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GINGERBREN was spelled in brightest orange across the back of the shirt in clunky block letters. A.J. tried to laugh but it turned into a garbled sob halfway through. “I love him so much.”

Nat took a breath like she was going to launch into a speech but caught sight of his smile and hopped off the bed.

“I know. But hey, you’re two weeks closer to seeing him again already, right?” She looked at the shirt clutched to his chest and a shadow of worry flickered across her face. “So, I didn’t bring you a big ol’ bag of heartbreak?”

“Maybe just a sprain.”

“Good, because we’re going cosmic bowling at six tonight and I’m supposed to drag you along.”

At some point “we” had grown to include Dustin and Suveer most days, with Brooke tagging along every so often. There was a time not so long ago that a group of six would have been about three people too many, but the noise sounded nice right now.

“Sounds like good craic.”

The phrase warmed his heart as it slipped past his lips, even if it did sear off a tiny piece of his soul on its way out.

The patter of Holly’s feet scampered up the hallway and A.J. opened the door when she knocked.

“Mom says soup’s ready, but we don’t have to eat it right now.” She looked up at Nat, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Do you and Nat want to play Wii Sports?”

“We’re going bowling later so we should probably practice, right, Nat?”

“As long as Holly promises to take it easy on us. Sounds like good craic,” Nat said, catching A.J.’s eye.

Holly had been around Bren enough to understand the words, and she raced off to get things going upstairs.

“Come on, Heartbreak Hotel, let’s go get you distracted,” Nat said, clapping him on the back.

“Do you think my mom will let me put vodka in my soup? Speed up the process a bit?” He’d dropped his voice in case Holly might overhear, but the Wii Sports theme music blared as they reached the bottom step.

“Who needs booze when I’m here?”

“I need booze because you’re here.”

Nat beamed like he’d paid her the highest compliment and lunged up the last couple of stairs ahead of him.

She was right, of course. Both about the fact that she was actually awful, and that the best thing he could do for himself was to keep distracted. Time would go faster, and the last thing Bren would want would be for him to spend the next six months moping.

He knew that the spurt of determination couldn’t last all semester. He’d think about how unfair this all was or see a picture of a ladybug and fall right back down in the dumps. But no matter how many times it happened, he knew his friends would be there to pick him back up.

“Aw, come on, Holly. How are you so good at this? You’re related to A.J.”

Even if they were kind of the worst.

***

Heeeyyy Bren. I know you’re asleep right now but I just wanted to say hiiii before I went to bed. Did you do something fun with the lads tonight? I hope so. We all went out glow bowling and then went back to Dustin’s. Nat played DD so I had a couple Jägerbombs for you. I don’t know how you like them, but they made me feel goooood, so I guess they’re ok.

The bed beneath him rocked like it was floating through rough seas and A.J. closed his eyes. His boyfriend was so cute and hot and nice. He’d gone all the way to Cork and looked in God knew how many junk shops to find the player nestled on the pillow next to him.

How many guys would do that?

You’re so cool and cute and funny and smart and just, I still can’t believe you love me and stuff, but I’m really glad you do. OK, I'm gonna go to bed now. We’re one day closer to being together. We got this. Your boyfriend loves you lots and lots. Never forget that, ok?

A.J. sent the last message and tucked his phone under his pillow. If Bren texted back, he wanted to be able to respond right away, even if it woke him up.

The bed creaked beneath him as he rolled onto his back. Robolad’s Chill the Feck Out Playlist was flooding in his ears as the tendrils of sleep pulled him under.

One day closer to Bren.