Don't Blink | ✓

033

When Althea was safely returned home, her stomach filled to the brim with things her mother wouldn't be happy to know she'd eaten and was showered and in her pajamas, the two teens began the short walk to their temporary home.

"Can I ask you something?" Blink sighed.

Justin only nodded.

"Earlier today when I was upstairs with Althea...I'm assuming you talked with my mother." Blink's eyes squinted and her jaw tightened at having to call such a person her mother. "What did you guys talk about?"

"You," he was blunt. He was working at pulling his hoodie sleeves over his knuckles in attempts to keep his numbing hands just a little warm.

"Yeah, I guess that was a stupid question" she chuckled softly.

Justin didn't laugh along. He did look at her briefly though, and a second later when he turned to look somewhere else, Blink stopped walking.

"Let's not stop," Justin stopped too as he spun around to look at Blink. "I was thinking about staying in a hotel tonight because its just too damn cold for you to sleep out in some van."

"I'm not moving until we talk about this Justin." She didn't like the fact that he was trying to avoid the evident problem they had with each other. She didn't like the emotionless, careless air she was getting from him. He was too loving and caring to be acting like this. She'd been rejected her entire life by nearly everyone and for the first time in a long time, Justin showed her that she might actually have a purpose. She wouldn't be able to handle him giving her the cold shoulder.

"Don't do this here, Blink" his eyes rolled and his head dropped back in irritation.

Taking the steps needed to close the distance between them, Blink gripped either side of his face. Her hands were cold compared to the warm temperature of his cheeks, but he didn't seem to mind as she pulled his face down to meet hers. "I'm sorry, Justin."

Now that his eyes were steady on hers, she took a single step back to give him some space. "I'm sorry for doing that to Althea and then acting like an asshole just because I was mad at myself. I'm not trying to push you away...I'm just scared." She was looking at the ground then, her hands twisting together like they always did when she was nervous. "People push me away when they get bored and I've come to realize that I'm a very boring person" she laughed then.

"It happened with my parents and then Shane... and god, I'm sure one of these days Althea will realize it too. I'm rambling, but I'm trying to apologize because I can't handle you hating me either."

Reaching out to grip her hand, Justin brought it to his lips, where he placed a delicate kiss to the back of her hand. Pulling her in, he secured his arms around her shoulders where he set another kiss to the crook of her neck.

"You're not boring Blink. Thats a bunch of bullshit that your mother's made you believe over the years. You've got a group of people back at school that love you for who you are, including me and you're delusional if you think Althea hates you. She admires you and she looks up to you more than anyone else."

Blink giggled again for the happy feelings Justin's words were causing, but mostly for the tickle on her neck from Justin's repetitive pecks. She hadn't meant to spew such a sob story just to receive compliments, but it felt good to know that she wasn't considered shit to everyone she knew.

"Can we not stay in a hotel?" She question after they separated and began to walk hand-in-hand.

"Why not? You don't want to stay in one for our last night here?"

"I don't want to waste any more of your money." Blink shrugged when Justin looked over at her.