Page 67 of Rat Park
“Still,” Dominic muttered.
They ate the crumble standing in the kitchen, Dominic fighting Flor off as he tried stealing the dessert on Dominic’s plate after finishing his own too fast. They left their plates in the sink for later when they finished, Flor leaning against the kitchen counter and pulling Dominic close.
“That was fun, tonight. I like your friends,” Flor said. Dominic nodded in agreement, giving Flor an ‘I told you so’ look. “We should think of fun things to do in the summer, like the beach or something,” Flor said, ignoring Dominic’s expression.
“Sure. I’ve never been to the beach,” Dominic said. Flor, who had obviously been leaning forwards for a kiss, froze at the words before pulling back slowly.
“You’ve never been to the beach? But…it’s, like, two hours away.”
Dominic shrugged, looking to the side. Truth was, Dominic had barely left the town, except for a school trip once. Nothing like Flor, who had travelled with his parents when he was younger and went to college in a different state.
Flor’s fingertips pressed lightly against Dominic’s face, turning it back to look at him. Flor’s eyes were open and earnest, the fingers on his cheek gentle.
“I’ll plan us a trip and you can drive. How does that sound?”
“Yeah,” Dominic said quietly. “All right.”
Dominic tilted his head down until their foreheads pressed together, Flor’s fingers tracing a soft pattern against his skin, framing them in. It was just him and Flor for a few moments, the soft touch and crumble smell of him, far away from the rest of the world.
**********
Dominic and Flor rolled down the windows on their way to the beach, letting the warm air whip through the car. Dominic would glance over at Flor to look at the way his curls would move as if they were alive and impatient to get to their destination. Flor would catch him sometimes and grin back, his excitement childlike and contagious, and Dominic would feel as if all the open air were inside him, diffusing his edges until they were soft and smooth to the touch.
“There it is!” Flor exclaimed as soon as the glinting blue of the sea appeared in the distance, pointing as if it were him who had never seen the glimmering blue before. Dominic could smell the salt in the air, purifying him through.
They arrived in the late morning, Flor having insisted that they spend the whole day on the beach. Dominic had made sure they had all the essentials, such as sunscreen, a beach umbrella, towels, and a cooler packed with snacks, sandwiches, and drinks. Flor pulled out whathehad deemed essential, grabbing hold of a set of beach paddles, some buckets and toy shovels for castle building, and a boogie board he swore Dominic would thank him for later.
The beach wasn’t as crushingly busy as Dominic had expected, but they still walked for a little while to get away from the more crowded area. They set up the umbrella together, Flor digging a small hole and Dominic spearing it through.
“Yeah, use those muscles,” Flor said lasciviously, making Dominic roll his eyes and smile.
Sweat was already beading on their skin by the time they finished, and they took off their shirts, heading towards the water.
“Did you put sunscreen on at home?” Dominic asked. Flor rolled his eyes.
“Yes, Dad.”
“Don’t sass me.”
Flor stuck out his tongue but grinned, pulling Dominic towards the blue. Dominic approached the calm waves slowly, stopping at the edge. The water lapped over his bare toes as he took in the sight. The expanse of water was almost overwhelming, like falling into a clear night sky.
“Don’t worry,” Flor said, squeezing Dominic’s hand. “I’ll keep you safe.”
Dominic huffed a small laugh and let himself be guided deeper. They waded in, the waves splashing against their bodies, the cool water a balm against the summer heat.
For some reason, Dominic’s heart was racing. He had the odd thought that he could have easily died without ever wading into this salty blue. If it weren’t for a twist of fate, if Dominic hadn’t been there the day Prince overdosed and he met Cat, he might have remained absent from his own life. He wasn’t unaware of the effort it had taken him, and still took him, to remain sober, but he couldn’t have done it alone.
Flor pulled him further in until the waves lost their foam and were just rolling hills rising and falling over Dominic’s skin.
“Ready?” Flor asked, looking down at the water between them as he stood in front of Dominic, both their hands clasped together.
“Yeah.”
Dominic took a deep breath and let his knees bend. In a moment, he was submerged. The outside world became muffled. He could feel Flor’s hands in his, anchoring his suddenly weightless body. Everything else disappeared.
When he surfaced, he could feel Flor coming up with him. Dominic took a deep breath, shaking the water from his eyes and hair, not wanting to release Flor’s hands. He opened his eyes to see Flor grinning at him.
“Good?” Flor asked. Dominic smiled, feeling as if the lightness of his body had permeated into his soul.
