Unexpected Visits

A body numbing pain started in Mitchell’s toes as he laid still on a plainly made small bed in an equally plain, small room, trying to avoid opening his eyes to the violently bright light pouring in from an adjacent window. Quickly, Mitchell flipped his body so that his face was now lying directly into the pillow. As his head and stomach stopped spinning, Mitchell turned his face to the right in order to see and breathe. Although, it would be a lie to say he didn’t think of forcing his face back into the pillow until he could no longer breathe, but before those thoughts could flood Mitchell’s mind, he examined the room that he was now able to look at with only some sun spots in his vision.

Directly across from Mitchell’s face was a teal upholstered chair with a dark brown wood finish. Next to it, a small writing desk with a single picture frame that contained a small letter Mitchell had left for Monte when they were “dating.” Mitchell could instantly recall the morning after that he wrote this tiny love letter on the receipt to one of Monte’s newest vinyls. How he pondered the possibility of a second encounter from the person who swept them by storm and didn’t even know it. How he scribbled his hopes into the six words now framed on Monte’s small antique desk.

Mitchell’s eyes bulged at the connection of ideas happening in his weak brain. He recalled the last of his memory. After spending three days chain smoking marlboro lights 100’s in the box and chugging gallons of Sunny Delight, Mitchell had decided to kill himself ...that is until Monte had showed up.

Out of Mitchell’s eyesight, a door opened in the room, and in walked the last person someone who had just attempted suicide would want to see; the person who saved them.

Monte thought of multiple things to say to Mitchell upon him waking up but opted for a quietly sweet, “Hi.” Mitchell glared at Monte. How should he feel? Mitchell thought to himself: Obviously Monte will be surprised I’m mad because he saved my life, but I don’t think he will see it from my side. Mitchell recalled Monte in the various arguments they had, the ones in which Monte stated their opinion as fact. The ones that ended with Mitchell storming out because of his frustration with someone he almost loved. Monte moved to the chair directly across from Mitchell and the two sat in peaceful silence; both wanting to help ease the other's pain but neither knowing how to begin.

Monte opened their mouth to speak several times only to suck more air into his already tightly packed lungs. It was Mitchell who broke the silence, “I like the chairs in hell.” Mitchell croaked from his sore throat and as his words settled in the room Monte allowed the tiniest of laughs from his pressed lips.

Finally, Monte spoke, “I’m sorry... ” Monte didn’t know what Mitchell was feeling and couldn't even begin to imagine what being that low must feel like. He only knew that in some way he was responsible for Mitchell being alive and although they are happy to this fact, Monte assumed Mitchell was not. They were right.

“Sorry you stopped me from killing myself or sorry I was trying to kill myself?”

Monte flinched at Mitchell's blunt questioning, “The latter.”

“So formal Mo, what's wrong?”

“Nothing...I just. I don’t know what to say.”

Mitchell scoffed, “You don’t know what to say? Well, if you have nothing to say, then what is the point of even talking?”

“Mitchell I don’t want to argue with you…” Monte was cut off by Mitchell before he could continue.

“And why should you get what you want? Maybe I want to argue!” Mitchell yelled.

“Why should you get what you want? You just tried to kill yourself, Mitchell!”

“BINGO! There it is!” Mitchell sat up in the small bed, pointing his finger at the confused Monte just across from him. The light that blinded him previously was fading into a dark grey and Mitchell felt the pain throughout his body intensify. This time the pain radiated from his stomach; Mitchell cradled his mid-section with both his hands as he doubled over from the pain.

Monte rushed to the edge of the bed, “Mitchell! What’s wrong?” Monte put his hand on Mitchell's back and he flinched away to the opposite side of the bed. “Mitchell be careful, you’re going to fall!”

Mitchell could hardly hear Monte’s warning and before he knew it he was on the floor of the small room. Now in the fetal position, Mitchell looked up at the window darkened by heavy grey clouds. He squeezed his eyes shut and delve deeper into himself as another wave of pain crashed into his body. Mitchell thought to himself, this is not death this is pain. He wished for death again but instead all Mitchell received was a hard smack to the back of his head by the door opening just behind him.

