Drew and Theresa lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. It's three years later and, for the first time in a very long time, they can feel something other than resigned despair flooding through their bodies. The first day of classes ended a few hours ago. She rolls over to his side of the bed and grins at him.

In class Drew stares at his classmates. Was it something he said? Did he speak too loudly while answering a question? Sometimes he did that. It was an unconscious action on his part; he did not even realize he was doing it before it was too late and he already embarrassed himself.

Drew seemed to embarrass people in public a lot. When he ran into a friend on campus this morning, he found himself stuck in the middle of some pathetic scam conversation with a few young women. He was not sure if what he said was inappropriate, or just plain awkward, but his friend bummed out on him hard for ruining his chance to impress the ladies. He might have talked about a book, Sorrentino or Calvino or fucking John Barth. Who cares. It was probably Borges anyway.

Drew knew it was his own fault anyway. He never learned how to function amongst pleasant society and, honestly, if someone tried to teach him he was probably not paying attention. Theresa had tried to teach him the so-called rules of Non-Conventional Society but he seems to have royally fucked that one up too.

None of that really matters much though because those peers are part of a bigger puzzle now. Eat, drink booze, fuck once a week on that special night, pop out a couple babies. Drew's peers are now sponsored by Pepsi and Budweiser. Pizza Hut has them in its jukebox.

Amber has been dead for three years and the towers gone almost as long. Drew turned twenty five in between. He seems to have worn out his welcome; nothing had ever made him feel more alive.

Everything he has ever been taught turned out to be wrong. Drew leaned over and kissed Theresa gently on the mouth. Here, where it is just you and me, none of that matters anymore.

They kissed again. Everything went away. For now, all Drew could do is keep praying.