Page 28 of String Boys

But not tonight.

Tonight they watched Cartoon Network, which played old shows likeDanny Phantom.The feeling of havingSeth’s long body behind his was everything he’d ever imagined, and having his hand splayed on the bare skin of Kelly’s stomach was even better. Seth fell asleep for a little bit, probably because he stayed up late doing his homework a lot, and for a blissful moment, Kelly closed his eyes and imagined what being in Seth’s arms would feel like forever.

It was warm here. And safe. And the world didn’t revolve around Kelly’s chatter. Things were real here, and the important thing—the only thing—was that they were together, and they were touching, and nobody could take that away from them.

When Seth’s phone went off, Kelly almost cried. He rolled over in Seth’s arms and kissed him, and the kisses were still new, and still special. Seth kissed him back, less urgently than when they’d been on the couch, but less awkwardly too. Finally they pulled back and regarded each other with grave eyes.

“We’re still boyfriends,” Kelly said, making this a law. “Even when we’re not kissing or holding hands.”

“Of course.” Seth nodded. “But when we’re alone, we can kiss.”

“And hold hands,” Kelly said hoarsely.

“And we don’t have to tell anyone until we’re ready.”

Kelly let out a sigh. “Do youwantto tell anyone?”

Seth bit his lip like he was trying to trap the shine of his smile behind his teeth, but Kelly was still almost blinded by it. “Of course! Look at you! You’re… you’rebeautiful.And you’re funny. And you like me. You’re like the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Kelly gave him another quick, hard kiss on the mouth before pulling back and rolling off the bed. “I think you’re crazy, you know. You’re a musical genius. I’m just—”

But Seth came and wrapped his arms around Kelly’s shoulders, holding him tight. Into Kelly’s ear, he said, “You’re everything. Today was the best thing ever. I’ve never been this happy. You’re always my best thing.”

Kelly nodded, touching his lips to Seth’s callused fingertips. “You’re my best thing too,” he whispered. He didn’t want to mention Seth leaving for Bridgford in the summer, and how that would be the best thing for him. He didn’t want to say that even if Seth didn’t takethisopportunity, there were bound to be others. He didn’t even want to say that Seth wouldn’t be able to sneak away from practices that often, because he needed to spend time with his violin, so he could go on to be great and bright and glittery and famous.

He just knew—deep in his heart, he knew—that Seth was going to have to leave him. Leave this neighborhood. Leave Kelly’s family. Even leave his father, who he thought Seth really loved.

Because Seth was like a giant, with his head in the sky, touching the sun and the moon. He was too great for this place. That’s why he always had his head in the clouds—because even his head knew that’s where he belonged.

But his heart was still here, and Kelly was a selfish boy and knew it. He’d keep Seth right there, in his arms, for as long as he could have him.

When Your Feet Touch the Stars

MR. PANTALONEleft Lone Oak High School at Christmas break, but he left Dr. Boyle with an entire list of things Seth needed to learn so he could be up with the kids at Bridgford.

Seth did them because they were fun, and because he wanted to make Dr. Boyle proud… and because his father had taken to leaving pamphlets and fliers for Bridgford out on their kitchen table.

He kept thinking that the decision about Bridgford could be made “later.” Much, much “later.”

Later, after those stolen moments with Kelly became less important. Became less intoxicating. Became anything, everything that could drive Seth out of bed in the morning and outside to meet Kelly and Matty on the landing.

Matty greeted him with a thermos of coffee most mornings. The Cruzes had given him the thermos for Christmas, and Kelly took it up every morning to wash, and Matty brought it down with coffee in the mornings. It was sort of their way to get behind all the practicing he had to do. He was often up until midnight, finishing homework for the honors classes, and Matty’s efforts touched him.

He didn’t have time to spend with the girls anymore, and he missed them. Lily and Lulu were in fourth grade now, and talking about their homework and history and English, subjects Seth enjoyed. He’d liked helping them, listening to them analyze things—Matty and Kelly’s sisters were really smart. Agnes, the baby, was in second grade. Linda walked all three girls to school and picked them up in the afternoon, and Seth was glad.

They saw Castor Durant almost every other day.

Hanging with his buddies, all of them skinny, hyper, sped up by whatever they were taking. All of them dirty, pig-eyed, and mean.

He gave Seth the willies.

Seth had become better at keeping his head out of the clouds when he and Kelly and Matty were in transit. He and Kelly sat next to each other when they could, without being obvious, but never again would they be caught unawares by getting off at the wrong bus stop, or finding the wrong guy waiting at the bottom of the one they were leaving.

Castor had taken to bumping into the three of them when they got off the bus, hard enough to leave bruises.

But Matty didn’t take the bait, and Kelly and Seth knew better than to do it if Matty didn’t.

Kelly and Seth never held hands walking down the street.