The Boy That Changed My Life

Chapter 19

Scott's P.O.V.

"Scott, wake up." I heard a woman whisper. I felt someone shake my shoulder but where was it coming from? "Scott, honey, time to get up." Mom? I was probably late for school or something. My eyes began to flutter open. The scene set in as my eyes focused. I was in a bed, someone laying beside me, not my room. Mitch's room. Mitch beside me. Nel shaking me. I felt my heart drop. I had fallen asleep. It was morning.

I sat up, letting my mind clear of fog. "It's half eight. You have to get up now if you want to shower." Nel whispered as to not wake the sleeping beauty next to me. I nodded and drowsily got up, feeling my head spin and my eyes go black for a second before I regained composure.

"Thanks Nel, for waking me." I whispered, taking the towel from her hands. The soft fabric was warm out from the hot press. She smiled up at me, bringing her hand up to affectionately pat my face.

I slumped down the corridor and to the bathroom. I dropped the towel onto the toilet seat and stripped from the clothes I was wearing. Although none of them were mine. The sweat pants I was wearing were Mitch's sisters boyfriends and the hoodie was Mitch's. The shirt under the hoodie was mine though, it was ripped on the sleeve and dirty from days on end of wearing it.

I stepped into the shower and the let the steamy hot water run down my chest. I took a deep breath in and then sighed it all out. I began to let my mind wander. What was it going to be like in this care home? How fast did two years go? I began to work out how many months until I was seventeen. Five months. So that meant seventeen months until I was eighteen and free to go off on my own. But I'd still be in school because I am a year behind. I can't believe they're taking me out of school a month until summer. Where are they gonna dump me? Probably some shitty public school in the middle of down town Florida full of townies and bullies. I was really going to miss Mitch. Knowing his charm though he'd probably find someone else to be best friends with. He'd probably find a boyfriend before his birthday. Someone less complicated. He'll forget about me. But that's okay. I'd rather him forget than love on waiting for me to come back. What if I never find a way back? What if I spend the rest of my life travelling around America, never daring to look back on my past?

"Scott?" I heard a voice over the shower.

"Yeah!" I called back.

"You've been in there for a half hour. All the hot water is going to run out." Mitch said and sure enough he was right. The water was turning colder. I hadn't noticed due to my lack of concentration. Only now did I realise that I hadn't even touched the soap.

I quickly turned off the water and ran out of the bathroom. I pulled my jeans on and my old shirt. I then pulled on the hoodie Mitch had given me last night. Only until I leave, I told myself.

When I went downstairs Mitch was sat at the kitchen table, his head buried in his bowl of cereal. I sat down next to him and just like last night he took my hand. I smiled at the familiar warmth, grabbing a slice of toast and eating it with my free hand.

"You look tired." I whispered to Mitch who had just lifted his head.

"I think it was six am before we fell asleep this morning." Mitch whispered, his head flopping down onto my shoulder. I turned my head and kissed his head. The smell of fresh raspberries filled my nose. The scent seemed to waft around my nose and then fly up into my brain, where it was deposited into a filing cabinet of memories.

A knock on the front door made me jump, a sudden lump appearing in my throat. I heard someone answer the door. And then some mumbling. I braced myself for the woman to come in and take me away. I really didn't want to leave. It felt like I was glued to the chair. I couldn't move. I couldn't leave. Not now. Not after what he's done for me.