Page 261 of The Locker Room

Xander had worn his jeans and a polo shirt. The lady herself had gotten

out of the town car and a producer had overseen lights, cameras, and

action—and even a little bit of makeup.

There was not, Xander reflected, enough powder in the world to

make Chris look less pale nor him less tall, but the little army of people

did what they could.

The interview had gone by in a blur. Ms. Walters had been

gracious, warm and… well, oddly invested in them. It had taken most of

the interview before Xander realized that she had known who they were

before he"d come out, and for some reason, that was the most surreal

moment of all.

The Locker Room 227

But mostly, it was uncomfortable, and Chris had been exhausted

afterward, and Xander had woken him up with another nightmare at four

in the morning, sleeping on the couch by his bed.

“Get closer, Xan,” Chris murmured, his voice soft in the dark.

Xander had moved, twisting his long body until his legs were on the

couch and his head and shoulders were on the bed next to the boy who

had captured his heart like cupped hands would capture a butterfly, and

had never, ever clutched him too tight, and never let him go.

Chris"s hand had been soothing, running through his sweaty hair,

and Chris and spoken softly, just like he always did when the scary

monsters came in and devoured his sleep in bloody chunks.

“We"ll have to do something, when I get healed. I don"t care if

you"re on season. Take three days, go away, something. It"s hot outside,

and I can"t stand being inside right now. I want to fly somewhere in the

sun and swim forever, and bake….”

They were already making plans for a big pool to take up some of

the wild space of their running path. It seemed silly with the lake just

down below them, but Chris would need it for physical therapy.