Beneath The Waves (bxb)

9. Keeping A Secret

I didn't remember driving home or where my left shoe had gone. My chest hurt terribly as I trudged up to the door, soaking wet from the rain. It took me a minute to get the key in the door, then push it open enough to walk inside. The loud storm outside was still raging when I slid off my right shoe and walked into Jayson's room. He was fast asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly with his steady breathing. I knew it was so, so wrong to do it, but I couldn't stop myself from whispering his name.

"Jayson."

His breathing remained the same, steady and quiet.

"Jay?"

I saw him take a deep breath, then slowly roll over onto his back. His eyes weren't visible since the lightning seemed to have stopped for the moment, but I could feel them on me in the dark room. When I didn't get into bed or say anything, he slid out from under the blankets and walked over. He knew where I had been, anyone would after I'd vanished in the middle of the night, even if he couldn't see that I was soaked, had white stains on my clothes and seaweed laced through my hair.

"Park."

His fingers gently grasped my elbows, and he took in a sharp breath. My skin was frigid from the rain, but I didn't really feel it anymore, though he must have.

"Parker."

"I..."

My head ducked in upset, shoulders dropping as I looked at the floor between us.

"I let him go."

"Parker, that could cost you your job."

He was whispering, but the urgency was there. I knew it had been a risk, especially with the way we had done it. I should have put in a request form to release the specimen, then let more samples be drawn if permission was given for release.

There would never be permission.

"I know."

My voice was nearly mute when I replied. Both of us stood there staring at each other until he dropped one of my arms and gently tugged me toward the bathroom. The storm was the only sound besides the now-running water in the bathtub. Once it began filling, he stood and helped me pull off my soaked clothes. He didn't mention the new bite mark on my shoulder or the seaweed in my hair. When I was completely naked he turned back to the water and waited until the tub was full before turning it off. The room was heated by that time, the steam building up even though the door was mostly open.

"Jay..."

He turned to me in the darkness, but again, instead of speaking, he just reached over and gently tugged me toward the bath.

"Jayson, say something. Y-you're mad, I know you are."

He nudged me until I stepped into the tub, but I didn't sit down yet.

"Jay, talk to me."

"What do you want me to say, Park?"

I inwardly flinched at his tone. He sounded almost... defeated? Did I really matter that much to him? He was my roommate. He had a girlfriend—at least I thought he did—so why wasn't he with her during these nights instead of here since I ruined the experiment he stayed home for?

"I... I don't know."

With a quiet sigh, I got myself situated in the bath. The temperature was near scalding, and it felt wonderful as my skin slowly revived from the chill of the storm and ocean. I was just leaning my head back against a towel I kept folded in the back of the shower for this kind of stressful situation when the water suddenly shifted and I felt it rise a few inches. That made my head snap up and mouth drop open.