Heart and Desire (boyxboy)

Chapter Two

Oli's POV:

I arrived at the park ten minutes late. Running the entire way there had left me breathless; I doubled over, heaving and panting to catch my breath. In my awestruck state, it had taken longer than necessery to get changed. Before darting out the front door, I had shoved my phone into the pocket of my jeans and hurriedly dragged a comb through my messy blonde hair a few times, then I'd paused in front of the hallway mirror. I had focused on my reflection and the first thought that came to my head was: Do I look okay? I detested that I still wanted to look good when I saw Ash, but a part of me wanted to impress him.

I spotted Ash perched on top of a plastic bin, a cigarette held between his lips. Those beautiful lips that had once been mine.

"No, Oli. Stop it. He almost killed you." I growled quietly to myself. "Just be cool"

"Oli? Is that-?" Ash shouted from across the field. He squinted at me, leaning forwards to get a better look, "Oh thank God, it's you! You're here. I thought-"

Every bone in my body was telling me to run. Every brain cell I possessed was telling me it was a trick. A cruel joke. Yet I remained frozen in my place, watching Ash as he slipped off the bin and jogged across the field towards me.

His hair was shorter than it had been the last time I saw him, and it was no longer the rich honey brown that I adored. His hair was now black and short, pushed back into a type of messy quiff. The look worked on him. Ash's pale upper body was toned underneath his t-shirt. I smiled in spite of myself; he was just as hot as I remembered, maybe hotter. I inhaled slowly to calm my nerves.

Do I trust him?

"Oli, thank you, you have no idea-" My fist collided with Ash's jaw; he hissed and pulled back, clutching his left cheek in his hand.

"I deserved that." He admitted, rubbing  his throbbing jaw. Hopefully I left a mark.

I nodded in agreement, not sure what to say to him; I had surprised even myself by hitting Ash.

We wordlessly eyed each other for some time before Ash caught me off guard by pulling me into a warm embrace. The kind I was used to.

"I don't forgive you." I muttered weakly into his shoulder, hardly believing it myself. I'd long since surrendered to his hug but knew I couldn't let him off so easy.

"I've missed you," He whispered. I wasn't sure I believed him. "I've missed you like crazy, I'm so sorry. For everything. I couldn't stop thinking about you." Okay, I definitely didn't believe him.

I wordlessly pulled myself out of his embrace and turned to walk home, pulling my jacket tighter around my body. I'd walked maybe ten paces before I turned to face Ash again. He looked... heartbroken. Pain in his emerald eyes. "You coming or what? You need a place to stay, don't you?"

Relief washed over him. He frantically thanked me, jogging to catch up. In all the years I'd know him, I had never seen Ash - the handsome jock who had every girl in school falling at his feet - look so vulnerable. He seemed broken.

We walked back to my house in silence, the only sound was our footsteps on the cold concrete streets. Should I be doing this? How do I know he's telling the truth? I looked to the sky and silently prayed to a God that I wasn't sure existed, but right now I needed all the help I could get.

Ash hesitated when we reached my front door. I could sense him reminiscing about the last time he had stood at this door.

"D-does your mum know...?" Ashton asked gingerly.

"No, she doesn't. And I'd like to keep it that way. Far as she knows, we broke up when I moved away. She'll be okay with you staying, don't worry."