Annalise heard the commotion coming from inside the small room Mitchell was sleeping in and began to approach the white door but stopped when something heavy hit the floor. She listened for more but there was only silence. Finally, Annalise swung the door open only to have it stop abruptly with a loud smack. Mitchell laid on the floor clutching his stomach as Monte stood on the opposite side of the bed, shocked by the commotion.

Annalise looked between the two, “What is going on in here?” Annalise's Australian accent was more prominent when she was surprised. Annalise hated the her accent that broke through in moments like this. She felt the inside of her mouth as if to say "get it together tongue, you are not in the outback anymore." It was a foolish thing to be ashamed of, your roots, but Annalise was sometimes a foolish girl in a foolish world.

Monte responded to Annalise, “Mitchell fell off the bed, I think his stomach is hurting him.”

Mitchell yelled from the floor, “And then you fucking hit me in the back of the head you Aussie fuck!”

“Aww, mate, I missed you too.” Annalise hopped over Mitchell's stiff body and sat next to him on the floor, “I’m sorry, Mitch.”

Annalise put her arms around Mitchell to comfort him as Monte spoke, “I don’t think he wants to be touched.”

Mitchell pulled himself closer into Annalise and shot Monte a glare, “I don’t want to be touched by you.”

Monte put their hands up and retreated back to the teal upholstered chair, “I still don’t know what I did, but okay.”

“Oh, to be that naïve,” Annalise rolled her eyes in distaste as she sat on the floor cradling Mitchell.

“Enlighten me then, Annalise,” Monte retorted.

“I’d rather not trigger another suicide attempt from Mitchell,” Annalise said endearingly while playing with Mitchell’s short blonde hair that stuck out in every direction. Mitchell looked relaxed for the first time since Monte first saw them three days ago, alone in the now destroyed house.

Mitchell looked up at Annalise and reached for her hair that slightly dangled in his face, “Thank you for worrying about me sweetie, but you don’t honestly think I did this because of Monte? Do you?”

Annalise paused, “Then for what reason?”

“I was feeling sad,” Mitchell said quietly.

“Same,” Annalise and Monte said in unison. The two made eye contact and giggled before remembering their anger for each other.

Mitchell continued, “And you and Tommy hadn’t been by in like two days-”

“I was at work!” Annalise cut him off.

“Which, coincidentally, is not with me.”

“Not everyone has millionaire parents to fall back on, Mitch. Some of us have work visas,” Annalise scoffed.

“Ugh, I always forget you’re a foreigner…” Mitchell trailed off, mumbling something about Mila Kunis.

“Well, he doesn’t really have parents to fall back on now, Annalise,” Monte interjected. Mitchell and Annalise both gave Monte a perplexed look and the silence between the three was comedic. Monte continued, “...because they’re dead. You told me your parents died, Mitchell. That’s why you tried to commit...suicide.”

The air was stale with Monte’s words and again, the three sat in silence before Mitchell and Annalise burst into laughter.

“What are you talking about? Mitchell’s parents aren’t dead,” Annalise was hardly understandable through her thick accent and uncontrollable laughter.

Monte began to bounce his left leg, up and down, on the ball of his foot. His voice was quick, “That’s what he told me.”

“Are you high?”

“Fuck you, Annalise, I’m telling the truth. When I found Mitchell, that’s what he told me he was killing himself for, because his parents died.”

Annalise turned to Mitchell like an angered, embarrassed parent, “Mitchell, is this true?”

Mitchell stood up and climbed back on the bed and pulled his knees to his chest like a child caught lying. What Mitchell thought was a little white lie that he would never have to take credit for was now being revealed and again he wished for death.

“It is true...that I told him that. It is not true, however, that my parents are dead,” Mitchell spoke slowly, unsure of his own words and the truthfulness behind them.

Monte stood up from his chair, laughing maniacally, “You know what, Mitch, I need a break from this.”

“From what?”

“You!” Monte yelled as they walked through the small door frame of the equally small room into his condominium that began to feel just as small with their unexpected guests that seemed to fill every room. Monte walked into their living room to find Annalise’s boyfriend, Tommy, sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone. Tommy looked up from his phone for a brief second to give Monte a polite smile and then returned to the bright blue light emanating just below his round face. Monte noted the basketball shorts and forty degree weather pairing as a sign of who was in their home.

