Meanwhile Noel fidgeted in his fold-down seat, trying to pry the watching eyes loose, but by now he was curiosity fodder for the entire car, until to everyone's disappointment he fled back up the ladder to cower in the protective dark. I yawned, unfazed by the brazen stares around me, and pressed my face against the galloping night. So where's the sky, Noel? I called up sheepishly, but he stayed silent. Bored, I followed him up, negotiating the cramped space with difficulty, even though I was a good bit shorter and more flexible than Noel. I fumbled in the dark, yanking and pulling at the sleeping bag, two white sheets sown together, and promptly ripped the seam. Noel laughed, his head briefly turned my way, then the mood altered again, and we lay in a darkness rhythmically pierced by shafts of light, spending our first night together on separate beds.