HOLD ME CLOSER (BL/BXB)

Fourteen

The sound of my heavy breathing had filled the void that consumed the corners of the room. My fingers scraped the sharp edge of the broken ceramic. No trace of money, but droplets of blood staining the tiled floor as from the cut they flowed.

 It was after a hand reached out to my pulse that made me realize the stinging pain from the wound. I looked at him teary-eyed.

"I have been saving those so I can finally move out." I told him. Tears flowed down my cheeks uncontrollably.

"Shh." He tried to console me. But my cries were louder to hear his caring heart. He was blabbering something but my mind was clouded as tears blurred my vision of him. Engulfed with so much disappointment of myself for the thought of something I knew I could prevent from the first place but didn't, my heart seemed to be

“Everything’s going to be fine.” he held me tighter in his arms, wrapped around and never letting me go. But when my sobs turned into silent sniffs, I held myself up and tapped out from the tight embrace.

“Come with me.” He asked me and I just nodded. No thoughts on what we're about to happen or where we were going to go. I did not even care. I just wanted to get out of here.

I nodded. I watched as he stood in just swift pushing of his toned arms to the ground and brushed them off of his pants. He reached out those hands to me, wide open and waiting for mine. Of course, I did not falter but to reach out to those hands whose warmth quickly radiated mine.

I stood up, followed his tracks on their way to the front door. I found his car by the front porch waiting for us and when I held myself back, he gave me a look.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be with you. Always.” His voice, a reassuring tone, a comforting warmth, and a soothing embrace.

I nodded, and followed his steps.

He drove past the concrete houses and the lights that seemed to be like dancing as the car went by it. I watched as the trees that we saw grew with us got taller. I watched as the pavement turned from busy to actually having no one on them.

“Why here?” I asked, curiously as he turned the engine of the car off.

“Why not here?” He asked back.  He smiled at me and unbuckled his seatbelt to get out of his car.

“I mean, I cannot let your sister see how miserable I look by crying over some broken ceramics.” He leaned in so I could see his face from the outside through the door of his car.

“Everyone cried once over something and yours is definitely valid.” He told me. I unbuckled my belt and got myself out of his car.

"You can wait for me upstairs, in my room. I have something for you." He told me. I did not have enough energy to argue and just gave him a nod. I sat there silently staring at the ceiling, wondering how the stars would look behind them.

It did not took him long before coming back to his room with a plate of leftover food probably made by his older sister.

"Thank you." I took a bite size of brownies.

We sat on the edge of hus bed silently from the sound my mouth made from chewing the brownies.

"I think I should try some." He announced.

"You should. They're amazing." I told him.

"Wow. Indeed the brownies lit up your mood very quick. Food makes you happy indeed."

I nodder as I took the last bite out of my hand. He tried eating the brownies too and I could hear his approving noises that escaped from his mouth even though they were totally full of them.

"So where's this new found work?"

"It's the co . . ." I stopped before realizing that I was about to tell him where I was working. I could not let him know about my current work or else it would not be good for me.

The last time I did tell him about my previous work, I was forced to quit because of how he tried to bribe the owner to fire me. The other one was when he teied to make a scene at a restaurant where I used to serve and wore his undiscovered stereotypical 'karen' costume I never knew he was hiding. He asked for the manager and insisted that I did something to him. I ended up getting fired. I could not set my current work on fire this time. Now that I needed one so I could save for future.

"Company of what? Where? How did you find that job?" Thankfully he thought of it as some of big company rather than a coffeeshop.

"Somewhere."

"I told you. Work for me. You can stay here and be with me always. Get paid and live our life."

"That's not how life works." I told him. However, in the back of my mind, I wished that it was. He did so much for me and I did not want to abuse his abilities, connections, riches in my advantage.

"I know you're smart enough. Taking my offer would be better than spending the rest of your spare time getting a few bucks from being overworked."

"I'd rather have the latter."

"Why? You don't trust me?" He asked. A question I never thought of hearing from him. However, I knew  that I would say that I trusted him more than anyone but I hessitated that from the food his gaze turned to look at mine. Surprised by me not making any answers from the question, his face changed expression.

"You don't trust me?" He asked.

"I do. I just got a thought of something." I told him. He seemed convinced thankfully.

"Then, do what I am telling you so you don't have to suffer like this. I will help you. I am always here be with you."

***

Thank you so much for the support. Sorry for making you all wait. May I know where you all came from in the comments? Or let me know if you're still enjoying the story?