Chapter 13 #2
Another five seconds starts counting down. Oh God! What do I do? I do the first thing I can think of and scrunch my nose and plaster the biggest smile on my face, closing my eyes. I feel Ev’s lips on my cheek and then comes the flash.
I’m laughing at the silliness of this experience. The adrenaline rush I am getting from it all. Another one! Five seconds. Think, Leo! I look to Ev for backup, but he just grabs my face and plants a big wet kiss to my lips. Flash.
Then another countdown. Seriously, how many does this thing take? Ev’s hands find my ribs, and he begins to tickle me. I let out a roaring laugh, and flash! God, that one is probably so awful.
Another countdown. Okay, I think, this one has to be good. Ev grabs me by the back of the neck, hauls my forehead to meet his, and then closes his eyes. I do the same.
Flash.
Serenity.
The whole world fades.
We hold that position for a while. After the booth thanks us in its robotic voice, after we hear the printing of the reel complete.
We hold still. I find belonging in this stillness.
Just us. I don’t need to speak to know that Ev is soaking in this moment as much as I am.
Imprinting it into his brain for a rainy day.
Because I know without a doubt that we are going to have rainy days, but this moment right here is what I will return to.
“Where did you two fuckers go?” Gage’s voice pulls us from our moment, and we step out of the booth.
I grab the reel and smile. Each one is so perfect. So us. Ev grabs it from me and tucks it into his wallet.
“I will be keeping this forever, thank you very much.”
I reach up on my tip toes and kiss him gently. “That's okay, I’ll hold this moment in my memories forever.”
I look at Gage, who seems so desperately grumpy, and a crazy idea pops into my head. This is going to make or break our friendship. I put my metaphorical big-girl panties on and quickly shove Gage into the photobooth.
“What are you doing?” A wide-eyed panicked look covers his face as he tries to exit the booth.
“Come on, Gage. Take some photos with me.”
“No. Move.” He tries to get by me, but Ev crosses his arms over his chest. Using his large football player frame and muscles to good use as he blocks Gage's exit.
“Gage, take some pictures with Leo. It won’t kill you,” Ev defends from behind me.
“You’re choosing sides, brother. You fucking owe me.” He concedes and settles on the little seat in the booth, scooching so he is as far from me as possible. I have a sneaking suspicion that Ev is the only person Gage listens to.
I type in all the settings like Ev did, going a little slower than he did because I am indecisive and have to read the instructions. And then the countdown begins.
Gage is just scowling at the screen, arms crossed over his chest, reminding me of that meme of the grumpy cat, and so I pose completely opposite him and give a cheesy smile to the camera.
The next photo, his position doesn’t change, so I hold up two bunny ears with my fingers behind his head, and right before the flash, he goes to swat them away, snapping the exact moment he is scolding me with my wrist in his grasp and I am laughing at him.
The next countdown begins, and I look at Gage and stick my tongue out at him. He returns the pose, and I know this one is going to be my favorite. The fact that he even did it with me shows progress in our friendship.
The next, I yell at Gage, “Hurry, you pick now!”
Gage holds up both his hands and flips the camera off, so I copy and do the same.
For the last photo, Ev shoves his big body in, squishing me against Gage, who shrieks out a, “Oh fuck you, man! Get off—”
The flash interrupts him.
When we look at our reel, I love all of them.
I couldn’t choose a favorite. From scowling, grumpy Gage, to flipping the camera off, to him mid yell as Ev is barely in the photo, giving me a kiss to the cheek.
I realize that in each one of these, I have a real smile on my face.
I hardly recognize myself, and for the first time since dating Ev, I think I see what he sees in me.
I barely glance at the trees that pass us by on our drive home because my eyes are running over the photobooth reels over and over.
I wish I could live in those moments forever.
I wish I could remain in that city forever, with them.
I was happy. Unburdened. Blissful. Maybe a future that resembles today is possible?
Maybe I can have the things I have so long denied myself but Ev continues to promise me.
For the first time, hope blooms inside my heart. Maybe, just maybe…
“So, what did you think about the city?” Ev’s hand is stroking my thigh. Continuously providing me with security in his touch.
“I think that I never want to leave.”
His laugh fills the space, and Gage just scoffs, like he has reached his limit of us today.
“Well, we do have to go back home, but that doesn’t mean we can't live in a big city one day. Although, if you ask me, Portland isn’t far enough.
We need to go to New York or Chicago or Boston. Not Portland.”
“I’m okay with that. Wherever you go, I’ll go. As long as we are together, I don't care.”
Gage groans from the back. “Fucking kill me now.”