Deion has been waiting for an hour now. Alister fell asleep fifty minutes ago. Deion watches the shadow of the sun rising to illuminate the side of the sandy brown boy's face. Alister's eyes flutter with each passing movement of the sun.
The only time he isn't frowning or glaring is when he sleeps, Deion thinks to himself.
Alister's head rests on Deion's shoulder, both boys sitting with their knees to their chests. Each boy has their hands in their own lap. Deion glances down as the boy next to him begins to stir.
"Ugh... what time is it?" Alister groans as he runs an exhausted hand over his face.
"You've only been asleep for about an hour," Deion says with a slight shrug of his shoulder. The shoulder Alister, now realizes, rests underneath his cheek.
"Sorry," Alister mutters as he jerks his head up and leans away from Deion.
"I didn't mind," Deion replies and Alister cocks his head to the side to observe the boy sitting next to him.
"Thanks... and thank you for staying," Alister says and Deion opens his mouth to speak.
"It's not a big deal," Deion begins but Alister places a hand over Deion's mouth and shakes his head adamantly.
"Really... thank you, no one has ever... no one has ever stayed with me before when these.. kinds of things would happen to me. So... thank you," Alister says forcefully, holding eye contact with Deion throughout the entire explanation.
"No one... no one stays with you?" Deion asks after Alister takes his hand off his mouth.
"No. My family and friends decided a long time ago they didn't want anything to do with my disorder," Alister explains, running his hand along the back of his head, tugging harshly at the hair there.
"That," Deion says and trails off as if looking for something less offensive to say about the boy's family.
"Sucks?" Alister offers and Deion nods firmly. Alister snickers and Deion cocks his head to the side.
"My grandfather was bipolar, my father hated him for it. He knew there was a chance I could be born the same way, he just led his life in denial until he couldn't deny it anymore," Alister begins and Deion remains silent, encouraging the secretive boy to relinquish some of his troubled thoughts.
"My mother never cared one way or another, her parenting method was very 'hands-off'. She wanted me to figure it out on my own until she realized I wasn't getting any better. My mother loved me very much, she just... loved my father more," Alister says, whispering the last part and Deion looks at him strangely.
"Why would you say that?" Deion asks after a minute in silence.
"Because she told me. She wanted to help me, to stay with me and take care of me during my highs and lows, but..." Alister trails off, glancing at the sunrise outside the window and grimacing.
"But my father refused to help such a weak person. A person weak enough to let their mind alter their thoughts and ways of life," Alister continues gruffly and a painful grimace remains on his face as the shadows of light begin to shift.
"So he kicked you out," Deion mutters and Alister waits a minute before nodding.
"Yes, so he kicked me out," Alister repeats and the two boys remain holding eye contact for a very long time after the words drown in the quiet.
YOU ARE READING
You Make Me Sane
Romance"Sometimes you just know. You just know when you belong with someone. Maybe it's how perfectly you seem to match your imperfect parts. Maybe it's the feeling of being sane for the first time in your entire insane life. Maybe it's all the moments you...
