Page 59 of The Incredible Ordinary

We watch the movie without speaking. It’s crap. We watch it anyway. Rory falls asleep right before it ends.

I sit between my brothers, and I feel content in a way that is so foreign it takes me a while to recognize what it even is that makes me stay put and absorb the calm of this moment.

I wakeup with a crick in my neck, groggy and disoriented. The couch is empty, and the apartment is quiet.

I rub sleep out of my eyes as I get up, stretch and yawn, then I drag my ass to the bathroom. I pass Rory’s room on my way back to the living area after my shower.

There’s stuff lying around on the kitchen island, and I’m about to roll my eyes, but… There’s a box of cereal. And next to it, a clean bowl and a spoon. I look at it, head tilted to the side.

I don’t eat cereal, and Aiden knows it. Which means this spread? It’s Rory. Making me breakfast.

I absently touch the end of the spoon with my fingertips.

The world narrows to the bowl and the box of cereal in front of me. I don’t know what to do with it, this gesture of trust aimed at me. I don’t deserve it. But I also want it.

Mostly, I just don’t know what the fuck I’m doing anymore, but the voice that always reminds me that I’m leaving as soon as I can is suspiciously quiet today.

MILÁN

Jordan is waitingfor us at the entrance to the stadium. He’s leaning against the wall, watching with a small smile as we approach.

“Hey,” he says when Rory and I come to a stop before him. “I got you something,” he tells Rory, then hands him a shoe box.

True to form, Rory looks confused as ever.

His suspicious glare moves between Jordan and the box.

“Thanks?” He takes the box and holds it in front of him, arms extended, a wary look on his face. “Nice box.”

Jordan’s lips twitch. “They’re cleats. Theo has too many pairs. I figured you could put them to good use. Otherwise they’ll just end up sitting in the closet. I took a guess on the size, so if they don’t fit, just let me know. There’s more where those came from.”

Rory stares at him for a moment before he shakes his head. “Yeah. I’m gonna go change.” He starts to move, then stops and awkwardly lifts the box in Jordan’s direction. “Thanks.”

Jordan waves him off. “You’re doing me a favor if you take them. They’ll feel weird on solid ground, but just wait until you get on the field.”

Rory sends him one more dubious look, stuffs the box underneath his armpit, and heads to the locker room.

Jordan looks after him thoughtfully. “That went better than I expected.”

“That’s something I should’ve thought about, right?” I say. “Proper footwear.”

“How were you supposed to know?”

“Believe it or not, I have seen a soccer match a time or two in my life.” I laugh, but it transforms into a frown when I look toward the hallway that leads to the locker rooms. “It didn’t even enter my mind to think about buying cleats.”

“Good thing it didn’t, too,” Jordan says. “I wasn’t lying. We have too many pairs at home already. Theo has his own preferences about his cleats, and Kira seems to think he goes through them like socks, then she forgets which ones he prefers and just goes with whatever they tell her is best in the store. Rory’s doing me a favor if he takes them off my hands.”

“In that case, you’re welcome.”

He laughs, and we head to the field. Jordan brings out the cooler and the snacks and we set them out under Chloe’s watchful gaze before we migrate to what’s become our usual spot on the bleachers.

Jordan zips his jacket higher. It’s windy today, so even though the sun is out, it feels colder than it really is. Jordan leans back in his seat and lifts his face toward the sun, closing his eyes.

Something’s different about him today, though. The lightness he usually shares with everybody in his orbit is dimmer today.

He looks tired.

I nudge his side. “You okay?”