The Substitute

Chapter 4 - Run

A/N Here we go! Are you already curious? I have to warn you: some parts might be triggering. I will put an ⚠️ as a trigger warning, and you can skip the remaining bit of the chapter. And FYI, we're back in Asher's flashback.

.

.

.

He reached out and wiped some tears away with his thumb. I just started crying more.

'How charming.' I thought.

"Aw, come here." Thomas reacted.

Thomas opened his arms, and I leaned in. He enveloped me in a hug and held me tight.

To calm me down, he stroked my hair and kissed me on top of my head.

*End of Cedric's flashback*

~

"And since that day, we've been boyfriends," Cedric said, with a smile on his face.

"Wow, that's so nice!" I replied.

We were still in the car that Cedric pulled over in a parking spot at the side of the road.

I thought for a moment and spoke up again.

"But how is that a worse reason to transfer schools?"

"Oh, Thomas is not the reason. I told this story to explain the next one."

I turned my head to the left to look at Cedric. He had a solemn look on his face now.

"I feel like I should be worried," I said.

"No, don't be. It has already happened, and everything is better now. I haven't talked about it with many people, though."

"As I said before, you don't have to tell me, but if you want to, take it easy."

Cedric looked at me gratefully.

"It all happened on a Saturday evening in the spring. I had been at Thomas's place for the day. We've had a lot of fun, but it was getting dark. I lived close by, so I walked home," he started. "I was thinking about Thomas, my head in the clouds. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. When I look back to that night, it was a wrong move."

*Cedric's flashback (Yes, again. I'm sorry)*

I was walking home from Thomas's house. It was a pleasant, warm evening, and there was a light breeze. It had been a very romantic day. Thomas had picked me up around midday and surprised me with a picnic in the park. After that, we went to his house and watched a movie, cuddled up on the sofa. For dinner, his mother had cooked homemade tortellini. It was delicious.

After dinner, Thomas took me to the garden, where he had set up a cozy setting underneath a tree. We lay on a blanket, looking at the sky. We watched the sunset while lying close to each other.

I couldn't stop thinking about how his eyes twinkled with joy when he saw all the colors. About how the colors of the sky reflected in his eyes. About how his skin got illuminated by the setting sun, making him even more beautiful than he already was. Not that that is possible.

'Gosh, how much I love him,' I thought.

I stopped in my tracks. 'Do I love Thomas? Yes. Yes, I think I do.'

We've been together for five months now, but we haven't said those three words yet. This day made me realize that I do love him. I just hope that he loves me back.

'Why doubt that, Cedric? Of course, he loves you back.' I reminded myself.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't realize where I was going. A voice snapped me out of my daze.