Page 16 of In the Middle of No(ah)where
He looks up at me fondly and leans his head on my shoulder.
The months that follow are all about exploration. Caleb and I discuss everything, and our conversations flow effortlessly between mundane details and profound emotional landscapes. Caleb is a great listener, and his understanding is far deeper than that of any seventeen-year-old. I never pressured him to talk about his parents or foster homes, and I was comfortable giving him tidbits of my life.
We are simply just us, and I have a new best friend. Caleb became a constant, reassuring presence in my life, a safe harbor in the turbulent sea of my anxieties.
I may have lost Marcus all those months ago, but that ache has softened with Caleb's friendship.
8
Noah
The soft thumping on the door has me dropping my game controller as I shoot off the couch and run down the hall. I've been on edge all day waiting for Caleb. "He's here!" I yell through Carlos' closed bedroom door. I hear Carlos' muffled response, but I have no idea what he said. I roll my eyes and grin as I pad back down the hall to the front door.
I open the door and smile widely. "Happy Eighteenth Birthday," I tell Caleb, opening the door wide so he can step into my outstretched arms for the world's biggest hug.
"Thank goodness I wasn't born an hour earlier, or I could have been born on Valentine's Day." He teases.
"That wouldn't be so bad. Just think, if you're ever single, you can still celebrate the day." I wink.
"Or never get to celebrate with friends because they're all doing the romantic thing." He deadpans.
"Hashtag truth. Hey, do you want something to drink before we head out?"
"I'll take some water." I grab a couple bottles from the fridge for us and take them back to Caleb in the living room while we wait for Carlos. "So, what's the plan? You guys have been very cryptic about the whole birthday thing."
"It's your eighteenth birthday. We had to keep your surprise on the DL," I tell him just as I hear Carlos thumping his big ass feet down the hallway. I swear, that guy rivals an elephant.
"Caleb!" Carlos calls out and scoops him into a bear hug. They've become friends ever since they both helped me movein here. "Happy birthday," he sing-songs in Caleb's ear, causing Caleb to blush from embarrassment.
"Put me down, you big giant," Caleb teases, swatting his arm.
"I'm only a giant because you're like four feet tall." Carlos ruffles Caleb's hair, and I laugh at their banter.
"No, you're a giant," I take Caleb's side. And it's true. Carlos used to play football in high school and has the body for it. He was going to play in college on scholarship until he realized what all was entailed—strict diets, workout routines, and schedules, on top of all the many hours of practice. "How tall are you again?"
"Only six foot three. My brothers are both taller than me by a couple inches."
Caleb and I stare at him like he is one of the aliens I drew last night in my sketchbook. Although I'm six feet tall, I feel tiny next to Carlos.
"Can you stop staring at me like I'm a circus sideshow act? Let's go. We have plans for ourlittlebuddy." Carlos says, emphasizing the word 'little,' and I grin, knowing what we have planned for the day.
We pile into Carlos' car, and Caleb is happy to ride in the back since he's the smallest.
As we park the car, I glance over my shoulder and see Caleb grinning ear to ear. His eyes meet mine. "You're taking me to the zoo for my birthday?"
"Sort of. Come on."
We exit the car and make our way to the entrance. Before we go in, I hand Caleb a card. "Open this first," I tell him.
He tears open the paper, and his mouth falls open when he sees the small plastic card inside the birthday card. "What––"
"I know how much you love animals, and now you can come as often as you like."
"You got me an annual pass?"
"Happy birthday, bestie." I give him a hug, and we make our way inside. Caleb uses his annual pass for what I'm sure will be the first of many visits.
Carlos is carrying a gift bag with him, and Caleb keeps looking down at it with knitted brows but doesn't say anything. "This way," Carlos tells us, and I'm not sure who is more excited, me or Caleb.
