The Only Faith [boyxboy]

The Only Faith {26}

                I laid in bed as sunlight slowly crept into the room. I wanted to get up and walk around the campus, but I also didn't want to risk running into Leon. It'd be best if we left our goodbyes the way they were. Seeing him again would make leaving so much harder.

                I turned my alarm off before it could go off and got up. I showered and got dressed for class, staring at myself in the mirror, my maroon vest a familiar sight by now.

                I didn't know when I'd be pulled out of the Academy. But I was a Maroon student and that's how I was going out.

                Fagan got up a few minutes later and left without a word to shower. There was a light knock on our door, and Tessa entered.

                "Sorry," she said. "I thought it would just be Fagan in here."

                "Our goodbyes were a little early," I said.

                Tessa sat down on Fagan's desk. "Beckett usually comes to campus early. I bet he's with his father right now. He can't bring himself to forgive his parents for all the pressure they put on him when he was a kid, but I know he loves them."

                "He's got an aggressive way of showing his love," I said.

                "I know. But when he cares about someone, he'll do anything for them," she said. "He's a good person. He's just got a lot of anger he doesn't know how to get rid of."

                "How did the call with your mom go?" I asked.

                Tessa dropped her gaze and shrugged. "She cried. My grandma called me after and said my mom just needs time. I told her I might need to move back home, and she said I can live with her until my mom comes to terms with everything."

                "That's good," I said. At least then Tessa would be okay.

                "I think you should call your parents," she said.

                I looked at her in surprise. "Why would I do that?"

                "I know it's none of my business. I know I don't know what happened between you guys. But...If you are arrested again, I just think you should have that closure at least," she said.

                I thought about my parents, hating the ache in my chest. My father, who could be so quiet at times but have eccentric overreactions that always made me laugh. My mother, who loved to remind me how much of a pain in the ass I was, but always with a fond smile on her face. They were good people. They'd tried to raise me right. I'd just screwed up my own life and gotten mad at them for not taking the fall with me.

                The door opened and Ren stepped in. He looked at Tessa with sad eyes.

                "I begged you to stay out of it," he said quietly.

                "I know you did. But I couldn't stay quiet," she said, standing up.

                He pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly. She hugged him back, resting her chin on his shoulder.

                "Thanks for looking out for me," she said. "I know you won't believe me, but your sister is lucky to have you as her brother."

                "I never stood up for her. And now I've failed you too," he said.

                "No you didn't," Tessa said, pulling away from his arms. "You really didn't, Ren. You helped us a lot. You risked yourself to help us. Maybe you were a stubborn asshole when we first met, but you've grown a lot here."