“Straight people,” Monte whispered under their breath as they crossed the living room into his quaint kitchen. They pulled out an almost empty carton of almond milk and placed it on the small island in the middle of the kitchen. Monte began preparing a bowl of cereal to calm their nerves. They preferred a different kind of bowl in stressful situations, but Monte tried their best to avoid that temptation in fear of judgement by Annalise. Monte remembered how Annalise felt about weed when they used to date; always blaming it for the problems in their relationship, Monte could never find peace. It seemed like a lifetime ago, and on some level, that time could be considered another life; a life they missed but could never find the strength to fight for. The relationship was history and while Monte had to accept this fact, they knew they had left a vital person off their list of people to give their apologizes to. Monte finished pouring the last of the almond milk as Annalise appeared from the dark of the hallway as if on cue to their minds wanderings.

Annalise walked to the kitchen and stood across from Monte as they ate their cereal. “Well, that’s not the bowl I was expecting you to be having right now.”

“If you’re going to make fun of me, just leave, Annalise. I have enough to deal with these days, I don’t need a confused lesbian on my back.”

Tommy looked up from his phone, “She’s not a lesbian.”

“I’m not a lesbian,” Annalise said at the same time as Tommy.

“Hey, don’t get offended, it’s 2018 Annie, T**** is president, Taylor Swift is irrelevant, and you can be a lesbian!”

“Jesus Monte, I’d think you of all people would know to respect someone’s sexuality,” Annalise spit the words at him. “You can still be a piece of shit even though you’re gay, that doesn’t exclude you from sounding just as bad as republicans.”

Monte’s mouth fell open in shock, “That’s low, Annie.”

“I hope it hurt. Come on Tommy, we’re leaving,” Tommy stood up per Annalise's command, like a well trained puppy. “And I’m taking Mitchell. Mitchell!” Annalise’s scream echoed through the house.

Monte drank the last of their milk in one gulp and slammed the bowl on the island, still separating them from Annalise. “You are not taking Mitchell. The hospital left him in my care, therefore he stays here.”

Annalise laughed at Monte’s attempt to be serious, “Because they think his parents are dead,” Annalise walked around the table and stood just inches from Monte’s face. “Who, might I remind you, are very much alive, and trust me with their son. He’s coming with me.”

“Tell me, Annalise, what happens when you have to go to work again? Who will be with Mitchell? Certainly not your boy toy Tommy here,” Monte gestured to the concerned boy standing near the front door. Tommy opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Monte, “Don’t speak Tommy, I was not asking for your input.”

Annalise huffed and turned away from Monte, “Ridiculous! You’re ridiculous!” Annalise made her way to the door, “I’m taking Mitchell home so you can stay here and get stoned. You won’t be bothered anymore.”

“You know what, Annalise, I’m really fucking tired of you shitting on weed like it’s the source of all your goddamn problems!” Monte moved towards Annalise who was nearing the front door. Mitchell appeared in the Hallway, just a few feet from the explosive argument.

“Then tell me Monte, whats my god damn problem?”

Monte took a step towards Annalise, with their noses practically touching, Monte said, “You.”

“Can the two of you shut the fuck up!?” A voice bellowed from the top of the stairs leading to the second floor of Monte’s condominium. A sleepy Jaime walked down the stairs, one hand rubbing her right eye and the other carrying Monte’s bong. Annalise was shocked to see her old friend, but it should’ve been assumed Jaime was here. Monte and Jaime spent most of their time together, especially when the other is going through something like finding your ex attempting to commit suicide.

Monte turned to Jaime, “Oh, excuse me, I’m sorry, I forgot that this was your house.”

“Well, you asked me to stay over, so I think that means I can request to have some level of comfort,” Jaime plopped down on a couch opposite of where Tommy sat.

“Point taken,” Monte turned back to Annalise. “Now, as I was saying-”

Annalise cut Monte off, “Yes, we get it, Monte. I’m the source of all my problems, just like you’re the source of all your problems, and Jaime the source of hers. We should all just take responsibility for ourselves and hold no one else accountable!”

