All Four One

Our Future (Part 3)

"I thought I told you to leave me alone." I croak out, not in anger, just defeat, when I sense one of the boys standing near me. Realistically, I know it's Maverick without even looking at him. The other boys aren't dumb enough to follow me when I told them not to and Mav is smart enough to know he's the only one I won't push away right now.

"Just come here, baby." He murmurs as he holds his arms out for me to fall into. Being held by Maverick has always made me feel safer than anything else and now is no different, except that I fall apart all over again.

Before I know it I'm hyperventilating and my legs are giving out on me. Mav catches me, lifting me up effortlessly so my legs wrap around his waist, my back pressed into the brick wall behind me. Now that I'm at eye level with him, he places one of his hands at the side of my head with his fingers slightly wound into my hair. He rests his forehead against mine and gently tugs on my hair to get through to me.

"Breathe, baby girl." He whispers, his gaze locking onto mine. He presses his body into mine more firmly to keep me up against the wall whilst the fingers of his other hand start to trail up and down my thigh. Even though there's the material of the black tights of my school uniform between us, his touch still sears me as though he was caressing my bare skin.

Slowly I get my breathing under control and figure out I was timing my breaths to the movement of his fingers. Up, down. In, out.

"Tell me what's going on in your head, Els." He pleads with me, the desperation in his eyes making me almost fall apart again.

"I can't do it Mav. I can't- I just can't." I ramble as I try to gulp down air.

"Can't what?"

"Lose you! Just the thought... I can't, I can't-" I cry as I claw at his chest with my hands.

"Shh, shh." He whispers into my ear softly. "We're not going anywhere. You're ours, Ella. We fucking love you. So much. All of us."

"But it's going to change. I just want everything to stay the same." I cry.

"I know, I know. Me too."

"I'm sorry. I'm so pathetic. I can't believe I've acted this way. You all must be so embarrassed." I choke out as I bury my face in his neck, hoping I can make the rest of the world disappear.

"Shh shh. Don't be sorry. It just shows how much you care about us. It fucking terrifies me too El, the thought of not seeing you everyday...or of someone..." He pauses and takes a deep breath, like the next thing is hard to say, "taking you away from me, from us, it makes me feel sick."

I just nod in understanding, lifting my head back up from his shoulder and resting my forehead against his.

"I know you think you couldn't survive without us, Ella, but fuck, I don't think any of us could survive without you." His deep blue eyes show his raw emotion and I know he's not just saying all that to make me feel better.

"My world revolves around you, Ella. And I know my brothers feel the same."

I open my mouth to dispute him but someone else's voice stops me.

"He's right, Els." That's Luke's voice.

I look up and see the other boys standing behind Mav. They all look concerned and...kind of upset. I don't think I've seen them all look so worried about me for a long, long time.

"Tell us what we can do to prove just how much we love and need you, Els." Evan says, the others murmuring their agreement.

I tip my head back and let out a shuddery breath before loosening my legs from around Maverick so he sets me back down on the ground.