Spring Falls When Summer Wins - 1987

Chapter 6.

Elliot. May 2nd, 1987

The first calm night after all the shit that went down. I was pulled in for questioning throughout the past week. It got me out of classes I didn't like but I would have taken Calculus over sitting in the cold silver chairs, dead center of a soft blue painted room. Being watched like a lab rat is not my idea of a good day. My sister has been staying with us throughout this whole ordeal, purely worried about me. She knew she was missing mid-terms but that didnt bug her. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't grateful.

When I came home, from the police station this Friday, I was thankfully greeted by Kalidin's car parked in my driveway. I made a mad dash inside, quickly kicking my shoes off next to his, and up the stairs to my room. Kaladin was laying on my bed, reading a book written by (some fancy scientist), legs crossed, arms stretched over his face. I made my way over to him, my movements slow, taking away his book and tossing it on my desk. I laid on top of Kaladin, my head pressedagainst his flat chest. His heart beat was calming.

"Is everything okay, El?" Kaladin spoke softly as he sat up ever so slightly against my pillow, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.

"No," I spoke flatly. I twisted my arms around Kaladin's warm waist. "They're going to start coming around, talking to you and Summer."

Kaladin let out a soft laugh followed by, "I'm already on their main suspect list, remember?" I thought back to that day at the station.

"Did you ever get more news about that?" I questioned.

"Only that they got a tip from Kathy, the one with a K, that she saw me walking with (name) Greene.." This was news to me. "I was showing her to the new bookstore downtown and, before I left her there, she walked to some hooded masculine figure. I told the detectives and police this and they didn't believe me until the employee working that day confirmed it."

I felt Kaladin grip the back of my shirt. I sat up and pulled Kaladin over me so I could hold him instead. We were both going through it with this murderer being on the lose. I wanted to stay in this moment longer. Hold him, protect him, just us in my bedroom. No murderers, no detectives, no bitchy cheerleaders, no discrimination. Just Kaladin and me. Kaladin let out a small huff of air, squirming in my arms to get comfortable. When he finally flopped his head back in between my neck and shoulder we continued talking. "Do you think you'll still go to prom?" I asked, turned on by the way Kaladin was making little circles on my chest.

"I dont have anyone to go with. Summer is planning to go with some guy she met recently," His tone sounded sad.

"What if I ask you?"

"And ruin your reputation as a the star football player? No way. I cant let you do that."

"I don't give two shits what they think." Kaladin wrapped his leg around my hips, his body falling to my left side. "If I want to take you, I'll take you." I put my right arm behind my head, keeping my left arm tight around Kaladin. I stared at the ceiling, the top right corner of my Elvis poster coming off ever so slightly. I'll have to fix that later. But right now I wanted to focus on him.

"El?" Kaladin's voice was soft, almost a complete whisper. I answered him with a hum which he replied to with, "Do you like me?"

Truth is, I did. And he knew. I knew he liked me, but I never acted on it. Instead I tried drowning my feelings with a girl, which is a dick move but I didn't know what else to do. I also knew why he was asking in such a shy voice. He was worried I would be like every other want-to-be straight guy and break his heart.

"Very much, actually," I whispered back. It felt almost too good to be true. I used my hidden right hand to pinch the back of my neck, purely to see if this was a dream or not.