“Exactly!” Monte shouted in agreement.

“You are so dense,” Annalise turned away from Monte and walked to the couch to sit next to Tommy, who had decided any possibility of leaving was not happening soon and sat down moments ago.

Monte turned around to face Annalise, “What are you doing?”

“Getting high with Jaime because arguing with you has gotten me mad as a cut snake right now….and a little turned on, so I need to calm down,” Annalise kicked off her trainers and sat on her legs.

Just like that, the feeling that sparked Annalise and Monte’s relationship was back and more powerful than before. The volatile back and forth fits of anger that surrounded their relationship always preceded an intense makeup that placated their emotions long enough to remember why they should stay together. Not a single person that went toe to toe with Monte could win, and likewise for Annalise; they were each other's matches and when they struck, it was explosive.

The group did not know of the storm that was coming for them and began to pass the bong around the small circle now formed in Monte’s living room. From the outside looking in, a stranger would see nothing through the heavy rain that began to pour outside. A dark grey dawn loomed over the small college town at two in the afternoon.

Two hours and three bowls later

Monte threw their head back over the headrest of the couch and let a large puff of smoke escape from their lungs. Their eyes lazily blinked as they gazed at the unfamiliar ceiling altered by the smoke. Monte confirmed to themselves that they were like this ceiling; altered by the smoke.

Monte snapped their head forward to face the group, “You guys, I’m altered...by the smoke.” Monte let out another puff of smoke and laughed.

Jaime laughed at Monte while taking the bong from them, “That’s just a dumb way of saying you’re high.”

“Creative,” Monte said in response.

“Dumb,” The group said in unison.

“Oh, you guys are stoned, what do you know?” Monte said with a laugh and the group followed. The past two hours went by smoothly for the five ‘friends’ and as they talked about nothing and everything over the fire from a lighter, they never once thought to look at their phones or various social medias. Even Tommy, the obvious newcomer, stayed intrigued by Annalise’s friend's incoherent conversations. The bong reached Tommy and Monte noticed the lack of stereotypical stoner features on Tommy. Like most things that had nothing to do with them, Monte began to pull on the small thread until they had the mystery figured out. While Jaime and Mitchell fumbled with the grinder and Annalise went to the bathroom, Monte focused their eyes on Tommy as he got ready to take a hit. Monte watched as Tommy put the bong to his lips as normal but caught the sneaky difference Tommy must have been doing for the past two hours; Tommy never put the lighter directly on the bowl. The lighter lit up just behind the bowl and Tommy faked his hit. Monte smirked at their discovery and was about to announce to the group these new findings when an even better idea crossed their mind.

Monte got up and slinked next to Tommy unexpectedly. The painfully awkward boy, no more than twenty years old, scrunched his nose at the smell of Monte’s powerful perfume now inches from him.

Monte rested their head on the palm of their hand as their elbow leaned against the headrest of the couch, and spoke, “That was a real big hit.”

Tommy fake coughed, “Yeah, I am so dead.”

Monte leaned in closer, “I’m high Tommy, not stupid. Have you ever smoked before?”

“No,” Tommy gulped.

“That is so cute, you are so cute, did you know that?” Monte lightly tapped Tommy's chubby cheeks. He audibly gulped again. Monte locked eyes with Tommy, “So, I’m going to help you take your first real hit, okay?” Tommy nodded ‘yes’ without a word and Monte held the eye contact with Tommy as he reached for the bong coincidentally resting on Tommy's crotch. In moments like this, Monte accented their feminine features with subtle ticks in their movements. A trick they learned to excite the ‘straight acting’ men of Grindr. It worked on Tommy like the rest of the them, and Monte smirked as Tommy took their first breath since the one-sided conversation started.

Monte placed the bong in Tommy’s hand and put their hand at the nape of Tommy’s neck to guide them to the mouthpiece. Monte lit the bowl and watched as the smoke filled Tommy’s lungs. Tommy pushed back and Monte held them their for a little longer. When Monte removed his hand Tommy coughed loudly and nearly dropped the bong. Had it not been for Monte, the bong would have crashed to the floor.

