A Physics Prodigy From Ukraine

I wasn’t going to go.
But Brendon persisted, and mum overheard.
And who was I to argue with the woman?

It was a terrible film.
Everything about it was wrong.
And they killed off the nicest person in it.
I didn’t know who she was.
But they killed her.

We got a cab home.
Patrick was dropped off six blocks from me and Brendon.
I closed my eyes.

“Tired?”

Tired?
I was exhausted.
I nodded, shifting slightly into a more comfortable position.
The streets went by too fast.

Brendon brushed my arm.
“Hey, Ryan, we’re at yours.”
I groaned.
Why did I have to get up?

Brendon started hunting around for some cash.
I couldn’t remember ever sharing a cab with Brendon.
Hmm.
There was a first time for everything.
I undid my seatbelt and pulled some money out from my back pocket.

The driver took it and Brendon smiled apologetically.
“Sorry Ryan, I swear I had more money…”

I shrugged.
What else would I have spent it on?

I slid out the car, standing up to see Brendon on the other side.

It was ten o’ clock.
The sun was just setting.

I closed my eyes for a second, and felt myself swaying on my feet.
Brendon grabbed my arm, pulling me in.

“Ryan - don’t sleep in the middle of the road.”
Fine.
I would have go to bed then.

Brendon followed.
I didn’t object.

Even when he sat down on my bed and watched me pull all my duvets back onto the mattress.

Even when I lay down and closed my eyes and he turned off the light and hummed whatever was on his iPod.

Even when I woke up in the middle of the night and he was still there, sleeping awkwardly against the wall - his iPod flat.

I pulled my duvet around him too, and then went back to sleep.