Beaten In Lips - [boyxboy]

〔fifteen〕

Once again I was finding myself sneaking out of the orphanage again, only this time I wore warmer clothes to keep from getting sick. I made my way down the stairs, stopping in my tracks when I heard someone in the kitchen. I stood frozen on the stairs, hearing someone ruffle things in there before the light went out. Immediately Miss McDougall came out drinking from a glass, heading straight towards the stairs. My heart began to pound in my chest and I thought about heading back up them but it would be too late. I felt a hand cover my mouth and an arm wrap around my waist and I was being dragged backwards, into the corner and shadows where Miss McDougall couldn't see us. At this point I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest as she stopped and glanced directly at me, but she couldn't see me. With a shrug she walked off towards what I guessed was her room. Once I heard the door click shut, I struggled against the person who grabbed me until they let go.

"What the hell?!" I snapped quietly. Austin stepped out of the shadows with a small smile. "Why did you grab me like that?!" I demanded a little too loudly.

"Shh, I'm sorry. I saw you leaving your room and I got a little curious but then I saw Miss McDougall..." he trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. "Where are you going?"

I bit my lip and considered telling him, but then again I didn't know if I should. "I'm going for a walk," I said. It wasn't necessarily a lie, I was going on a walk...to the diner.

"Well then, I'm coming with you." He said, I shook my head quickly, but Austin was already up the stairs, walking down the hallway to his room.

"You're not going with me." I whispered loudly.

"You can't stop me," and he was right, I couldn't stop him, and deep down I didn't want to stop him. A big part of me wanted him to come with me, but there was this other half that felt that if he came with me, I'd probably regret it.

Before I could get in another word, Austin walked into his room and closed the door in my face. I sighed and rolled my eyes, going back down the hallway to leave. Austin came out of his room quickly and caught up with me, dressed in a hoodie and skinny jeans. I rolled my eyes again and walked away from him, quietly heading out the door. Of course Austin followed along with me, closing the door behind him silently. It was freezing out here, even more than the other few nights that I've been out and about.

"So, where are we going?" Austin asked after a few minutes of silence. I glanced at him, seeing his hands stuffed in the pocket of his hoodie as he shivered slightly.

"You're not going with me." I told him, Austin chuckled.

"You can keep saying that Al, but I'm going to end up following you and making sure you're safe and-"

"I don't need you to keep me safe, okay?" I snapped at him. "If I can handle my dad for as long as my mom's been gone, I can basically handle anything."

"Do you not want people to care about you?" He demanded. "Or do you just not want me to care about you?"

"I never said that," I muttered softly.

"You don't even have to say anything! Look, I know you've lived with a man that has forced you into this little shell that pushes everyone away when the slightest sight of concern or friendliness is shown, but you can't live like this for the rest of your life," he snapped, "whether you like it or not, I'm coming with you. You can push me as far away as you please, but the more you do it, the more I want to help you."

"I don't want your pity." I said, glaring at him.

"I'm not even pitying you Alan! I care about you and I like you a lot, but you're making this so difficult. I actually want to be that person you have to come to when things get rough, I want to be that person who's gonna listen to you and be there for you, but you just...you push me away and...and I just want to be there for you Alan."