Chapter 4: Brother

On Thursday night, Jesse went to Nate's apartment to give back a borrowed towel.

That was the reason he gave Hank, anyway.

Nate lived on the second floor of a brick house off Dunmore Street, with a swim team banner in the window.

The front door was open an inch, and Jesse heard his brother's voice before he reached the landing.

"I'm not blind, Nate."

Jesse stopped with his hand on the rail.

"Cal, nothing happened," Nate said.

"Nothing happened yet. I saw how you jumped when I walked in."

"We were doing a lab."

"You had your hand on his face!"

Jesse held his breath.

There was a long silence, and then a chair scraped.

"He's nineteen," Cal said, lower now. "He's never had a real boyfriend."

"He has a crush on you, and everyone can see it."

"You're my best friend, man."

"I know that."

"Then you know I'm asking you not to. Not now. Not him."

"Why not him?"

"Because you leave," Cal said. "You always leave, Nate."

"You left Eastern halfway through a scholarship and never told me why."

"You'll graduate and go to some training camp, and he'll still be here missing you."

Nate said nothing.

Jesse's stomach dropped.

Nate had left Eastern State halfway through?

He had always thought Nate transferred for money.

"Say something," Cal said.

"I don't want to hurt him," Nate said.

"Then stay away from him."

Jesse pushed the door all the way open.

Both men turned.

Cal was standing by the kitchen table, and Nate was against the counter with his arms folded, tense as a wire.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here," Jesse said.

"Jess," Cal said. "This is a private conversation."

"It's about me. That makes it mine."

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