Stay With Me (Merome)

Chapter 16

Jerome's POV

"Yes. I love you." Mitch whispered sincerely, and leaned to kiss me. I hesitated, but when he didn't try to pull back after a few seconds, I happily returned his kiss. Joy flowed through me, and I felt my heart quicken. Mitch, the boy, the Benja I loved, loved me back. He'd said it last night, but I hadn't dared to believe him until now, where he was mine to hold forever.

Quietly I smiled, and rose to my knees as he did too, and wrapped my arms around him to pull him closer. Slowly he broke off, only to breathe. "Jerome?" He whispered uncertainly. I looked at him as he smiled deviously. "Yeah?"

"I take it back."

"What?"

"Feel free to throw yourself onto me whenever you feel like. I don't mind. You're mine." He whispered fiercely, and a blossom of warmth sprung from where he rested his head on my shoulder, and made its way through my body. "Okay buddy! Well, now that that's cleared, can we have lunch? I didn't even eat breakfast!" I chimed lightheartedly, and Mitch chortled. "Okay Jerome, whatever you say." We started to make our way downstairs, then I stopped Mitch, curiousity blooming. "So what exactly happened before I got here?"

"With Lia you mean?"

"Yeah." I nodded, and Mitch swallowed hesitantly. "I went over to her place to tell her about..." his finger motioned between us to signify what he meant, "and I caught her straddling another guy, basically drooling all over his shirtlessness, making out with him, hands all over him, who, by the way, is not as hot as me." Mitch struck a promiscuous pose and I laughed. "Oh, checking him out?"

"No way! Anyway, it's over with Lia, and I couldn't care less. You're mine now, and that's what matters!"

"So long as I'm not a rebound, let's piss Lia off thing, that works well for me." I smiled at him, and he looked back at me. "So what bonding were you doing with my mom back home?"

"She told me that your family accepts me and you as a couple."

"Odd. Connor told me the same thing." He looked at me, then a curious, hurt look passed his face. "Are you only here per my parents request? Because they maybe offered you something to keep me away from Lia?"

"What?"

"Are you?" Mitch asked, his teeth clenched. I immediately shook my head. "Hell no!"

"Really?" Mitch challenged. I opened my mouth to argue, before my phone started buzzing. Ashley on Skype. "Oh hell, I should probably get this." I muttered, and Mitch waved his hand absent-mindedly. I picked up and put my phone on speakerphone, but kept the camera off. "Hello?"

"Oh my God Jerome! I just talked to Lia, and like, wow. She was cheating on Mitch! Like I called it, but you know! Where is he by the way? Where are you? She told me what happened, like that he came back to find her doing, ahem, stuff, and that he ended things. This gives you a chance, right? I still think you should tell him how you feel! Like seriously. Wait. Hello?" The familiar British accent flowed through the phone, and I grinned. "Hey there to you too." I smiled, and Mitch shook his head at me. "Oh, hey. I don't get it though. Why was Mitch back home? Shouldn't he have been with you for longer?"

"Stuff happened..." Mitch interjected, and we briefly filled in Ashley. "Ohhhh! I knew this would happen!" She squealed, and we smiled. "You know, you're the first person to find out." Mitch laughed, and Ashley immediately replied. "So is this a secret, or can I express my joy for you two all over social media?"

"Ashley. Calm down. You're starting to sound like a fangirl. Breath, or we'll have to go and report you to people." I scolded her teasingly, and I heard the snigger through the phone. "Oops. Sorry Jerome." She giggled, and Mitch took the opportunity to speak. "I think we'd wanna take things slow. I'm only going to confirm the break up when the rumours get out, maybe before that, but I don't really wanna hear anything about Jerome and I being official from you, okay? Standardised Merome jokes are fine, everyone loves them-"

"As much as you love me?"

"Early days Jerome, early days."

"Aww shucks!"

"But anyway, I dunno, I just want it to stay quiet as long as we can have it."

"Heh, okay boys. You're cute together!" Ashley laughed, then muttered a happy goodbye before hanging up. "Well. Sorry for accusing you." Mitch blushed, and I kissed his cheek. "It's okay. Mitch. How fast do you want this relationship to go?"

"Slow... I never thought I'd be... I would swing this way, and I know I'm sure, and that our families accept it, but I don't want the whole world to know." I nodded. I could see where he was coming from. I'd been in the position myself, and knew about the uncertainty.

Mitch looked at me. "It doesn't mean I don't want to be with you, just that I want to make sure that it isn't what we'd regret." He assured me, and I smiled. "I know." He dug his head fiercely back into my shoulder, and we just stood there, swaying slightly on the steps. "No matter how this goes, I don't want to lose you. You're my best friend, and I don't want that to change, no matter how this relationship goes." I listened to him, and felt my heart flutter and sink at the same time. No doubt he felt this way now, but would he in the future? Would it all change? Or would he stay with me? I shook it off. It didn't matter, not now anyway. "I never want to lose you either." I replied, and kissed his head. He sighed softly in content, and I took his hand and guided him down. I'd gone up the stairs as his best friend, and come down as his boyfriend.