The Abandoned Lovers

-23-

Chapter 23 - The Chance

Thunderstorms are one of my many fears. Just say I am quite the wimp, having to many fear to count. But thunderstorms, the sounds resembling so much of a gunshot. How lonely I really am. How nobody will love me.

Yea I hate thunderstorms.

River says something that reminds me of how my dad used to speak.

Graining and defeating.

Kingston puts a hand on my back, "You Okay, Darling?" He asks and I shrug, looking up at him with a fake smile. "Yea I'm fine." I say and he shakes his head, his eyes furrowed with the clear emotion in his eyes.

His eyes... they were just so... clear.

"Tell me." He says, walking into my room as I shove the pillows at him. Jumping down on my bed as he does the same.

We lay on a clean bed, pillows surrounding us and staring at the ceiling.

Our hands were so close, our pinkies touching and slowly intertwining.

My heart beat.. it beats faster for a reason I can't explain, just from this.

Slowly, I'm this pit of silence I start speaking. "It reminds me of my dad." I start and he turns on his side, his face looking directly at mine as I continue to stare at the ceiling.

At this point our entire hand is intertwined. Our hearts beating at the same fast pace.

"So much does, voices, sayings, food, places, colors, feelings. I look at blood, or I look at a razor blade, or I hear thunder and I snap. I go back into that pit I'm trying to crawl out of." I say and he swallows.

"Can I tell you something, Summer?" He asks, his voice deep and calm, reminding me of everything but my dad. Of those yellow and purple flowers you see in peoples gardens, of the tropics, of putting a flower behind your ear and wearing a Hawaii shirt.

Not caring, just loving, and being happy. I want that.

"Yea." I say quietly as he takes a breath in, "My mom died when I was young... she died from an OD. I thought of her as everything I had since my dad was always a dick to me. When I lost her I thought my world was over. But the world slowly got better because though I hate to say it, she was the plague."

"I could've found the cure, my dad could've found the cure, but we didn't. We just sat there and watched until she died. I've always taken a bit of responsibility over her death, but the world is cruel. A lot of people are responsible."

"I'm not letting your dad, your plague, take you down with him. Because I turned out amazing without my plague.. huh?" He says, his arms wrapping around me and his head resting on my shoulder.

God I love this man.

Take that how you want because I don't even know how to take it.

I don't know in which way I love him.

But I do.

I smile, and it's genuine just like his. Tears fall from my eyes as I smile. "What's wrong?" He asks, wiping the tears away and I shake my head.

"Nothing, I'm just... I'm just happy." I say, and he knows this is the first time I've cried in a while.

He made me truly... happy.

So I hand him his gift out of my drawer, seeing his surprised and happy expression when he sees it.

I lean down, slowly and kiss his cheek.