I'm Still Here: Sequel For 'Step Daddy No'

Bonus Chapter 1

At the time when Akeilia was eighteen

Akeilia POV

"You should forgive him you know". He told me. We sat inside his bar at his house. I had a bottle of vodka in my hand. It was already half and I felt it creeping up on me. He invited me over so he could comfort me. As always. He'd always been there for me, in everything.

"Drinking won't help you". Yet again I didn't reply. Instead I kept drinking. It helped a lot. I won't have to think about Michael too much. Or more over got rid of most of the pain, at that moment at least.

I giggled.

"I could say the same for... you". I told him.

"I always... drink. I just never over do it".

"So why o..ver do it now?" I inquired.

He made a tiny chuckle. A kind of bad boy player one.

"You wanna know... why?"

"Yeah, but hold on... What about you... she basically dumped you, after everything you guys shared". The look in his eyes was almost unreadable. He put his bottle at his head and took a gulp. It was obvious he was stressed out about her.

He got off his chair and moved closer towards me. He was kind of too close. But I guessed in the drunken state I was it didn't bothered me much.

"What... are you doing?" I asked but I was smiling. I knew I was too drunk. I wasn't used to drinking, but it was part of how I dealt with my trauma. Wasn't a good way, but it helped. Therapy wasn't enough.

"Akeilia. Have you ever heard... that when a person is drunk whatever... they say is true".

"Yeah, but... is it?"

"Sometimes. I'm gonna tell you something. Don't let what... I'm about to say frightened you. But I'm not drinking and stress... out because of her. It's because I can't have the girl that I'm truly in love with". My eyes dilated. He didn't say that it was me he was talking about, but I knew it was. The look in his eyes gave him away. But.. I didn't understand. He'd never shown it before. Did he told me the truth?

He brushed his fingers across my checks and I shivered after I felt a tingle somewhere inside me. At that moment I couldn't tell where. I couldn't tell what.

"Your beautiful, even more than her".

"Don't do this to me. Don't lie to me... I can't-".

"Please... if your going to reject me, at least let... me pour out my heart to you first please". I kinda wanted to hear, but I was a little afraid. It shouldn't have happened. He shouldn't have said that.

"My best friend already... had your heart. All those times I eavesdropped was because I wanted... to take all the chance I had to be close to you. It was kinda childish of me. I couldn't do better then... Sometimes, sometimes I wished... Michael and I could've switched lives, but I'd be Leon Perry instead". He chuckled. I giggled a bit too but got serious again.

"I couldn't have told you then... I would've still been too late because it seemed like there was something going on between you two even before I came into the picture. Maybe... I wouldn't even be here right now to tell you this because Michael would've probably found out and pushed me away... So I kept it inside... I kept all of it inside... Mostly too because of the age difference... but I can't anymore... damn it". He breath out the last part frustratedly. He moved away and turned his back to me.

There was a funny feeling in my gut. I didn't know what to say. I never thought I'd heard this from him. I felt so funny.

"Leon you should've.. I didn't.. I..I don't know what to tell you".