Chapter 7

“I could help you make the bed,” Derek

said.

“Or we can all do it,” Wyn suggested.

A few minutes later, the bed was made.

“Thanks for a fun night, guys,” I said.

“This was really great.”

I was a little drunk, and feeling that super

happy feeling you get when you’re drunk and you’ve had an amazing

time. It had been a long time since I had had a social life, and I

was enjoying the feeling. After a few years of isolation, I felt

like I was finally back in civilization. I felt like I was human

again. Talking about my mother’s death with someone who I wasn’t

trying to help deal with it, like my dad or my brother, had given

me the freedom to process my own feelings. All night, it felt like

their attention had been on me. I wanted to thank them, but I

didn’t want to sound stupid. I settled on reaching out and fist

bumping them one at a time.

“Could I get a hug?” Derek asked.

“Sure,” I answered, leaning a little toward

him.

I wasn’t sure how to do this. I usually only