Post by Echo on Aug 23, 2011 0:03:48 GMT -5
“I thought you were gay, Nero.”
I hold my breath, I’d been expecting this to happen. I look at the floor and take a deep breath.
“I was wrong. I learned my lesson.”
I wait anxiously for his response, fear taking over.
“What did you and your girlfriend do?”
I relax. Bliss had said he’d called and told me what Christy had said.
“We went to the movies.”
He nods, looking at the glass in his hand. “What movie did you guys watch?”
“Inception.” I quickly change the subject, “Do you want me to get you another drink?”
“Just a water.” He says but when I turn to leave he stops me. “How’s your back, Nero?”
I stare at him in shock, “It’s… better.”
He nods and when he doesn’t reply I walk to the kitchen to get him some water. I open the fridge, confused, and get a bottle of water. Is he drunk? No, if he was drunk he’d be hitting me. So what was that just now? He hasn’t been this calm in years.
I shake my head in confusion; I should be happy about his sudden mood change… but I can’t help but wonder. A beep from my phone makes me jump. I ignore it and take the bottle to the living room.
“Are you sure you don’t want something else?” I ask, handing him the cold water.
He shakes his head, “I’m trying to stop drinking, Nero.” He looks up at me, “It’s Saturday, why don’t you go out somewhere with your friends?”
I nod, “I-I guess. Is it alright if I go over to Alex’s house? He’s got to stay home and watch his brother and sister, I thought I could keep him company…” I stop, realizing it would have been a better idea to go to Bliss’, or at least say I would.
But again he surprises me.
“Go ahead. Keep your phone on you in case I need you.”
“Yeah… Thanks dad!” I say, backing out of the room and heading for the door.
Once outside I pull my phone out, then stop. I was just at Alex’s house. Will he mind if I come over again? Memories of this morning flood back and I smile. He won’t mind. I slide my phone open and look at the new text. It’s from Alex.
Hey cutie, you home yet?
I smile and reply quickly, asking if I can come over and telling him everything went ok with my dad. He responds within a minute telling me to wait at the corner of Bliss’ street. I start walking and feel a warm feeling in my chest despite the early February air.
February.
My thoughts stray to the Valentine’s dance. Would Alex want to go with me? The idea of dancing with him brings slight heat to my face. I keep walking until I’m at the corner and a few minutes later Alex pulls up next to me.
“Tell me sweetie, is it the cold making your cheeks that red, or were you thinking of me?” he says in a playful tone as I climb into the passenger seat.
I smile sweetly at him but don’t answer. He laughs and starts driving.
“So what happened when you got home?”
His presence comforts me so that I’m no longer uneasy about my dad’s strange behavior. I give him a quick report and when I’m done we’re at his house. He takes the keys from the ignition but makes no move to get out.
“He was perfectly calm? He didn’t even seem like he thought you were pretending?” he sounds worried and I give him a reassuring smile.
“He just sounded… kind of detached. Like he was there physically, but not so much mentally?”
Alex sighs and puts his hand on the door handle. “Maybe he’s getting help?”
I consider this, but doubt it. He’s not the type to ask anyone for help. I suddenly want to get off the subject, so I just shrug.
“Maybe.”
He notices that I’m now uncomfortable and opens the door.
“Honey and Sage are asleep right now, do you want to watch a movie? Seeing as we never got the chance yesterday.”
I nod and we get out of the car. Inside the house I take a deep breath, enjoying the smell of Alex that the house has.
“Go on up to my room and pick out a movie. They’re in the closet. I’ll make some popcorn.”
“Ok.” I reluctantly walk up the stairs alone and make my way to his room. I open the closet and move the hanging clothes aside to look for the movies. I find them in the back in a box. I pull it out and shuffle through them, searching for one that looks interesting. I put the scary ones in a pile and add to them all the romance movies. That leaves a few comedies and two kids movies; The Lion King and Finding Nemo.