Annalise walked out of the bathroom to see Tommy doubled over coughing next to Monte. “What is happening over here? Monte, why do you keep making these boys fall over?” Annalise wasn’t angry at this point, the repetitiveness of the situations she walks in on was too much to be upset at.

Mitchell lifted their head up from rolling a joint on the coffee table to chime in, “Monte found out Tommy was fake hitting the bong and then seduced him to take a hit.” It was the most coherent thing Mitchell had said in hours which relieved Annalise for she began to worry if the boy had developed a concussion.

“I didn’t seduce him, that would have to mean we had sex, and we haven’t done that,” Monte looked at Annalise, “yet.”

Annalise rolled her eyes, “Ohmygod Mo, move back to your side of the couch.”

“Hey don’t blame me, you were the one who was turned on earlier,” Monte quickly hopped back to their original seat as Annalise moved towards Tommy. Monte propped their foot on the coffee table, “It was the arguing, huh? That always got you in the mood.”

Annalise did not agree with or deny Monte’s questions vocally, but in her head, she screamed yes. It was quite possibly the weed altering her mind, but on some level, Annalise missed Monte. She missed the passion that came with a simple conversation or explosive heat from an argument. With Tommy, the relationship was safe, calm, and predictable. The complete opposite of her life with Monte.

Monte pressed on, “Do you two argue? Tommy doesn’t look like he has much fight in him.”

Tommy snapped up, “I’m right here. Why do you talk about me like I’m not here?”

Monte didn’t miss a beat, “But are you really here, Tommy? Think about that. You clearly don’t smoke, but what did you just do?”

“Smoke.” Tommy and Monte said in unison.

Monte continued, “Exactly. Who are you?”

“I need to go to the bathroom,” Tommy sat up straight, clearly affected by Monte’s confusing rhetoric.

“Please, Tommy, help yourself,” Monte gestured towards the bathroom down the hall.

“You’re a dick,” Jaime chimed in.

“Some people call it Charisma, Jaime. Take a note from my playbook,” Monte shot back.

“I’m good, I don’t like to make people uncomfortable.” Jaime said while laughing.

“Do we make you uncomfortable, Jaime?” Annalise interjected, “Oh no, Monte we make Jaime uncomfortable. We should give her a hug to make her feel safe.” The two made eye contact and simultaneously got up and moved towards Jaime.

“If you guys touch me, I will scream rape.”

“I’ll just scream,” Said Mitchell. As the two began to surround Jaime, Tommy came out of the bathroom with a pale face and phone in hand. No one paid him any attention as he called for them to listen.

“We have a problem!” Tommy yelled as Monte, Annalise, Jaime, and Mitchell all began piling on top of each other like kids. Their laughs muffled Tommys screams.

“Hey idiots! We have a problem. Hello!”

“Ohmygod! What, straight?” Monte’s head appeared from a pile of limbs, “Did you pee on the floor?”

“Two things: why am I being made fun of for liking what’s normal? Second, there’s a tropical storm hitting the coast of New Hampshire, we’re getting a pretty sizable amount of rain for the next day and a half.”

Monte untangled themselves from the pile of people, “We’re going to talk about that homophobic comment in just a minute, but what are you talking about, some sort of storm?”

“I can’t be homophobic, my girlfriend is bi-sexual,” Monte blinked, his eyes in disbelief at the words coming out of Tommy’s mouth. The others began to remove themselves from the pile.

“Oh, no honey that’s actually not right,” Annalise responded, “It’s like I said earlier to Monte, how just because they’re gay doesn’t mean they can’t discriminate against other gay people. Now, do you really think you, a straight man, aren’t capable of being homophobic?”

“I mean...I guess but I am pretty tolerant, so that counts for something, right?” Tommy sounded like a kid learning math for the first time.

“It does but when you say things like ‘being made fun of for like what's normal’, that implies gays aren’t normal and that’s pretty shitty,” Annalise explained, “So, don’t do that or else Monte has every right to read you to filth.”

“Don’t stereotype me, I’ll kick his ass,” Monte said while jumping over the couch between them and Tommy, “Now, what were you saying about this tropical storm?” At that moment, a loud crack of thunder reverberated from outside and throughout the house. The electricity in the house flickered off and on as the five friends finally noticed the loud thunderstorm raging just outside the condominium.

