Playing Rough

Chapter XXVI

Chapter XXVI ─ Anchors

[ B R Y A N   C L A Y ]

The news that the assignment was over crushed me. I had barely gotten accustomed to hanging around with the guys from the East, it was sad to let go of it this soon. I hated the thought of seeing Michael less, but I also understood that we couldn't stay this way forever.

We had to focus on our own lives now, on our careers in and beyond high school, even though we wanted to have our hands on each other at all times of the day. God, even a mere thought of Michael naked sent my mind into overdrive and I had to contain myself in public, for him. 

I was ready to come out for him, to make it all public if he asked me to, truthfully I'd be okay with anything as long as it meant I was going to be a part of his life. 

I knew something was troubling Michael amidst all this pleasure we found in each other, all these foreign feelings that we uncovered along the way were taking a toll on him. I knew he had high ambitions and he was conflicted, he had the right to be. I had already known he wanted to pursue the NFL dreams, to become one of the football players, to succeed in life. And I desperately wanted to be next to him for the ride. 

We hadn't spoken about it just yet, we were both delaying it as much as possible and filling up the gap with mindboggling sex, which I did not mind one bit. Still, Michael being uncertain, made uncertainties fester inside me as well, we were a package deal now, and I'd fight for him.

Over the last month, I realized that I wanted to be with Michael for the rest of my life. He was my anchor, he made me feel safe and wanted when the world said otherwise, he was my world, my reason to push forward and to try to be the best version of myself. I couldn't and will not let go.

We were just on our way to a local cafe, accompanied by Ash, and, surprisingly, Jordan, I would've bet anything that she would've shot him down, yet here he was.

I had to resist the urge to grab Michael's hand, which dangled dangerously close next to mine as we walked. I had to control myself for a while, it was for him.

We arrived at the cafe to find it surprisingly packed, coming across a table that seated four was a chore, but we somehow managed to do it. I still couldn't quite wrap my head around the fact that we had just gotten out of our last joint practice, I couldn't believe myself when I said it that I was going to miss the East guys.

The afternoon breezed by in what felt like an instant, Michael and I were heading back to his house yet again, exhausted after a day of activities. We'd refused countless party invitations to chill out and stay home. I think we needed a quiet evening to clear the air between the two of us.