I'll Just Stand Here and Watch You Go

Chapter 7

Aurora led him to another payphone, leaving the door halfway open, and stood guard outside. "I'll just... be here."

Alec nodded, a little grateful. Then he unhooked the phone and dialed for home, all in one movement, trying to get it over with.

His mother picked up immediately. "Alec Lovell!" she shrieked.

He winced. "Hi, Mom."

"Where the hell are you, you little - "

"Mom," he interrupted. "Please."

"Alec," she said, voice calming and rising at the same time, somehow. "Sweetheart?"

"I can't explain right now, but I will come home soon," he managed to get out. No, I can't promise her anything. "Okay? I just wanted to let you know I'm okay. Tell the others, okay? I love you. I love you all."

"Sweetheart, don't - " his mother pled, but Alec was already hanging up, even if he was slow doing it. Slow enough to hear everyone around her begin to clamor, maybe try to snatch the receiver, ream him out themselves. Probably David. More likely Colin or Olivia.

He considered the phone for a long moment. As last words go, his probably weren't so bad.

He clambered out, into a neighborhood lit by high noon to an absurd level of brightness. Aurora, leaning against the payphone wall, didn't look at him. He didn't want her to. "You okay?"

He lifted his face to the sunlight, feeling it reach deep into his bones. "I'm fine."

Aurora didn't know if it was strictly legal, but soon they were on a motorcycle, speeding through the road out of town.

Earlier, he'd towed the bike out of some strange garage as she watched in horrified fascination. He swung his legs astride it, testing the seat. It was doing strange things to Aurora's pulse. He was doing strange things to her everything.

Fuck's sake, get your shit together.

He sat back against the bike, flipped his hair out of his eyes, and gestured for her to come closer.

She might kill him if she didn't melt on the spot first.

Hesitantly she drifted forward. Barely moved as he unbuttoned the coat he put on her. Then she made to take it off. He shook his head, and merely opened it enough to get at a pair of shades in the left breast pocket. The back of his hand brushed against the bare skin of her collarbone.

Son of a bitch. She willed herself to keep her breathing even.

He slipped the glasses on and moved forward on the seat. "Hop on."

Now she had her arms wrapped around Alec freaking Lovell, head leaning against his back, while they tore the horizon sun apart.

She almost recognized this stretch of asphalt from that film he did with David Range. Waiting for Fate. A trashy romance novel's title if she'd ever heard one, but it was a great movie. Seminal piece of queer culture. She loved it. In that film, he'd said roads were merely letters, the world a long open book. He'd read them all and known them all, and it did nothing. All it left him was alone as he had ever been, on another stretch of road.

Alec rode like a man possessed. Still, he didn't pull anything crazy, which she was grateful for. Eyes forward, hands on the bars at all times. She sighed, loving the feel of the wind blowing past her. Tightened her grip around his torso. Felt guilty that she was wearing his coat; he'd only had a white sweater under it. She sighed and leaned her cheek against his broad back, unconsciously stroking his chest, trying to offer some comfort.