Starting Fires Read Online Free PDF Page B

a good time, all over each other really. I don’t think you made a fool of yourself. It’s all good, babe.”
    “Whatever,” I huffed, not convinced.
    “Here.” He threw a camera in my direction. I turned it on and started scanning the pictures. Most were of Wally making goofy faces with various partygoers, but every once in a while I would catch a glimpse of Lucas and I in the background.
    In one, I was laughing at something he said. My body was turned towards him and it looked like he was reaching up to touch my hair. In another, I was sort of sitting in his lap, my back to the arm of the couch and my legs draped over him. We were smiling and it did look like we were having a good time. I scrolled through some more, seeing Charles laughing, people playing drinking games, some people swimming, and then I got to the last one of the night.
    Whoever took this picture purposefully made us the center of it—no longer were we lingering in the background. We were snuggled close together. His hand was high on my side, resting just under my breast, his other on my thigh. It looked like my fingers were caressing his neck. Our heads were angled towards each other and our mouths were close. Incredibly close. We both had the beginnings of smiles playing on our lips. It seemed very intimate, and I wished I could remember what we’d been talking about that made us look so enamored. Damn Alcohol!
    I huffed and tossed the camera to the other end of the couch. Looking up, I noticed Wally watching me, smiling as he shoveled cereal into his mouth. “Shut up,” I said before stomping off to my room.
     
    The rest of the day went by quickly. After I recuperated from my mega hangover, Charles and Wally helped me get the rest of the boxes out of my car. Lucas was in his driveway during the last trip and waved at us, but that was the extent of my interaction with him. And that was fine with me. There was no telling what I’d whispered to him while we were snuggled up on the couch and I was still embarrassed.
    After all the boxes were inside, I set up my TV and put my clothes where they belonged. I also organized my bathroom and hung a mirror on the back of its door. The finishing touch was a picture on my nightstand. My mother and sister looked so happy in it. It was sad that I’d never been able to find one with all three of us. As I looked at it, I felt that twinge in my heart. People used to tell me that eventually the pain would fade and I would remember the happy times. I was ready for “eventually” to happen. It still hurt. I still felt cheated. I pressed a kiss to my fingertips then brought it to the frame.
    “Hey,” I heard over my shoulder. Charles was standing in my doorway, and tears nearly came to my eyes. If there was anyone I would let comfort me, it was him. “You okay, Bird?”
    “Uh, yeah. I’m fine. Just you know, setting everything up,” I said, changing the subject. “What do you think?” My emotions were holding on by a thread and I didn’t want to lose it.
    “Looks great. We need to get you something for the walls, though. They look sorta bare.”
    “You’re right.” A silence stretched between us. At any moment, he was going to ask me if I was okay again, and then I would lose it. Immediately.
    “Well, Wally and I were thinking about going to get a bite to eat. Wanna come?”
    “Sure. Let me change first.”
    Charles smiled, walked over to me, and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, giving me a squeeze. “I’m always here, Bird.”
    At first, I resisted, not wanting to give in to the comfort he knew I needed, but relented. I hugged him back but didn’t let myself cry. He didn’t say anything else, just gently rocked me back and forth. “You good?” he asked as I stepped away from him.
    “Yeah,” I sniffled, despite my efforts to remain composed. “I think I needed that, but didn’t want to admit it.”
    “No worries. Meet us downstairs when you feel up to it. We’ll take you to one of