Chapter 41 SUMMER BEGINS
Alex
Summer hit campus like an exhale.
Students cleared out within days of finals ending. The dorms went quiet. The quad is empty except for maintenance workers and the handful of people taking summer classes.
Alex was one of them. Two courses to get ahead for senior year. Literature seminar and creative writing.
Elias started his new job on June first.
They’d spent the week before graduation packing up Elias’s apartment. Boxes everywhere. Books wrapped in newspaper. The life Elias had built for four years reduced to cardboard and tape.
His new place was across town. One bedroom. Hardwood floors. Windows that let in actual light. The rent was more than his old place but the magazine job covered it.
Barely.
“This is it,” Elias said, standing in the empty living room. Keys in his hand. Everything he owned was in a moving truck outside.
“It’s good,” Alex said. “Better than the old place.”
“Yeah. More space.”
They both knew what he meant. More space meant room for two people. Eventually.
They spent all day moving boxes. Des and Sana helped. By evening, the apartment looked almost lived in. Furniture in place. Books on shelves. Kitchen stocked with basics.
“You need curtains,” Sana said.
“I need a lot of things.”
“We can go shopping this weekend,” Alex offered.
Elias smiled. “We. I like that.”
After Des and Sana left, it was just them. Sitting on Elias’s new couch. Surrounded by half-unpacked boxes. The apartment smells like cardboard and new beginnings.
“How does it feel?” Alex asked.
“Weird. Good weird. Like I’m actually an adult now.”
“You were an adult before.”
“Was I? Feels like I’ve been pretending until now.”
Alex leaned against him. “You start work on Monday.”
“I know. I’m terrified.”
“You’ll be great.”
“What if I’m not? What if I’m terrible at this?”
“Then you learn. That’s how jobs work.”
Elias kissed the top of his head. “When did you get so wise?”
“I’ve been faking it.”
They stayed like that until it got dark. Until Alex had to go back to his dorm for the night. He had class in the morning.
“Stay,” Elias said.
“I can’t. I have that seminar at eight.”
“Skip it.”
“Elias.”
“I know. But I don’t want you to leave yet.”
“I’ll come back tomorrow. After class.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Monday morning, Elias texted at 6 AM.
Elias: I can’t do this
Alex: Yes you can
Elias: What if they realize they made a mistake hiring me
Alex: They didn’t. You’re qualified and smart and they’re lucky to have you
Elias: You’re biased
Alex: Extremely. Now get dressed and be amazing
Elias called that night sounding exhausted but happy.
“How was it?” Alex asked.
“Overwhelming. Good overwhelming. Jordan gave me like fifteen projects to start on. I met the whole team. Everyone was nice.”
“See? I told you.”
“I know. You’re very wise.”
“Are you going to say that every time I’m right?”
“Probably. Get used to it.”
They fell into a routine. Alex had class in the mornings. Studied in the afternoons and spent evenings at Elias’s apartment.
Elias worked nine to five. Came home with stories about articles and authors and the chaos of small press publishing.
They cooked dinner together. Badly at first. Elias burned rice. Alex set off the smoke alarm while making grilled cheese.
But they got better. Learned each other’s rhythms. How to share space. How to be together without getting in each other’s way.
Two weeks into summer, Alex woke up at Elias’s place and realized he’d stayed over four nights in a row.
His toothbrush was in Elias’s bathroom. His clothes are in Elias’s dresser. His books are on Elias’s shelf.
“I’m basically living here,” Alex said over breakfast.
Elias looked up from his coffee. “Is that bad?”
“No. Just an observation.”
“Do you want to? Live here officially?”
Alex’s heart jumped. “You’re asking me to move in?”
“Maybe. If you want. No pressure. We can keep doing this. The halfway thing.”
“What if it’s too soon?”
“Then we figure it out. But Alex, you’re here almost every night anyway. Might as well make it official.”
Alex thought about it. About going back to the dorms in the fall. About being apart when they’d gotten used to being together.
“Can I think about it?” Alex asked.
“Of course. Take all the time you need.”
But Alex already knew his answer. He just needed to be brave enough to say it.
That weekend, they went furniture shopping. Elias needed a desk. Alex helped pick one out.
“Get the bigger one,” Alex said. “More space.”
“For what?”
“For both of us. If we’re both going to be working here.”
Elias smiled. “Both of us?”
“Yeah. If I move in. Hypothetically.”
“Hypothetically,” Elias echoed.
They bought the bigger desk. And a second lamp. And a set of dishes that weren’t mismatched.
Small decisions that added up to something bigger.
On the drive home, Alex said, “I want to move in.”
Elias almost drove off the road. “What?”
“I want to move in. Officially. This fall. If the offer still stands.”
“It stands. It absolutely stands.” Elias pulled over. Turned to look at him. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’m scared. But I’m sure.”
“What changed your mind?”
“I’m tired of pretending I don’t already live there. I’m tired of keeping half my stuff at the dorm. I want to just be with you.”
Elias kissed him. Right there on the side of the road. Cars passing. Sun shining through the windshield.
“Okay,” Elias said when they pulled apart. “Okay. We’re doing this.”
“We’re doing this.”
They spent the rest of the day planning. Where Alex’s stuff would go. How to split the rent. What would it mean for them?
“My parents are going to freak out,” Alex said.
“Will they?”
“Probably. My mom will say I’m too young. That I’m rushing.”
“Are we rushing?”
“Maybe. But I don’t care.”
That night they celebrated. Not with going out or making noise. Just being together. By making love slowly and carefully. With whispered promises in the dark.
After, Alex lay with his head on Elias’s chest. Listening to his heartbeat. Feeling completely at peace.
“I love you,” Alex said.
“I love you too.”
“I’m glad you stayed.”
“Me too. Best decision I ever made.”
“Even if the job is hard?”
“Even then. You make everything worth it.”
Alex pressed closer. “What if we mess this up? Living together?”
“Then we fix it. Together.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
But as Alex drifted off to sleep, he couldn’t shake the small voice in the back of his head.
The one who whispered that good things never lasted.
That eventually, something would go wrong.
He just hoped when it did, they’d be strong enough to survive it.