“I know it sounds stupid,” Sebastian says but I cut him off. “It doesn’t,” I say. “I think it’s kind of beautiful.”
“Also stupid.”
“Most beautiful things are stupid.”
“I know but…I’m just chasing after a dream, Teague.”
“Hey. Dreams come true, Sebastian.”
This time he looks up at me. “Maybe for some people, Teague.”
“And you’re not that person?” I say. “What makes you think that way?”
“I don’t know.”
“Sebastian. Is there something I should know? Something you’re not telling me?”
There’s that look again. Nervousness. Panic. “No. No, there really isn’t.” He gets up from the bed and walks towards the dresser drawer, opens and tosses me a pair of jeans. “I went to your loft and got some clothes,” he says. “If you want me to bring more, I’ll do that on my way back.”
“Way back?” I ask. “You’re going somewhere?”
“I’m meeting Liam for dinner.”
“Oh. Sure.”
“Will you be okay on your own?” Sebastian asks. “I can always cancel. Do it another time.”
“No, Sebastian. This is work. You have to take it seriously. Already you skipped on the shoot today because of me. If he wants to sit and discuss something, then go. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, well. There’s food in the fridge and takeout menu.”
“I know where everything is, Sebastian. It’s not the first time I’m staying here, dude.”
“Right.”
“Just because I’m sick, doesn’t mean I’ve lost my mind.”
“Okay then,” he says. “I’ll be off.”
He hasn’t gone yet when my fingers start to itch again. They hover over my cell phone for quite some time before I force them to place the phone on the nightstand and leave the room.
The Meeting
LIAM
I can’t believe how punctual he is. Exactly at eight, I see Sebastian’s car pull up from the restaurant’s large window. Who does that anymore? You do, Liam. Right. Moving on. I have to wave to him a little so he knows where I am and he smiles and starts walking in my direction.
“Hey,” he says, sitting down across from me.
“How’s your friend doing?”
“Teague,” he says. “Well, he’s fucked up. He had to lie to his girlfriend about the whole thing and he’s not taking that whole almost-killed business too well. He’s not saying it out loud but I know the way his mind works and he’s beating himself up over it. I just wish there was something I could do.”
“Sometimes, the only thing you can do is be there for people. And I think you’re doing a pretty good job of that.”
“Yeah, but I want to be able to do more.”
“Look,” I say. “This is all new right now. He’s having trouble coming to terms with the whole incident, but he will get better in time. Trust me.”