Moon Rise (Ryan Magee)

four

<a/n: I hope you guys are liking the new cover and title! I feel like it works better with the theme of the story. Also, I listened to Sleeping at Last's songs about space while I was mapping the story out. I highly recommend giving it a listen, especially towards the end of the story!>

The next morning, when I wake up and see Ryan on the floor in front of the couch, still asleep, I'm worried it will be awkward. I didn't get drunk enough to forget anything. I remember falling asleep while he scratched my scalp gently. I remember falling asleep while Kent Mansley asked where the Giant was. I remember how he smelled- like rum and grass, and something undefinable. Everyone has their own smell, and I've decided I want to smell him every day.

Once I spend a few seconds reflecting on this, I realize I have to pee. Like, now. I slowly move from the couch and step over Ryan's sleeping form. I tip-toe to the bathroom, and when I come out, he's sitting upright on the floor, scrolling on his phone.

"Hey, I thought maybe you'd left," he says. I try to brush off the fact that I'm 90% sure his eyes lit up when he saw me.

"Nope, I just woke up." I return to my place on the couch and search for my phone. I find it between two couch cushions. Once I've responded to texts from Suzy asking where I am, I lock my phone and sit back, sighing as I sink into the soft sofa.

"You okay?" He asks, joining me on the couch. I nod contentedly, my eyes closed.

"Fine, you?"

"Good," he says with a chuckle.

"So how come you invited us over before your parents left?" I ask casually. "I thought the whole point of us coming here was because we'd have the house to ourselves."

"Well, you know... I just... uh..." he struggles to find the words. "Honestly, y/n, I was just excited to hang out with you... guys... you guys."

I wilt a little bit.

"Yeah, I like hanging out with y'all too." I say, hoping my smile doesn't look too dejected.

"So," he says suddenly, almost snapping out of something, "what time is it?" I reach for my phone and glance at the time.

"A bit past one." I lock my phone again and slip it into the pocket of my leggings. I teeter backward on my heels, then forward.

"I think I'm gonna go back to sleep," he says, yawning. I nod, though I wish we could have spent more time together.

"Yeah, I should get going," I say without really thinking about it.

He walks me upstairs to the front door and hugs me before he goes. He smells similarly to how he did the night before, only this time the Undefinable Ryan Smell is stronger than the rest.

<time skip brought to you by ms. kiesha. rip in peace.>

When I get back to my apartment, I almost immediately start going through all of the pictures I took of the night before. I scroll through pictures of Tucker pointing at the moon, Ryan looking through his telescope, and countless shots of the moon and stars.

Then I come across one that makes the hair stand up on my arms.

Ryan, with his face turned to the sky. The moon is lighting up his fawn colored skin, bringing out small freckles on his cheeks. His mile-long lashes are perfectly lining the eye that's facing towards the camera. His hair looks almost black, making the focal point of his face stand out more.

He looks fucking beautiful.

I quickly print out a copy of the photos I can get extra credit for in class, along with the awesome photo of Ryan. I tape it up on my wall, among polaroids of Suzy and Holly, and various photos of landscapes from places I've travelled.

I stand there staring at the wall of pictures. But my eyes keep wandering back to the photo of Ryan. Whenever I see it, I get a tingly feeling in the pit of my stomach. It's not a bad tingle, like the one you get when you realize you've locked yourself out of your house or you forgot to write a paper and it's 10 minutes until midnight. It's the type of tingle that you get when you think about your first kiss in the days after it happens, or when you remember that you're going to Disney World the next day.

I smile to myself as I grab my bath towel and head to the bathroom to take a shower.

<yet another time skip, this one brought to you by eggs because they're cool unless you're vegan I guess so in that case it's brought to you by tofu & quinoa>

I hang out with Ryan and Tucker a few times after our first project. Then, one night, I get a text from Ryan asking if I wanted to go to the planetarium to see an IMAX-type documentary for extra credit. I quickly agree and start getting ready. Two hours later, Ryan and I are waiting outside near the ticket line for Tucker.

"Where is that dip?" He asks, teetering back and forth on his feet.

"Did you try to call him? Maybe he's driving," I say.

"Good idea." Ryan puts the phone to his ear. "Hey, dude," he says. "Yeah, y/n and I are waiting outside the theater... you coming? Oh, fuck, dude, that sucks. Yeah, that's cool. Let me know if you need anything. No, it's fine, no worries. Alright, later man."

"What's up?" I ask, concerned.

"Tucker was babysitting his niece, and I guess she got hurt. Tucker sounded really upset, but he said something about her arm being broken. He's on his way to the hospital with her."

"Oh, shit," I say, putting my hand over my heart.

"I know. He told me he was gonna call when he got to the hospital but we beat him to it. He said to go on in to the movie without him." We migrate back to the ticket line.

"Okay, that's cool." I smile, trying not to be excited that this means I'm with Ryan alone. What if people think we're on a date? I get goosebumps and decide to stop thinking about it.

Once we get in the theater, we realize we still have half an hour for the show to start. But we sit down anyway, picking the best seats in the house.

// <this is gonna indicate a POV switch from here on out>

I look over at y/n, her face turned to the ceiling. Before the show, the planetariums gigantic domed ceiling is covered with a projection of the night sky with no light pollution. Swirls of purple and blue curve across the pitch black sky. There are more stars than I've ever seen, dotting the sky in great clusters.

Y/n is scanning the large fake sky with her beautiful, glistening eyes.

"This is so gorgeous," she says. She turns to face me.

"Yeah, it's really cool, imagine being there, in a place where you can see the Milky Way and shit." I lay back in my reclined seat, and we sit in silence for a few moments before she speaks again.

"I'm glad we're here." My heart quickens in pace slightly.

"Me too," I reply, scooting ever so slightly closer to her. I choose my next words carefully. "So you know how I said I wanted to do that first project so soon because I wanted to hang out with you and Tucker?" She nods, letting out a little "mhm" as she readjusts in her seat to look at me. "Well. I do love hanging out with Tucker, but honestly, I was more excited to hang out with you. I really have had fun hanging out these last few weeks."

//

I gasp silently. He wanted to hang out with me? Does he... like me back?

"I've enjoyed it too, really," I reply, inching closer to him.

Our faces move closer together, and the gap between our mouths is almost closed when there's a somewhat loud noise. We both look to the left and see the doors to the auditorium open and a large group of people come in. Most of them are our age, but one looks older. Must be a professor with her students.

We look at each other, smiling nervously.

Damn.