“Uhm...How long has it been raining?” Jaime asked.

“According to the weather app, for like two hours.” Tommy responded. “Come on Annalise, we gotta get home.” Without any confirmation from Annalise that they were leaving, Tommy made his way to the front door and swung it open only to be showered by the rain. The rest of the group rushed to his side to see what the rain had brought.

No one spoke as they took in the sight of the now flooded street. Tommy, who parked on the street audibly gasped. The water was already covering half of his tires and if the rain continued, soon his whole car would be underwater.

“Well, it doesn’t look like any of us are going anywhere.” Monte said.

The group of five continued to smoke in the small condominium for there was not much else to do. Three hours had gone by since the discovery that tropical storm ‘Jolene’ was making her way across New Hampshire and into Vermont.

Jaime had fallen asleep on the couch and Mitchell laid with his head in her lap, the two had become pretty close in the time they spent trapped in the house. Jaime showed Mitchell how to roll joints and in return, Mitchell spilled all of the tea on Monte to Jaime. Monte and Annalise were laying on their backs, feet on opposite sides with their heads right next to each other. They talked about nothing for what seemed like forever in a smoke filled haze as the others in the group inhabited their own worlds.

Mitchell woke up in less pain than he was in a few hours ago and sighed with relief. He accredited the relief to Jaime who said getting ‘substantially blazed’ always helps with a hangover. Mitchell tried to explain the difference between trying to commit suicide and getting too drunk but Jaime dismissed the idea and put the bong in his hand. She was right, Mitchell had noticed the pain immediately getting better and continued to listen to Jaime the rest of the day.

Now that his mind was slightly more clear, he announced an idea to the group, “I think we should make a fort.” Everyone looked at Mitchell, not sure if this was a good idea or a bad one.

Annalise sat up straight and twisted around to look at Mitchell, “I think that’s a brilliant idea!”

“Yeah, I think getting us all to move around instead of just laying here is good for the body.” Monte agreed.

“Yay!” Mitchell exclaimed. As he began listing things we would need, he stood up on the couch. “We’ll need lots of blankets! And sheets to make the top of the fort.” He jumped to another couch on his left, landing next to Tommy. The group laughed and cheered him on.

“I’ll get the blankets!” Annalise said.

Mitchell continued, “We’ll also need Christmas lights! And lamps!”

“On it!” Said Tommy, who was looking up at Mitchell in awe.

“We’ll also need lots and lots of pillows!”

“”I’ll grab those with Annie.” Monte said while nudging his shoulder into Annalise's’. The two smiled at each other and Annalise turned away, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Lastly!” Mitchell hopped from the couch to the coffee table in the middle of the group. “We’ll need a really good snack to eat!” Jaime began to raise her hand to take this task on but Mitchell plopped down from off the table and next to Jaime on the couch. “I’ll make the snack!”

As the group got up to begin their newly assigned duties, Jaime spoke, “Well what the hell am I supposed to do?”

“Keep rolling.” The group said in unison.

Monte showed Tommy where they kept all the christmas lights and extension cords and gave full access of their kitchen to Mitchell. Leaving Monte and Annalise to their own devices upstairs to collect blankets and pillows.

“This bed must have had some fun times since I was last in it, I bet.” Annalise said as she walked into Monte’s room. She sat on the edge of the Queen size bed that sat in the middle of the room. The room was usually full of sunlight beaming in from the various windows in the room but on this rainy evening there was no such light. The sun, already hidden by the dark storm clouds, began to disappear for the night and along with it the scarce rays of light filtering through the clouds.

“That would be bet you would lose, Annie,” Monte pulled out a wicker basket filled to the brim with several blankets, all a different fabric and pattern. “I’m not the big hoe I come off as.”

“You could have fooled me,” Annalise said without thinking.

“Annalise, please, I don’t want to fight,” Monte pleaded with Annalise.

“Neither do I,” Annalise said. “Sorry, force of habit.” Annalise began to grab the pillows she knew Monte kept in their closet. “So, what have you been up to for the past...how long has it been? Six months?”

“Eight months since we stopped dating and six since we stopped talking,” Monte quickly answered.

“Right,” Annalise agreed.

