Fooling Ourselves

How The Truth Came Out...

After helping Dylan to clean his cuts and bruises, he decided to take a shower while I waited in his room. I made a quick call to Ari and gave her a run through of what happened earlier. She was upset that she missed so much. Typical Ari. The door to Dylan's bathroom opened and he walked out as I placed my phone down.

"So I was thinking, now that your brother knows, I can hold your hand in public and kiss you whenever I want," he smirked in my direction.

"It will piss off Jace even more and make him hate me but I don't see why not," I told him not really focusing on that. I really wanted to talk about the threats he gave out at school, "So..."

"I made a phone call and your new and improved 'Dylan's girl' football gear should be ready soon," he obviously knew what I wanted to talk about and was trying to avoid it.

"Dylan-"

"Are you hungry?" he suddenly asked as he pulled out some basketball shorts.

"No, Dylan. Stop," I said tired and he seemed to give up.

"I had to warn them off. If you heard the way guys thought about you. They wanted to be with you, all of them and at that time Jace was watching me like a hawk after he warned me to stay away from you so I couldn't approach you then. I couldn't give them the opportunity to beat me and win you over. I'd lose you. Besides, none of them were good enough for you anyways so I did what I had to do. I told them to stay away. I told them not to look at you, talk to you, much less touch you and everyone being afraid of me listened," he sighed confessing the truth and ran his hands through his dark hair.

"And you thought that was right?!" I fumed getting up from the bed.

"I did what I had to do!" he defended.

"You controlled my love life, which thanks to you didn't exist up until now!" I screamed at him.

"I wanted you for myself!" he shouted angrily.

"You're sick! You didn't even know me!" I yelled back at him.

"I wanted to!" he groaned frustrated, "But your brother prevented me and I couldn't make you date some other guy and fall in love with them. I'd lose you."

"Why? Why did it matter if you lost me or not? You couldn't have any serious feelings for me at that time. You barely knew me. I didn't even speak to you," I snapped but regretted it when I saw the hurt on his face.

"I fell in love with you when I first laid eyes on you that day I came to your house for the first time ever in seventh grade. You were so caught up in your book that you hadn't even noticed Jace had come home, but when you did your face lit up and you hugged him and looked so happy. The first thing I noticed was that you were so beautiful. You didn't even notice me staring at you and right then and there I promised myself I would be the one to make you that happy one day," he confessed with a sad smile on his face.

"Dylan-"

"Then you started high school and I watched you grow and mature. You were always in your work and I realized that you were the Harvard girl, the smart cheerleader, the girl with a bright future and I was just Dylan Martin, the school's bad boy," he frowned seeming disappointed with himself, "I thought to myself, 'it would never work out."

"Dylan you're not just the school's bad boy. You were also the school's star player and let's not forget you were the only person to beat me in topping classes," I told him going close to where he was standing.

"That's because I was trying to impress you. I remember when I confessed to your brother that I was in love with you, he flipped out. I knew I blew it then but then I said I would give it time. As the time went by, I fell in love with you even more and then it was like any form of interaction I could get with you was necessary and at the time I could only stare and staring became an addiction. Then you turned eighteen and everything fell into place and I don't regret it so I won't apologize," he stated firmly looking deep into my eyes. I nodded not being able to speak, "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable..."

"Dylan-"

"You can leave if you want," he cut me off.

"Dylan-"

"I understand if you need space or whatever-"

"Dylan!" I yelled and he froze.

"What?"

"I love you too stupid," I told him grinning like an idiot. He mirrored my smile and before I knew it he closed the distance between us and kissed me. it was like both our worlds collided into one and everything that was trying to keep us apart, every one, didn't matter. It was only us. There was no Harvard, there was no Jace, and there was no Mark. There wasn't a thing that could stop us.

"Why would you fall in love with someone like me?" he frowned pulling away to look at me with his dark eyes.

"Because you needed my love the most. I'll love you enough for everyone that has ever hurt you," I smiled lightly, "And besides, you're the hottest guy in school, who wouldn't love you?"

"Damn right," he smirked and I laughed.

"But seriously, you're perfect to me Dylan," I said sincerely.

"Nobody's perfect," he shook his head refusing to believe what I told him.

"Well, in my eyes, I can't find an imperfection," I confessed feeling completely love struck. He smiled widely revealing all his teeth before groaning out.

"Are you real?"

"Are you?" I asked back and he chuckled holding me tight against him.

"You should probably go. I don't want you to lose your parents because of me also," he sighed and I nodded.

"I want you to meet my parents..again..as my boyfriend. You and the twins!" I blurted out as soon as the thought crossed my mind.

"Whenever you're ready sweetheart," he mumbled and kissed the hair on my head.

"Great. I'll get going then," I told him and pulled out of his hold, "I'm sorry about today."

He smiled brightly then. It was almost funny to see him smile like that. Then his smile turned into a chuckle and then he shook his head and started outright laughing. It was great to see him so happy but I was still confused.

"Why are you laughing like that?"

"Because you're amazing. You probably lost your brother for me and you're still apologizing to me," he chuckled lightly.

"Well he did barge in on you and interrupt your Sunday-"

"Skylar," Dylan cut me off.

"Hmmm?"

"I love you," he grinned and I mirrored it.

"I love you too," I replied.

"How much?" he sounded vulnerable.

"When the world catches fire and everything is burnt and destroyed and there's nothing left to love, I will still love you," I repeated his words to him.

"And when you're burning?" he asked the question I had asked.

"All I'll be able to think about is you," I told him and then kissed him briefly on the lips, sent a wink in his direction and left through the door. And I knew I probably sounded stupid because this was my first love but with the way I felt about him, I was almost sure he would be my last.