"You look like shit."
Luke was right. I had big black circles under my eyes and the utter fact that I left my apartment in sweat pants and a oversized grandpa cardigan didn't help. With my pair of super-size sunglasses and coffee in hand, I pulled a Lindsay Lohan, but good.
"Jesus, sleep much?" he added. I saw him eye my getup compared to his: dark wash Buffalo Jeans and a black v-neck under a fitted pea coat.
"It's Finn. We try to talk when we can. I'm running to the mailbox to see if he sent me a letter or not. I'm writing them or sending them, re-reading them. My tongue is numb from licking envelopes."
"That's the only thing you're licking nowadays," Luke frowned. We crossed the street, heading toward Seventh Avenue.
"I made a promise to him," I stated.
"Normally I would say, fuck it," he signed, loudly moving on to his next thought. "This relationship-von-distance-or whatever you guys call it-is killing you."
"I made a promise," I repeated.
"Joey, you're not the merry fucking widow."
"I know that, Luke. I know what you're telling me but ... " He went silent when I let out a great big yawn. I could handle this relationship. It's only for a year and then Finn is out of the Navy, a free man.
"Is Halloween on steroids?" Will asked. He was on his lunch-hour, having met Luke and me outside of H&M. Every window for the past few blocks exploded in bright orange and black. Pumpkins, dressed-up ghouls, and glittery spider webs framed and filled storefront windows.
"Was it like this last year?"
"I just love Halloween. It's just not like any other day of the year."
"Or night, Joey," Luke added, raising his eyebrow. "My client, Sin City Vodka, is hosting this kick-ass fag-bash in Times Square on the thirty-first," he gushed. I knew that gush, as it usually meant the guys and I rocking VIP status to another fantastic A-list evening.
"That's the problem with Halloween. Straight guys get to toss on a dumb mask or fangs"
"We have to be half-naked, looking all hot in devil horns and a jock," fretted Will.
"Why are you bitching?" Luke grumbled.
"I'm not," Will giggled.
"Just think, being surrounded by tons of hot guys, go-go boys and little twinks on All Hallows Eve."
"That's what I'm afraid of, Luke."
"You know that freaky few seconds when it's all a big blur and you're trying to find your underwear in the big pile."
"The bewitching hour," I winced, as he held the door....
