Page 28 of Down My Chimney

My chest constricted. I missed Henry so much my bones ached. But I hadsomuch work to catch up on. Plus…I couldn’t help remembering the things the guys had said, the last time Henry came up in conversation.

I knew they’d be friendly if he visited again. But that was almost worse in a way, that they’d be nice to his face, then make fun of him behind his back. And how could I justify a ‘friend of the family’ coming to stay with me a second time?

I knew the right thing to do was to tell them to stop joking about him. But I’d have to get serious for them to realize I meant it, and the guys and I didn’tdoserious with each other. Besides, that might lead to follow-up questions I didn’t want to answer.

I wasn’t smart or talented like Henry. I couldn’t make friends by being interesting or brilliant. I wasn’t even sure the guys and I wouldbefriends if we weren’t on the same team. I wasn’t sure they liked me that much. But they were the only friends I had, and I didn’t want to lose them.

“Next weekend’s not so great,” I said, my heart heavy. “I’m really behind on school stuff. But as soon as I get on top of things, let’s figure something out, okay?”

“Alright, but don’t go getting too busy and famous for me in the meantime,” Henry said with a giggle.

I smiled. “Never.”

* * *

But it ended up being three weeks before we saw each other again. Between catching up on classes, more practice, and just trying to get enough sleep that my body didn’t cease functioning, I didn’t have any extra time.

And while I’d thought Renegade Rick’s would be a one-off, it turned out that the taco place where Marika and I met had seen that post and wanted one too. That turned into a local bookstore approaching me about an ad, and a coffee roaster, and a banh mi food truck. By the time a hipster shaving company sent me a DM asking if I wanted to collaborate in exchange for razors for life, I realized this was going to take up more of my time than I’d thought.

I had to start a spreadsheet to keep track of it all, especially as my followers grew, changing my rates. I even tried to keep up with the comments I was getting for a while, because replying was supposed to be good for engagement. I gave up after six days—the time-suck was neverending—but I was still busier than ever.

In my free time, such as it was, I found myself researching how influencing was supposed to work. It was more complicated than I’d expected, but oddly satisfying, especially when I was able to direct chunks of money to nonprofits in San Diego and LA that could use the support. It was turning into a full-time job, but it was the only thing I’d ever felt good at.

By the last Friday in April, though, I was wrung dry. I was in the library at one in the morning, trying to catch up on reading. Finals were right around the corner, and I’d barely had a moment to myself.

My head was pounding, and I set my book down, staring out the window at the dark street below. The library was deserted, and suddenly, I felt like the only person in the universe.

I was busier than ever, but was I any happier? I missed my parents. I missed my dogs. I missedHenry.

And suddenly, I couldn’t be there an instant longer. Not just at the library. I couldn’t be at school, couldn’t be in San Diego. Couldn’t be in mylife.

Three hours later, I was parking my car in my parents’ driveway back in LA. I walked around to the back of the house, hoping to slip in quietly, but I didn’t count on Bella and Woody’s hearing. The minute the door opened, their collars jingled, and they trotted through the kitchen to greet me.

“Hey, boy,” I whispered, scratching Woody’s shaggy head. Bella’s tongue lolled out of her mouth as I scratched her neck. “Hey, girl.”

Woody woofed in excitement, and Bella wagged her tail, thumping it back and forth against a rack of wine bottles by the door.

“Shh, shh,” I told them, locking the door behind me and moving through the kitchen. “We don’t want to wake up—”

“Blake, honey?”

The kitchen lights flicked on, flooding the room with light. I blinked at the sudden brightness and found my mom standing at the far side of the room, wrapped in a pink-and-white polka-dotted robe.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine,” I said, feeling foolish all of a sudden. I hadn’t even brought any clothes with me. I’d just gone straight from the library to my car with what I had on me. I hadn’t stopped to think at all. “Don’t worry, I’m fine, everything’s good.”

“Then why are you here?” she asked. “Atthishour?”

“Is that Blake?” My dad’s voice rumbled through the hallway, and he appeared in the kitchen two seconds later, clad in flannel pajama pants and a T-shirt for his bowling league. “Kid, what are you doing here?”

“That’s what I asked,” my mom said. “He says everything’s fine.”

“But then why are you here? You know it’s four in the morning, right?” My dad looked worried, and I gave him a sheepish smile.

“I just…felt like coming home. I missed you guys.”

Neither of my parents looks convinced. Woody woofed again, and Bella began circling the kitchen island like food might magically appear on it. I sighed and crossed the kitchen to hug my parents.

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