Beyond the Sea

“Sing me our song.”

Troy didn’t have to ask which one. “It’s sad, though. Don’t you think?”

“Not when you sing it. There’s so much hope in your voice.” Brian took Troy’s hand, threading their fingers together. “It’s perfect.”

Everyone makes a big deal of gender, but love is love.

“I can forgive myself, but I still can’t forget.

Peeling at the label on his beer, he said, “When we crashed, I started living again. Before then, I was sleepwalking. You woke me up, Troy. I don’t want to go back to sleep.”

“Soap is amazing. Whoever invented it was a genius.”

All these untaken roads we never even know about. All because of chance. Or fate, if you believe in that kind of thing.”

His mouth full of foam, Troy mumbled, “Isn’t toothpaste the best?”

Because I’m in love with you too, and I hate being away from you, and I don’t care if it’s crazy because I like who I am when we’re together, and I don’t want to go back to the way things were before, and—”

This is what it’s like to be in love.

“Seems like a nice young man.”

“What? Yes. Yes, very nice.” Smart, sweet, kind, funny, passionate.