“I’ve been just on the low doing what I gotta do to get out of this town.”

“At least you’re choosing to leave,” Annalise said in a quiet tone.

“What do you mean?” Monte asked.

Annalise took a sharp breath before speaking, “I haven’t been able to find work in my field since I graduated and my temporary student visa expires soon. If I can’t find a company to employ me soon, I’ll have to go back to Australia.”

“Fuck,” is all Monte could say. They put down the blankets they were folding on the bed and walked around the bed to Annalise who stood at the frame of the closet door. “I’m so sorry, Annie. I had no idea.”

“How could you? It’s not really something I’m going to post on Instagram. And we don’t really talk these days.” The cracks in Annalise's voice gave warning to the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

“You should have reached out to me, there's not much I could do, but I’m always here to listen.” Monte said, putting their hand gently on Annalise’s shoulder.

“Thank you, Mo, but I didn’t know that,” Annalise shrugged away Monte’s arm while wiping away her tears. She turned to face Monte, “I didn’t really know you were always around to listen.” Annalise wasn’t trying to be mean and Monte knew that. It was the second time they had heard surprise when they told someone they could talk to Monte. Maybe they weren’t as available as they thought.

“That’s fair. Mitchell said the same thing to me when I found him.” Monte hung their head with the full weight of their choices bearing down on them. These were their closest friends when they started school and somehow they let these people slip through their cracks. Sure, the blame wasn’t entirely on them but they still felt just as responsible.

“Are you okay, Monte?” Annalise asked, not knowing the thoughts filling Monte’s head at the moment. Unaware of the turmoil that was quickly taking over Monte’s life in their quest to make amends.

“No, no I’m not,” Monte let the feelings locked in his heart out into the air between Annalise and them. “I’m not okay. I haven’t been a good person, or a good friend. To you, Mitchell, or even Jaime. I...I’ve just been so selfish.” Monte’s hands were shaking and Annalise could see that.

“Monte, what are you talking about?” Annalise guided Monte to sit on the bed as she spoke. “You are so giving, sure, not the nicest when you’re angry...or annoyed...or hungry…” Annalise trailed off.

“Your point?” Monte sniffled and wiped away a stray tear.

“Right! My point is Mo, that you aren’t this horrible person for taking time for yourself after a few breakups. Sure, disappearing completely is odd, but we do what we have to in order to survive. I can’t sit here and judge you for the things you did to keep your heart beating no more than you can judge me.”

“You’re right but-” Annalise cut Monte off.

“But nothing,” she took Monte’s hands in hers, “Listen to me, you are a good person. Look at the way you are so eager to take care of Mitchell with all this on your plate. How you didn’t even bat an eyelash at the thought of four people you barely talk to anymore staying in your house.”

“You’re right,” Monte laughed, “I am pretty great.”

“Don’t get cocky, now,” Annalise said nudging Monte on the shoulder. Monte pushed back and lost their balance and fell into Annalise. As they looked up, their nose grazed Annalise’s chin and they could smell her. A hint of roses and an intoxicating shampoo that came from her dark, wild curls. Their eyes met and without words they both leaned in and kissed. A crack of thunder shook the two and they parted lips for a brief moment. Both reeling from the electrifying kiss, their bated breath filling the room, they leaned into each other again and kissed with urgency.

Tommy stood at the doorway to Monte’s room, extension cords wrapped up around their wrists. The room Monte showed him didn’t have any type of lights so Tommy took to themselves to find them. When they passed the room a few minutes before, Monte and Annalise were standing on either side of the bed folding blankets and collecting pillows. Now, they sat next to each other, lips pressed together, kissing each other with a passion Tommy could only imagine. Tommy walked backwards into the dark of the hallway, imprinting the image of his girlfriend kissing her ex into his mind.

One hour and two joints later

The five friends stood at the edge of the makeshift fort that dawned several different blanket patterns. With christmas lights lining the inside and outside of the tent, the fort looked like a glowing sun they were all ready to climb into.

Monte clapped his hands together, “Okay, so we’re hot boxing this thing, right?”

“You’re such a stoner.” Annalise giggled at Monte’s comment.

