After Midnight

Chapter 20

Barry texted me in the middle of English, saying he'd pick me up after school. I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach after that, and I couldn't shake it.

"Rain!", Someone shouted behind me. I stopped walking and turned around. Rosie ran up to me and took a deep breath."I'm so sorry that I bailed on you guys, but I need to know.."

"We haven't found them yet", I sighed. She looked down and nodded.

"Can I tell you something that I swore I'd never tell anyone?", She asked. I nodded and she pulled me aside and away from everyone.

"That night I was ranting to you guys about Barry, I didn't mean any of it. He's probably one of the best people-I just..", She sighed and crossed her arms."Ever since his brother died, he's been so different. He used to be so damn happy, and now he's so cold, and I didn't know what to do. I can't be around him anymore. I just can't"

Well, his brother was murdered...you did cheat on him. I thought about saying, but stopped myself.

"You don't have to explain yourself"

"But that's not what I wanted to tell you", She shook her head and looked down."That night, I got a letter. It said that if I didn't stop that they'd come after me, a-and I don't want that", She put her hands over her eyes.

I put my hand on her shoulders and she looked up. It took all I had not to punch her in the jaw.

"You did the right thing. What they do..", I stopped myself from saying what I wanted to."No one deserves what they do to those people. You did what you had to"

"Are they after you?", She asked. I took a few seconds to reply.

"No..", I lied and shook my head.

"Good", She wiped under her eyes and smiled."We better go"

I nodded and we walked back into the school.
*
"It's not like I could have done anything about it"

"You could've fought back. Is that a sin to you people? Fighting back is an option"

"Not up there", He put his hand over the bandage on his arm."Whoever starts the fight, finishes it"

"This is getting ridiculous", I rubbed my eyes and shook my head.

"Arin", He grabbed my arm and pulled me over to him."Stop"

"Stop what?"

"Freaking out. It's nothing"

"Barry, he cut you"

"It's barely even a scratch"

"It's a cut", I looked him in the eyes and he sighed.

"I'm fine"

I put my hand on his face and caressed his cheek."He hit you"

"Arin..", He let go of my arm and took my hand in his."Don't do that to yourself"

"What am I doing?"

"You're freaking yourself out. Stop doing that"

I looked down and dropped my hand to his shoulder. He pulled me into a hug and I hugged him back tightly.

I closed my eyes tightly and held my breath.

"How did you get out?", I asked softly.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you"

"Then let's save it for another day", I opened my eyes and hugged him a bit tighter.

"Arin?", He whispered. I looked up at him.

"Would it be extremely inappropriate if I kissed you right now?"

I felt my face heat up and that feeling in my stomach came back.

I put my hands on his ribs and blinked a few times.

I shook my head and bit back a smile. He put his hands on my neck and leaned in. I closed my eyes and felt his nose brush mine. I felt like it wasn't going fast enough, so I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him before he could.

The feeling I had wasn't like any other feeling I've had before. I never felt like this with Tom, or Dalton, or anyone else.

Does this make me a whore? I've kissed Dalton twice, thought I liked Tom, and now, here I am. I'll care about it later. I was just enjoying the feeling of him.

We pulled away after a few seconds and I felt myself smiling like an idiot. When I dropped back to my feet, I saw him smiling too. It was the first time I've ever seen him smile like that. It gave me a warm feeling.

"I never really realized just how beautiful you actually are", He said, pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him again. He put his hands on my hips and pulled me closer to him. I felt his heart pounding at the same rate as mine. He pulled away and rested his forehead on mine.

"I should probably take you home now"
*
"Stop smiling", Dane said as he sat down in my desk chair.

"Sorry", I mumbled and put my hands over my mouth.

"What happened?", He asked.

"Nothing", I shook my head."It's nothing"

"Do you have a boyfriend?", He asked."Please don't have a boyfriend"

"No. I don't, I just-", I shook my head and sighed."I figured something out"

"What?"

"I don't know if I want to talk about it"

"Well, can you at least tell me where you got a satanic burn on you hip?"

I stared at him for a few seconds."How- how'd you know?"

"I saw it. I saw it on Barry and Dalton too"

I shook my head."It's not what you think"

"I don't think that it's anything. I don't know what to think"

I shook my head."Trust me, Dane. You really don't want to know"

"Is that where you got that scar on your arm?", He asked."From them?"

"No", I shook my head."I fell"

"Is that where you go that burn too? From falling?"

"Dane-"

"Please, just answer my question. Where did you get that burn?"

I held my breath for a few seconds and let it out."There was a man..", I started, and I told him the whole story, minus the kissing part.

"They broke into Bailey's room?"

I closed my eye and nodded slowly.

"What'd you tell her?", He asked, crossing his arms.

"I told her it was a leprechaun"

"You always were good at telling lies"

I wasn't going to try and joke around with him. It wasn't the time for that.

"Can I ask you something?", He asked, sitting at the end of my bed.

"Yeah"

"Are you dating Dalton?"

"No", I furrowed my eyebrows."Why does everybody think that?"

"Because you look like you guys are about to run away together and get married in Vegas"

"Well, that is definitely not about to happen"

"Please don't run away with that kid"

"First of all, he's a great guy, and second of all, I'm not going to run away"

"What are we gonna do about this, Arin?"

"Barry has a plan"

Dane nodded."Whatever it is, it better work. I'm getting sick of them ste-"

"I know, Dane", I cut him off.

He sighed."I love you", He said.

"I love you too"