"Jesus, Alex..." A whimper escaped Michael, one he had to bite his lip to keep from turning into an outright moan--he did have to keep driving here.

"What do you think? Everything..."

Replaying that afternoon over and over--at least until it went so wrong. That day was one of sharp contrasts--never having felt so good, never having felt so horrible. It was all highs and lows, and he tried so hard to hold on to the one and let go of the other. Thinking about Alex, about the Before of that day was all that had kept him remotely okay since.