This Is Me

Fireworks (Part Three)

Fireworks (Part Three)

Continuing to hear my blood pounding in my ears and our feet slapping against the pavement, we reached the front of Andy's house and came to a halt.

As soon as we stopped, I dropped Leroy's slightly clammy hand and doubled over, trying to catch my breath.

Of course, Leroy being as fit as he was, did no such thing and seemed barely phased by the running.

Then again, he hadn't run as long as I had in a frantic panic.

"Well, here we are," Leroy muttered, looking up at what his new home would be for the foreseeable future.

"Yeah... we... sure... are," I said slowly, straightening up to follow Leroy's gaze.

"You good?" Leroy said with a chuckle.

"Sure," I said quietly, looking at him, no doubt looking like hell with a flushed, sweaty face.

"You look it."

"Yeah, sure. Thanks."

"No, seriously," Leroy said, snaking his fingers around mine once again. "You look good."

If I hadn't already been flushed red from running, I definitely would be a bright red now no matter what.

"Well, uh... shall we?" I asked, looking away from Leroy and gesturing toward the house.

He knew how to fluster me. Whether it was on purpose or not.

"We shall," Leroy said, and I could tell he was holding a cheeky grin on his face.

It was definitely on purpose.

Walking to the door and knocking, Leroy and I waited, hand-in-hand for one of Andy's parents to answer the door, and in a matter of seconds, one of them did.

"Boys," Mr Tully greeted us as the door swung open. "I know why Leroy is here, but Peter? Shouldn't you be at the ball?"

Leroy and I looked at each other for a moment before I answered.

"It's a long story. Can we come in?"

"All right, all right," Mr Tully said, waving us into the house, and we obliged, walking past him and through the threshold. "I'll let Mary know you're here."

"Thank you," Leroy said, swinging his bag in front of him so as to not hit the walls and leading me through the short hallway.

Halfway down, we turned into the small living room, dodging through the lounge, armchairs, and coffee table to get to the other side where the stairs leading to the second story sat.

I would have been paying more attention to my surroundings, considering I hadn't been to Andy's house for so long, but I couldn't focus on any of that. All I could focus on was the boy in front of me, leading me through everything.

The boy that had been through so much, taking a chance. Finally, being himself. I couldn't help but smile.

I didn't know what was to come for him, but I was going to be by his side no matter what. And I hoped he let me.

"And here we are," Leroy announced, pushing the first door to our left open as we reached the top of the stairs. "Mr Andrew Tully's room."

"It smells kinda weird," I muttered with a chuckle, and Leroy nodded.

"Yeah, he has a habit of leaving food in here," Leroy chortled, throwing his bag onto the ground inside the door. "I'll put that where I'm staying later. We don't wanna miss the fireworks!"