Burning Flames ¦ Evan Buckley

Chapter 62 - I love you

Buck hadn't spoken to her since he snapped, he was trying to muster up the words to apologise to her but also try and sort his own emotions out. While she was upstairs scrolling through instagram, Eddie came to join her. "Trouble in paradise?" He asked, sitting beside her.

"I guess?" She shrugged. "I mean, it wasn't aimed at me, it was aimed at the wonderful Mr and Mrs Buckley" She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah...Buck just filled me in, almost knocked me out in the process" Eddie chuckled a little.

"Yeah, so I don't think he wants to talk to me right now" She gave a forced lipped smile.

"He'll come around" Eddie nudged her, "He's just taking out his anger on a punching bag"

"Didn't you do that once?" El rebutted with a smirk.

"Shhh," He covered her face with his hand with a laugh. "Give him a few hours, okay?"

"I was giving him space" El defended.

"You were also giving him that bitchy look of yours" Eddie rebutted.

"I-" El shook her head with a laugh, "Yeah...it's a natural instinct"

"Well stop," Eddie chuckled.

-

Buck approached El after their shift and wrapped his arms around her from behind, "I'm really sorry for snapping at you" He spoke, his chin resting on her shoulder, "It wasn't aimed at you"

"I know" She spoke softly, "You were stressed, I get it"

"Still am.." He sighed, "I'm going round to Maddies but I was thinking maybe I could take you out for dinner soon, or breakfast?"

El gently leant back into him, running her hands over his which were placed softly over her stomach, "I would love that" She spoke, tilting her head to look up at him, "I hope it goes okay with Maddie..."

"Me too" He gave her a soft smile before leaning down and placing a kiss on her lips.

-

Later that evening El was sitting on her laptop at home after getting back from rock climbing. She was still sitting in her athletic attire, merely some short skin tight shorts and a sports bra. The door rattled and El's head shot over to the door, seeing it open and Buck making his way in, a solemn expression painted across his usual cheeky features.

"Hey...what's wrong?" El spoke, placing down her laptop straight away before heading over to him.

Buck closed the door and instantly wrapped his arms around her, his head tucking into her shoulder, his need to cry and breakdown becoming overwhelming. It soon enough took over and tears streamed down his cheeks, his body shuddering under hers. "Hey..hey..." El spoke softly, holding him tightly, unsure of what to do or how to help. "Talk to me..."

Buck pulled back and looked at her, allowing El to wipe away the tears. His bottom lip quivered ever so slightly, "I had a brother.." Was all he was able to say. El pulled him back in for a hug, rubbing his back gently as she did so.

"Come on, let's go sit down" She spoke softly, taking his hand and leading him over to the couch, planting herself in the same spot. Buck followed suit and sat himself beside her, pointed her way. "Start from the beginning..."

"So...I found a picture in Maddies memory box, I thought it was me...but it was my brother, Daniel. He erm...he died when I was a year old...from..leukaemia...but erm...the only reason my parents had me was because they needed a match...spare parts" Buck spoke, his voice strained, "I was a match but the cells didn't stay...he relapsed...kind of explains why I've felt like a burden my entire life, like my parents don't love me, why they didn't make me a memory box, they didn't care, they don't care"