“Yeah, please. All the boxes are labeled by category. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry and all my work and school books?” I pointed at the two bookcases on the wall behind the couch. “Bookshelf on the right has all the stuff that’s not school or work related and the other one has everything else.”

Nesto nodded and started pulling books out. I had a couple dozen boxes full of them. Some I’d kept in my mother’s house, but most of them I’d just had in stacks all over my tiny apartment. The thrill of finally having space to display my things hit me by moments. I’d be unpacking something and it would come to me again that this place was mine.

“Man you look so fucking happy right now,” Nesto said, from where he was shelving books. “I’m so glad it worked out for you to get this place. It is so much nicer than the first one. How is it going with Easton by the way? Don’t think I’m gonna let you get away with not answering.”

I cut open another box of books and made a show of getting a few out and wiped down before I said anything. I looked up after a minute and Nesto was still there, staring at me, waiting for an answer.

“There’s nothing going on, so there’s not much to say.”

“Bullshit.”

I lifted a shoulder and kept working. Nesto was like a dog with a bone with shit like this, but I was just as stubborn.

He of course was not done. “I saw the way you were looking at each other the day of the sancocho. There’s something up with you two, it’s only a matter of time.”

There was more than something. Easton and the way he made me feel sometimes felt like this gigantic piece of a puzzle I didn’t even know was missing, but I was not going to get into it right now. “It’s not like that. I mean yeah, I want him and he’s made it pretty clear that he’s down for whatever, but we decided to keep it at just friends.”

Nesto was about to say something, but I held up my hand.

“You’re right. There is something there, but now I’m living in his building and honestly, it’s too messy. And with all this shit happening with the police stops and all that, I won’t be able to look the other way and let things go, so—” There was just too much in the way. “Nah man, it’s better like this.”

Nesto twisted his mouth to the side, like he was literally forcing himself to stay quiet. After a second he sagged and exhaled. “I’m not sure why everything needs to be life or death with you, but all right. It’s your life.”