Dusk (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 40 - Dreams and Memories

I crossed the street, passing a line of parked cars and reaching a metal fence that bordered the campus. It was quieter there, and Ben was gone. My hands guided me down to sit before I felt them pull at my hair. My mind was still spinning, battling with itself while I tried to set it straight.

He wouldn't...

Common sense was not on my side. He could, and I'd suspected him of doing so more than once...

I leaned back against the fence, trying to focus on the breeze on my skin, on the voices in the distance. I'd been having a good night.

My phone buzzed and I tuned it out, resting my hands on my jeans instead. My fingers were picking at them, my body still filled with adrenaline.

It's not a big deal...

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and trying to think of anything else. The game, my friends... Lucy was coming tomorrow. She'll know somethings up with me right away... something else.

There was a rustling behind the fence, but I kept my eyes closed. It's a raccoon. I clenched my jaw, listening, but my mind wanted to take me somewhere else. The wind, the trees, the sky.

The sky... The one that made me feel like I was being swallowed whole, into the darkness.

"Evan?" I jumped as a hand lightly touched my shoulder, my eyes flying open. Rowan was in front of me, his expression gentle but worried.

I frowned. This wasn't the same person Ben had described. The person in front of me was kind, gentle... caring.

You've seen him angry. You've seen him fight.

"Are you okay?" Rowan paused, before turning to someone and muttering, "could you get him some water?" I noticed Shea behind him, immediately turning on her heel.

"No, no, I'm fine," I said quickly, my hands moving to push me up, but Shea was already gone. "Just needed some fresh air, sorry." I forced a laugh that even I could tell didn't sound like me.

"You should sit for a minute," Rowan said, his hands lightly guiding me back down. I felt my heart pound a bit faster as I glanced at him.

"That was a really good game," I said, my eyes flashing back towards the gym. "You make it look easy."

Rowan sat on the ground next to me, taking my hand in his.

"Thanks for coming," he said, pausing for a second before leaning forward to look at me. "What happened to your hands?"

"What?" I looked down at my palm he'd turned over, which was lightly scraped from the concrete from earlier. "Oh, I'm not sure."

Rowan frowned,

"You don't know?"

"No, I know, it's really nothing." I quickly muttered, "I just don't..." I don't know where to start.

There was a heavy pause before Rowan rubbed my forearm lightly,

"You don't have to tell me right now."

I nodded slowly, staring ahead and focusing on the feeling of his fingers on my skin.

"I swear, I'm okay," I said after another silent pause, and Rowan nodded too, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. "You know, just so many sweaty fans in there heating up the building needed some air after that."

Rowan laughed, and I saw a figure out of the corner of my eye running toward us. Shea was there in a matter of seconds, handing me a large bottle of water.