Tommy noticed his girlfriend's unusual affection towards weed and Monte. “Yes! Lets get blazed!!” Tommy shouted while putting his arm around Annalise and locking eyes with Monte. Monte thought nothing of the outburst and gave Tommy a polite smile when their eyes locked.

“Wait!” Mitchell exclaimed. “The treats first!” Mitchell turned on his heels and darted for the kitchen. The frazzled boy spoke while serving the treats onto five different plates. “Now, Monte didn’t have much to work with because apparently to be that skinny you keep nothing in your kitchen.” Monte rolled their eyes and sucked their teeth at Mitchell. “But I was able to whip up these tasty things.” Mitchell handed the plates to each person in the group and they inspected the small rectangular plump pieces of bread sitting before them.

“What is this?” Jaime asked cautiously.

“Yeah, is this going to kill us?” Annalise chimed in.

“If you eat more than ten in an hour, maybe,” Mitchell said. “They are just pieces of bread folded and crimped on the edges and inside is nutella and honey! I baked them so they’re warm, gooey, and crispy on the outside.” Mitchell said excitedly.

“Well alright…” said Tommy.

The group shuffled one by one into the fort and to their surprise, the seemingly small fort accommodated everyone comfortably. The group began the usual ritual of smoking in their new found comfort and time seemed to escape them. The various flickering of the electricity and loud thunder broke conversations as everyone would paused to await any further danger. None ever came.

Eventually, each member of the group dozed off into sleep, leaving Tommy and Monte the only ones still awake. Monte passed the still burning joint to Tommy.

Tommy spoke when their hands touched slightly, “I saw you kiss Annalise.”

Monte coughed loudly and Annalise stirred in her sleep. They were not expecting those words to come out of Tommy’s mouth, let alone here with Annalise and the rest of the group sleeping inches from them.

“I’m sorry Tommy...I don’t have an explanation. It just sort of happened.” Monte was not used to being surprised by people he deemed unsurprising. Tommy was new to him in that sense.

“You’ve been openly flirting with Annalise since we got here. Don’t act like I haven’t seen it, Monte,” Tommy took a hit and passed the joint back to Monte.

“That’s true. But in my defense, that’s always been Annie and I’s dynamic,” Monte tried to defend themselves.

“Maybe it was, but it’s not anymore, and it definitely shouldn’t happen in front of me,” Monte tried to interject, but Tommy stopped them. “I’m going to let that pass though because I know how much Annalise misses you, but if it happens again…”

Monte’s temper flared up at the threat implied by Tommy’s words, but they controlled themselves as not to bother the group. “Keep your empty threats, boy. If I wanted Annalise back, have no doubt I could do it right now, even with her in your arms, but I don’t want her back like that.” Monte took the last hit from the joint and put it out in the ashtray, letting the smoke from their lungs fill the fort. When the smoke cleared, Monte locked eyes with Tommy. “Don’t let all this gay fool you, Tommy. If you come into my house and threaten me or step to me again, I will put you on your ass.”

Tommy began to speak, but the power was finally cut off by the tropical storm. The lights did not flicker back on. Monte closed their eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

The next sound that stirred the entire group awake was the sound of banging fists on Monte’s front door. Monte jumped to their feet, not remembering the fort that hung over the group. The blankets and various chairs used to hold them in place came tumbling down around the group. Monte was able to escape the mess and make it to the door. Who could be out right now? Surely the storm had not passed in the time they were asleep.

Monte swung the door open and was blinded by the brilliant sunlight. Not a single cloud in sight. As for the recently flooded street, the water that once leveled at the wheels of Tommy’s car had evaporated and was nearly gone. How long were they asleep? Monte wondered to themselves. There was no time to ponder this weather mystery as Monte took note of the two individuals banging on their door.

In front of Monte stood a man and a woman, in their late 40’ and very angry.

“Are you Monte Baker?” The man spoke first.

“In the flesh!” Monte said with a charming smile. “And who are you, damaging my beautiful door?” The woman began to speak when Mitchell yelled from under the fort.

“Dad! Mom!” Mitchell's body jolted up from the ground with the blankets still covering his entire body. The rest of the group groaned as various objects fell on them.

“Oh shit,” Monte said.