Silly little boy, it laughs. A few days ago, it wasn’t like this. A few days ago, it was school in a far-off and magical place. That you’d always be friends and you’d talk every day on the phone and everything would be okay because you were going to change the world. You were going to be something. Look at you now! Oh, so like your brother. What’s changed? How can this mean anything? What are a few days?

A few days ago, I didn’t have a choice.

He’s not in the living room, and I don’t hear the creak of the floor above me, so I don’t think he’s upstairs. What’s he doing? Is this a game? Does he want me to find him?

A giggle, high and feminine, near the back hall.

A low murmur that I’d recognize anywhere.

I smile and turn the corner.

And stop.

Dom’s there. At the end of the hall. Near the spare bedroom.

He’s not alone.

Stacey. A little blonde thing. I’ve met her a few times. Bear introduced us. A teacher, like him. She likes to talk to Dom. She likes to talk to him a lot. She likes—

He’s pressed against her, her back against the wall. She giggles again. His big hand is in her hair. She’s smiling up at him as he rumbles something to her that I can’t quite make out. He’s grinning at her. The same grin he gives me. Then he leans down close. So very close. She rises up on her tiptoes. They kiss. It’s deep. Her arms go around his neck, and I….

I.

Just breathe.

In. Hold for three seconds.

Of course, it whispers to me. Of course.

Out. Hold for three seconds.

His lips move over hers, and I hear her sigh.

In. Oh, God. In. Please go in. Just another breath. Please.

In. Just fucking go in.

The ground begins to shake beneath my feet. It moves up to my heart. To my head.

She pulls away and buries her face in his neck, another shy laugh. It’s high-pitched. It’s lovely. It’s beautiful, like bells. I can see the flush in her cheeks.

Earthquake. No, please. Oh no. Oh. Oh. Please.

I can’t breathe. I can’t.

“Kid?” Stacey says, looking a bit startled. “We didn’t see you there.”

Dom’s head snaps up. He takes a quick step back. “Ty?” he asks, his voice low. His lips are swollen. He licks them as if chasing the taste of her.

“I didn’t…,” I say. “I didn’t mean….”

He takes a step toward me.

I take a step back.

“D-didn’t mean t-to interrupt,” I stammer out. “I j-just….”

I just came to tell you I love you. I just came to tell you that I’ll stay. I just came to—

The ground shifts again.

Stacey is embarrassed. I want to hate her. I should hate her. But I can’t. Not yet. Maybe later, but right now I can’t. She fades out, and it’s as if she disappears and he’s all I see.