Orion turns on his side, hovering over me slightly. “If you die a dumb Decker death I’ll tell everyone you died saving the world.”

“Or something more realistic, like I rescued kids out of a burning school bus.”

“Kids in a school bus on a Saturday isn’t realistic.”

“Neither is saving the whole wide world!”

Orion laughs. He hops up. “Okay, we can brainstorm more brilliant ways for you to die while we’re out living your life.”

I take his hand while also holding the towel over my junk. Orion helps me up, and our eyes meet, and his smile gets one out of me. He’s pulled me out of my dark headspace already. I break eye contact and stare at his white shirt: Have a Happy End Day! in bold black letters. It’s the kind of spirit I need to carry me throughout today.

“Since you’re getting my heart, can I take your shirt?”

Orion looks down at his shirt like he’s forgotten what it is. “Really? You want to be a Decker walking around in an End Day shirt? Isn’t that so dark?”

“I think I should keep that message close to my heart.”

“Literally?”

“Literally, I guess.”

“If you say so.” Orion takes off the shirt, and right when I think I’m about to glimpse what he looks like shirtless, he has another underneath.

That’s a shame.

I get dressed in the bathroom and admire my reflection in the End Day shirt.

I step out into the studio space to give Orion a turn in the bathroom while I fight my way into my white sneakers that are so fresh they need some breaking into. I’m sure the downstairs neighbor is rightfully annoyed to hear me stomping at six forty-five in the morning, but they can’t possibly hate me more than our landlord. I can’t concern myself with either of them. This is my End Day, and I know a model centering himself seems obvious, but in my case it’s deserved. I need to take care of myself and my people. Even if that means disturbing my downstairs neighbor as I walk around to make sure this apartment is tidy for Scarlett. I leave the bed alone since we’ll go and get new sheets for her together; I also personally like letting this memory of my last sleep live a little longer.

Once Orion is done, he comes out of the bathroom applauding my look. “I hope they’re paying you the big bucks because you make a twenty-dollar shirt look expensive.”

The money for the job is great, and I have to make sure they can wire it directly into my account so Scarlett can claim it. Maybe I can even ask for a cash payment.

“That’s really nice. Thank you,” I say.