I place all the movies but one back in the box and turn as Alex enters the room.
“Pick one yet?”
I blush and hand him the one I chose. He laughs and sets the bowl of popcorn down.
“The Lion King?” I nod and he smiles, “You are so cute!”
He puts it in the DVD player and starts the movie. The TV is a few feet from the foot of his bed; probably so he has a more comfortable seat than the floor. I watch as he props his pillows up against the headboard and then pulls me off of the floor. He sits against the pillows and pats the empty space in front of him.
“Come here.”
I crawl carefully onto the bed and let out a little gasp when he pulls me onto his lap. I shift to a more comfortable position so that I’m now seated directly in front of him between his legs. I lean back against his chest and he presses play on the remote.
We stay like this for the first half of the movie, him playing with my fingers, me staring at the screen but listening only to his breathing. But now he’s starting to get bored and I’m no longer paying any attention at all to the movie.
“Nero…” Alex’s breath tickles my ear and I shudder.
His hand squeezes mine and I sit up and turn to face him.
“Yeah?”
I pull my hands away from his and place one on his chest. I position it over his heart so I can feel the steady beating. His hands reach up and cup my face pulling me closer.
“God I want to kiss you so bad right now.”
His lips are only inches from my own and I can feel my cheeks burning. I look away, but hear his breath catch.
“Nero,” I shut my eyes tight, “Look at me.”
I open them slowly and meet his eyes. He sits up and moves his hands down to my waist. He leans in closer so that there’s almost no space between our lips. I can feel my heart speed up and feel his do the same. When he speaks I can feel his warm breath on my mouth.
“Can I kiss you?”
I shiver and his grip on my waist tightens. I nod silently and our lips meet. All thoughts escape me as his lips remain pressed against mine, their warmth comforting me. I feel Alex smile before he pulls away.
“Nero?”
I blink and meet his warm brown eyes.
“Yeah?” my voice is barely above a whisper.
He leans forward and kisses me again, first on the lips and then on my forehead.
“I love you.”
I hold my breath, I’d been expecting this to happen. I look at the floor and take a deep breath.
“I was wrong. I learned my lesson.”
I wait anxiously for his response, fear taking over.
“What did you and your girlfriend do?”
I relax. Bliss had said he’d called and told me what Christy had said.
“We went to the movies.”
He nods, looking at the glass in his hand. “What movie did you guys watch?”
“Inception.” I quickly change the subject, “Do you want me to get you another drink?”
“Just a water.” He says but when I turn to leave he stops me. “How’s your back, Nero?”
I stare at him in shock, “It’s… better.”
He nods and when he doesn’t reply I walk to the kitchen to get him some water. I open the fridge, confused, and get a bottle of water. Is he drunk? No, if he was drunk he’d be hitting me. So what was that just now? He hasn’t been this calm in years.
I shake my head in confusion; I should be happy about his sudden mood change… but I can’t help but wonder. A beep from my phone makes me jump. I ignore it and take the bottle to the living room.
“Are you sure you don’t want something else?” I ask, handing him the cold water.
He shakes his head, “I’m trying to stop drinking, Nero.” He looks up at me, “It’s Saturday, why don’t you go out somewhere with your friends?”
I nod, “I-I guess. Is it alright if I go over to Alex’s house? He’s got to stay home and watch his brother and sister, I thought I could keep him company…” I stop, realizing it would have been a better idea to go to Bliss’, or at least say I would.
But again he surprises me.
“Go ahead. Keep your phone on you in case I need you.”
“Yeah… Thanks dad!” I say, backing out of the room and heading for the door.
Once outside I pull my phone out, then stop. I was just at Alex’s house. Will he mind if I come over again? Memories of this morning flood back and I smile. He won’t mind. I slide my phone open and look at the new text. It’s from Alex.
Hey cutie, you home yet?
