HEALED

XIV: healed

LANE

When I came home from the party, I was immediately grounded.

My mom was waiting for me literally at the door. She was mad that I didn't tell her I would be staying later.

She took my phone, so I couldn't text anyone.

My only source of entertainment was my laptop where I could play games and watch movies.

But somehow, I convinced my mom to unground me. Now I am running to his house.

Why? To get back my shirt I left over when I changed to go to the party.

And to see him because I missed him.

A little.

A little too much.

Arriving there, I knock at the door. I hear footsteps approaching it and I clear my throat and fix my posture.

A woman opens the door, who I think it's his mother. She's beautiful but she looks so tired and drained. "Hello, is Julius home?" I shyly ask her.

"Hello! Oh yes, he's in his room. Come in," she looks at me surprised but then smiles brightly. I smile back at her and feel my cheeks heating up.

"Julius!" she shouts as I come inside the house and close the door after me. I hear the door of his room open and closer then hear him coming downstairs.

As he walks to the entrance of the house he stops in his tracks as he sees me. "Lane." Is the only thing he gets out of his mouth.

"I will leave you two alone," his mom chuckles to herself as she walks away.

"I left my shirt here..." I break the long silence between us.

"Ah, yeah. Follow me," he leads me to his room. We enter it and he takes it out from his closet. Handing me the white cloth, he says, "It smells like me now. Hope you don't mind it," he slightly smiles.

I won't.

I take it from him but I don't make a move to leave or anything. We stare at each other. "Why aren't you responding to my texts?" he asks me. His smile falling.

"My mom took my phone, I was grounded for—you know," I sigh and look away from him. Feeling him put a hand on my cheek, I glance up back at him.

"I missed you," Julius whispers, putting my hair behind my ear.

"I missed you too," I whisper too.

Just when I thought he is pulling me to him for a kiss, he hugs me instead. Embracing him back, his hold on me gets tighter.

After a while, I try to pull away but he doesn't let me. "A little longer. Please," he says, his face in my hair.

"Okay," I nod. "Where's your dad?" I ask him cautiously.

"At work."

"Your mom looks just like you but the female version. She's gorgeous," I tell him.

"So you're telling me that I am gorgeous too?" Julius laughs in my hair.