Page 87 of Icarus

Icarus leaned his head against the top of the wooden chair and willed his tears to stay in his eyes. He was loved, he was loved, he was loved, in spite of his father’s strangeness. He had almost forgotten that.

He ate it slow, even though it made him late.

Back

Julian looked at him with curious eyes. Icarus had missed him so.

He placed a hot cappuccino in front of Icarus.

“Luca said you’d be back today.” Julian crossed his arms on his desk and leaned his chin into the hollow.

“Thank you.”

Icarus took a sip and calculated the time between when their project was due and when Helios had said he could come back. He knew he would be gone before the day of their presentation.

It would only be a betrayal if he didn’t finish the work before he left. Julian might forgive him for leaving only if Icarus came to him with his half of the paper in hand.

“You seem different,” Julian said. “Where were you?”

Icarus shrugged. “I was visiting family.”

Julian nodded like he understood.

“Family’s not always what it’s cracked up to be, huh.” He turned around in his chair.

Icarus held words about that behind his teeth, and said nothing.

Mud

Celestina popped her head up underneath his arm, tugging his jacket around her on the other side.

“You ready to ditch another day?” she asked, beaming up at him.

Her box braids had been exchanged for a curly bun, fuzzy, lovely, and soft.

“I can only skip gym. Or they’ll call home and get weird,” Icarus said, squeezing her shoulders through the denim. “I missed you.”

“Let me get a real hug.” Celestina shoved her other arm under his jacket and squished him hard and tight. There it was, Icarus thought, as he nuzzled into her hair. That was why this was easier. Celestina and Luca only ever applied pressure, while Helios stroked and brushed. Nervous, gentle.

She pulled him up the hill, where Luca and Sorrel were waiting for them. Luca half ran down the hill and slammed into him, nearly knocking him off his feet.

“Luca!” Celestina shouted in playful warning.

Luca lifted him into the air and swung him around. He caught Sorrel’s gaze out of the corner of his eye. Sorrel looked confused, worried, and a bit embarrassed.

“I’m glad you’re back. Things were starting to get dire,” Luca said, finally letting go. “I walked the mile with the goth kids and they started doing astrology on me so I decided to walk faster but they kept catching up.”

Icarus laughed. He wanted to spin around and shake off the joy in his bones. He turned to Sorrel. “Hey, man. You talk to Celestina about your whole thing?” he asked.

Sorrel nodded. His eyes darted between the three of them.

“So . . . any movement?” Icarus pressed.

Sorrel shrugged.

“I subtly asked Mina about him and she was like he’s nice,” Celestina said, sitting down on the crunchy hard ground. “Which is better than ‘ew gross’ or ‘who?’ so I figure he has a shot.”

“That’s better than nothing.”