Ghosts Of The Past [BoyxBoy] ✓

48. Between Us

I lean against the sink of the school bathroom as Sky wipes my wound. He's standing on his toes just to reach me. 

I'm still annoyed I didn't get to fight Jimmy more. My hands are itching to go back and punch him in the gut. 

I sigh. 

"Does it hurt?" Sky asks quietly. 

I shake my head. It stings a little but I'm kinda used to worse. 

"I get that you were trying to protect me. But you don't have to." 

I roll my eyes. 

"Seriously, I can take care of myself." 

"So you keep saying. Meanwhile, if I hadn't punched that lowlife, who knows what other stupid shit he might have said about you? Sometimes you need to put people back in their place." 

"Maybe use your mouth for that?"

"That doesn't work with idiots like him. He's too stupid. What's that saying? 'Those who can't hear must feel?'"

"I think that's bullshit." Sky says. 

"Too bad." 

He sighs. 

"You know he could sue you, right? You could go to jail for this."

"Ugh, that's such bullshit! He punched me back!"

"Self defense." 

"Whose side are you on?!"

"Yours. That's why I'm warning you." He says lovingly.

Then he searches through a pack of band aids. 

"You're not putting that on my face." I say. Those things look fucking ridiculous. 

"It's for protection." Sky says. 

"Please, that shit doesn't work." 

"Not for your protection, but for every human, so they don't faint when they see you." He smiles. 

I smile a little too and lean forward. 

"Is it that bad?" I tease. 

He punches me playfully. Then he places the band aid on my brow and stares into my eyes. 

"Damn."

"What?"

"You still look hot."

I chuckle and kiss him. 

It feels so fucking good kissing him. I feel so whole. 

But then I remember him with Loren. His arm around her neck and I suddenly don't feel so good anymore. 

I pull away. 

"What's wrong?" Sky asks, his lips against mine. 

I take a step back.

"Nothing." I say. 

"Well, Jesus, Aron, I can see you're upset. What did I do?" 

"Why would you even kiss me? You don't even want me." It feels like something inside my heart is tearing. 

"What are you talking about?" Sky steps forward, I step back. 

"Loren! You fucking love her, right?"

"What? Aron—" Sky tries to grab my hand but I pull away. 

"I see the way you look at her, Sky! Like she's everything to you! Like you worship the ground she walks on!"

He sighs. 

"You weren't there, Aron. You weren't there for her pregnancy. It was hell. She was in pain almost every day and her delivery was the worst. There was a big chance she wouldn't make it... That Rose wouldn't make it either. I felt so terribly guilty. I thought: 'If she dies it's my fault.' I could barely stand to look in the mirror. Then she made it and it felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders and I swore that I would protect her with my life if I had to. She's the mother of my child. And she's my friend. But that's all she is." 

I look into his sincere eyes and I wanna believe him. But then I think of us. Our relationship. Why we broke up. And anger takes over. 

"Is that why you fucked her?" I accuse. 

His face falls and he looks down at his hands. He takes a deep breath. 

"I never meant to hurt you." 

"But you did!" I scream. "Don't you understand? You broke me!" 

His eyes are filled with tears now and for the first time since I saw him after our breakup he looks broken again. 

I feel guilty but my anger hasn't subsided. 

"I couldn't get out of bed for weeks after we broke up! And I just couldn't understand what I'd done wrong to make you—" 

"You did nothing wrong! That was the problem. You were perfect and I thought I didn't deserve you."

Sky takes a shallow breath. "I was sabotaging myself and I hurt you in the process." He looks deep into my eyes. "And I'm really sorry. You didn't deserve that." He says earnestly. 

"But.. I've never felt the way I feel about you, about anyone else, Aron. I want you to know that. I've.. been with many people, relationships, whatever but... It never felt this way. You're special to me." He looks so vulnerable as he says this. 

It's like he's healing me with words and wiping all my doubts away.

I can't be mad at him at him anymore. I wrap my arms around him. 

"So we can be together again, right? Every obstacle is out of our way, we can be happy." I say.

Sky pulls away. He looks really guilty. "I just need some time, okay? I don't wanna hurt you again and.. I don't trust myself yet." 

"I trust you." I push. 

Sky smiles. It's a real happy kind of smile. I smile back. 

"I just.. need a little more time. Please."

I hold him tighter. "I'll wait."

"You don't have to—" 

"I'll wait." I say again. 

Sky sighs. 

"You're too stubborn for your own good." 

"I'll decide that." I answer. 

We both laugh a little. I feel calm and happy. Sky doesn't like Loren. They're just friends. I was all wrong about that. This means that it's only a matter of time before Sky and I can be together again. In the meantime I won't let anyone get between us. I'll make sure of that.