I smile and reply quickly, asking if I can come over and telling him everything went ok with my dad. He responds within a minute telling me to wait at the corner of Bliss’ street. I start walking and feel a warm feeling in my chest despite the early February air.
February.
My thoughts stray to the Valentine’s dance. Would Alex want to go with me? The idea of dancing with him brings slight heat to my face. I keep walking until I’m at the corner and a few minutes later Alex pulls up next to me.
“Tell me sweetie, is it the cold making your cheeks that red, or were you thinking of me?” he says in a playful tone as I climb into the passenger seat.
I smile sweetly at him but don’t answer. He laughs and starts driving.
“So what happened when you got home?”
His presence comforts me so that I’m no longer uneasy about my dad’s strange behavior. I give him a quick report and when I’m done we’re at his house. He takes the keys from the ignition but makes no move to get out.
“He was perfectly calm? He didn’t even seem like he thought you were pretending?” he sounds worried and I give him a reassuring smile.
“He just sounded… kind of detached. Like he was there physically, but not so much mentally?”
Alex sighs and puts his hand on the door handle. “Maybe he’s getting help?”
I consider this, but doubt it. He’s not the type to ask anyone for help. I suddenly want to get off the subject, so I just shrug.
“Maybe.”
He notices that I’m now uncomfortable and opens the door.
“Honey and Sage are asleep right now, do you want to watch a movie? Seeing as we never got the chance yesterday.”
I nod and we get out of the car. Inside the house I take a deep breath, enjoying the smell of Alex that the house has.
“Go on up to my room and pick out a movie. They’re in the closet. I’ll make some popcorn.”
“Ok.” I reluctantly walk up the stairs alone and make my way to his room. I open the closet and move the hanging clothes aside to look for the movies. I find them in the back in a box. I pull it out and shuffle through them, searching for one that looks interesting. I put the scary ones in a pile and add to them all the romance movies. That leaves a few comedies and two kids movies; The Lion King and Finding Nemo.
I place all the movies but one back in the box and turn as Alex enters the room.
“Pick one yet?”
I blush and hand him the one I chose. He laughs and sets the bowl of popcorn down.
“The Lion King?” I nod and he smiles, “You are so cute!”
He puts it in the DVD player and starts the movie. The TV is a few feet from the foot of his bed; probably so he has a more comfortable seat than the floor. I watch as he props his pillows up against the headboard and then pulls me off of the floor. He sits against the pillows and pats the empty space in front of him.
“Come here.”
I crawl carefully onto the bed and let out a little gasp when he pulls me onto his lap. I shift to a more comfortable position so that I’m now seated directly in front of him between his legs. I lean back against his chest and he presses play on the remote.
We stay like this for the first half of the movie, him playing with my fingers, me staring at the screen but listening only to his breathing. But now he’s starting to get bored and I’m no longer paying any attention at all to the movie.
“Nero…” Alex’s breath tickles my ear and I shudder.
His hand squeezes mine and I sit up and turn to face him.
“Yeah?”
I pull my hands away from his and place one on his chest. I position it over his heart so I can feel the steady beating. His hands reach up and cup my face pulling me closer.
“God I want to kiss you so bad right now.”
His lips are only inches from my own and I can feel my cheeks burning. I look away, but hear his breath catch.
“Nero,” I shut my eyes tight, “Look at me.”
I open them slowly and meet his eyes. He sits up and moves his hands down to my waist. He leans in closer so that there’s almost no space between our lips. I can feel my heart speed up and feel his do the same. When he speaks I can feel his warm breath on my mouth.
“Can I kiss you?”
I shiver and his grip on my waist tightens. I nod silently and our lips meet. All thoughts escape me as his lips remain pressed against mine, their warmth comforting me. I feel Alex smile before he pulls away.
“Nero?”
I blink and meet his warm brown eyes.
“Yeah?” my voice is barely above a whisper.
He leans forward and kisses me again, first on the lips and then on my forehead.
“I love you.”