions, fumbling with the wrapper.
"Yep! Now just follow me to my room, Gizmo will probably follow."
"Thank you"
"Yeah it's not a problem."
...
"Why does he do that?"
"Who? Gizmo?"
"Yeah"
"That's a great question, he's sort of just been doing it for as long as I can remember"
"I've never seen a cat do that, it's funny looking."
"You should see him when he takes a bath." I say, stepping through the door to my room.
"Don't cats hate water?"
"Most of them, yeah"
"Does he not like scratch you?"
"Ha! God, no. He takes his own baths, starts the water and everything."
"HE WHAT" Travis replies.
I sit on my bed, patting the area next to me for him to sit. His eyes still wide with shock from my cat he sits down and pulls at the goldfish wrapper.
"Do you need any help?" I comment.
"That obvious?"
"Oh 100%." I laugh pulling the wrapper from Travis' fingers.
For a brief moment our hands touch, nothing big, but enough to send a shock of embarrassment up my fingers. I show Travis the little slit provided to tear open the wrappers and pull it open for him.
"That is so cool. I've never had these before."
"You've never had goldfish?"
"Nope."
"You need to come over more often, I have a lot of goldfish."
"Haha, let me see if I like them first." Travis utters as he holds one cracker up.
"It has a face." He remarks.
"It's the snack that smiles back."
"What??"
"It's like their slogan, the snack that smiles back."
Travis smiles as he puts the fish in his mouth. After a few seconds of chewing he looks at me in shock.
"Cheese." The only word he spoke before he started shoveling groups of three fish into his mouth at a time.
I smile looking at him eating, I really do like to hang out with him. It's not about saving him from his father anymore. That's not the only reason for me to invite him over (even though that's very important, duh), I realize, It's because he's my friend, I like the hang out with him. Even if I wish it was more.
I can wish all I want, but I know nothing can come of it. What if his Father found out he liked guys? I mean that's assuming he does.. Who am I kidding I want this, I want him.