Chapter 23

When I got back, I was glad to see the boys laughing.

“Here he is,” Jer said upon seeing me. “Had enough of yn cerdded yn di long?”

I gave him a long, blank stare, until he and Scott snorted in laughter.

“I don’t even wanna know what you said,” I muttered, feigning grumpiness, but pleased that Scott seemed to have moved on from his teenage-girl mood.

* * * *

We saw a post-apocalyptic film about robot-lizard hybrids. Didn’t really matter how bad it was—I was just happy to be hanging out with the boys, laughing at the screen and filling up on buttery popcorn and pink-colored Fanta.

After the movie, Jeremy and I were waiting in the lobby while Scott went to pee.

“That your shirt, Theo?” Jer asked, cocking his chin at me.

I looked down, opening my winter jacket. I was wearing a white cotton polo shirt with blue and green stripes. It fit a bit tightly. Because it was Scott’s.

I had to think for a second why I was wearing it. “Oh, no, it’s Scott’s. Mine…got dirty.”