You're Supposed to Hate Me

Chapter 19

Sal

I thought that Travis would be more distant than he was. It was cute. He was cute. Though, I think he'd murder me if he ever knew I thought he was cute.

I had to keep playing with his hair for an hour after he woke up, and when I complained about my fingers and hands being tired, he kissed them and let me stop.

He did tell me a few things. One thing that I keep thinking about is when he told me that he doesn't know how to love, and he doesn't know if he's doing it right.

I'd say for not knowing what love is, he did a hell of a good job last night– But, that's not what I said to him, of course. I told him I'd be patient with him, and I'd help him if he wanted help.

After Travis got out of the shower he said he was starting to feel a little overwhelmed with everything that happened in the last 24 hours, so he said he was going to go talk with Phillip to clear his mind. Before he left, he said it'd be fine if I told Larry, so now I'm waiting for–

"Sally Face!!!" Larry bursts through the door, his stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Hey Larry face." I smile, patting the spot next to me on the couch. "We need to talk."

Larry's grin instantly drops when he notices the tone in my voice. He seriously knows me too well. "Yeah, okay, what's up?"

He sits down stiffly next to me, because he's not used to me being serious like this. "So... Remember when I said I might have a crush?"

Larry slowly nods, and I could basically hear the rusty wheels in his head turning.

"Remember how I said that the person I like is male... And that you'd hate who it was?" I wasn't going to just tell him who it was, because what's the fun in that?

Larry sat in silence for at least five minutes before I saw his brows shoot up and his eyes widen. "Sal..."

I smile awkwardly, tugging slightly on my hair, but it wasn't visible in Larry's line of sight.

He smiles softly, patting my head. "Is that who the bag belongs to, and is that also why I saw him leaving this morning?"

Now it was my turn for my eyes to widen. "You–"

Larry chuckles. "Yeah, I also noticed you looking at him a few days ago in school, and I already knew when you first mentioned it. I may be dumb in school, but I'm not dumb when it comes to you, Sally."

"So, you don't care?" I ask, glancing at Travis's stupid bag that gave him away, even though it didn't matter, because Larry already knew.

"Yes, I do care. You're my best friend, my brother even, but I trust you. And I trusted Travis at one point. My mom even trusts Travis still. If you're happy, and if he's still secretly the same Travis from when we were kids, then I'm happy for you, Sal."

It's always Larry that has to make things emotional.

I smile, and I lean in and hug him. He instantly hugs me back, his chin resting on my head.

"I love you, Sally face."

"I love you too, Larry face."

~~~

When Travis came back, Larry had left already.

"Hey." Travis walks over to me on the couch, sitting down next to me.

"I just want to let you know, my dad is going to be back in a couple days from a business trip..." I glance at him, and he was already looking at me with those beautiful brown eyes.

Travis could tell that he there was more to it. Maybe everyone just comes with a Sal Fisher manual or something. "Go on."

"Well... For one, he doesn't know you're staying here, two, he's an alcoholic, and three, uhm... He doesn't know I'm gay, either."

Travis blinks, before he reaches out, his finger stopping where one of my scars starts. "I never asked what happened."

I swallow the lump threatening to form, but I don't let it even start forming. "You don't want to know."

Travis laughs, like genuinely laughs. "Sorry– It's just– I told you a lot about myself, but if you don't want to tell me yet, then you don't have to, Sal." He pokes me in the cheek, and I glare at him.

"It's fine, you wouldn't of even seen my face if you wouldn't of barged into my house like that." I swat his hand away, and he smiles.

"You're the one who opened the door for me to see, am I wrong?" He leans forward, his face inches away, making me shiver.

"Well– I– No?" My cheeks felt hot as we both knew I totally did open the door wide open, because before I opened the door, I checked the peephole. But in my defense, I forgot I had it off.

"No?" Travis teases, his eyes glimmering as he stares at me. I thought he was supposed to believe being gay is a sin? What the fuck is happening?

"You–" He cuts me off when his lips brush against mine. For someone who doesn't know what love is, he sure as hell doesn't calm down.

"How did it go talking to Larry?" He asks, leaning away, a stupid smirk plastered on his face as he observes me.

"Fuck you."

"When?" He leans in again, his hands moving all over my body, his head moving to the crook of my neck.

"Travis..."

"Yes?" He kisses my neck softly, making me gasp. How the fuck is he so good at this?

"Now, Travis."

Travis chuckles against my skin, his breath cold, making me shiver. "Of course, darling."