ANGEL'S POV
Tommy enveloped me in his arms, squeezing me tight. After Sage and I left his parents', I'd called Tommy and asked if he minded us arriving a few days earlier, which he gave the okay to without questions.
Tommy and I had been best friends all throughout middle and high school. When I moved away after graduation, he stayed in our hometown to head straight into the work force, though we kept in touch and spoke often.
"You look good, man," he grinned when we parted, holding my shoulders as he examined my features.
"So do you." As relief settled in my bones at his familiar face, Sage's hand rested on the small of my back and I turned to meet his curious eyes.
"Tommy, this is Sage. Sage, this is Tommy, my best friend from school."
"It's nice to finally meet you," Tommy greeted warmly, taking hold of Sage's outreached hand and shaking it firmly.
"Finally meet me?" Sage echoed.
"Oh, you don't know? All Angel ever talks about is you." I flushed as Sage smiled softly.
"Is that so?" I flicked his arm softly and he scrunched his face up. "I'll go get the bags."
"Need any help?" He waved me off.
"I got it." I watched him retreat to the car before facing Tommy again.
"So, I figure it didn't go so well with his parents?" He asked, and all I could do was shake my head sadly.
"I'm really worried about him, you know?"
"Yeah, I know." Of course he knew. Tommy was the first person I came out to, way back in high school. 'Carlos and Terry will take care of you, and you know I'm always a phone call away. I'll be there in a heartbeat if you need me,' he'd said.
"When it was you..." he went on, "...all I could do was just listen, you know? Listen, and be there for whatever you needed. Even if what you needed was to go back to school and get the hell away from this place." With a sigh, I glanced back at Sage to see that he was on the phone. Turning back to Tommy, I smiled softly.
"Thank you for having us longer than planned." He scrunched his face up, waving me off.
"Don't be ridiculous, you're family; you're always welcome here." Sage was by my side moments later.
"Who was on the phone?" I wondered.
"Leo. He was complaining about Ben." I smiled fondly at the thought of me and Sage's friends, realizing how much I missed them. I decided I'd give Terry a call once we were settled in.
**
"Hi, babe," she sang, grinning at me after the second ring. I smiled back, relieved to see her face.
"I miss you guys," I said immediately.
"We miss you, too! Carlos won't shut up about wanting to see you." I smiled warmly. "Are you having a good time at Sage's?" With that, my smile faded slowly, like clouds were slowly rolling in.
"Oh, we, um... We're not at Sage's anymore. We left early and went to Tommy's," I admitted, my voice lowered as way of letting Sage sleep. Terry's mood seemed to deflate then.
"What? Why?"
"It didn't go so well."
"They already know? I thought he wasn't going to tell them until the end of the week." I shook my head.
"They found out from someone else... I'll explain all of that later." She nodded slowly. "How're Carlos' parents?"
"Oh, they're amazing," she gleamed.
YOU ARE READING
Endless
רומנטיקה*2021 Watty Award Shortlister* ** I scanned his face, taking in all of his features. His eyes were large, shockingly so, and his eyelashes were long, accentuating that honey gaze. His lips were blush pink, his cheeks taking on the same tint in the n...
