Tip of the Tongue [BoyxBoy - Complete - CMS Bk. 1]

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Margret pulled him into a tight hug when he walked through the front door.

Her arms tightened around him as if he was just a dream and he was going to disappear if she loosened her grip just the littlest bit. She smelled of peaches and coconut. It was a familiar scent he'd been raised on but for some reason, at that moment, it reminded him of all the horrible things that had happened to him.

"I'm fine," he said. He pushed her away. "You're overreacting."

He didn't want to look at her face. He turned away and tried to flee to his bedroom. She grabbed him by the shoulders.

"That's it? That's what you say to me when I'm worried sick about you?" She choked back a sob. "What is wrong with you?"

He glared. He wished he could glare at her, but he couldn't. As much as she'd lied to him, she was still his mom.

She shook her head like this was the worst thing that had ever happened to her. Like she couldn't believe this was the thing to break her. Ren still couldn't look at her. He could only see a bit of her face out of the corner of his eyes. It was enough to see the damage he was causing.

The pain went further than surface level. After years of build up, it was going to take a lot more than a few off-handed apologies and pity-parties to get rid of it.

Her hands slipped away. She was no longer touching him. She felt miles away, a ghost drifting in and out of existence. Or maybe that was him. That made more sense. He was barely there, existing but numb to everything that made him a person.

"I don't want to talk right now." He tried to walk away.

She stepped in front of him.

"No. You're going to stay and you're going to tell me what the hell is going on."

Her tears were still wet on her cheeks. She didn't bother to wipe them off. She wore them proudly as she stared at him, her menacing look one he'd seen many times before. This time, however, it was different. It was worse. It was piercing through his chest, melting him, and he felt like melting into a puddle at her feet.

For a second, their eyes met.

He didn't want her to see him like this. He wanted to be a better son, but he wasn't. He wasn't even close to being an okay son.

"Look at me." Her voice was firm, but it was covering a layer of fear. He could feel it just like he'd been feeling other people's emotions.

He didn't know when it started, if he'd always had the ability and he was just now realizing it. It was torture to have it now because he couldn't wave her off. He knew how much this was killing her. He couldn't walk away without feeling like shit later.

He slowly looked away from the floor. He hadn't noticed he'd been trying to drill holes into the hardwood flooring until he had to force his gaze away.

When their eyes met, he wasn't surprised by the worry and the anger in her eyes. She could hate him and he wouldn't do a thing. Nothing would change. He would still do everything in his power to keep her safe.

But it was like looking in a mirror. As determined as he was, she was just as determined.

It made sense. Like mother, like son.

"Tell me. Nothing you say will make me love you less."

His eyes flickered. He held her gaze, trying to see deeper. He knew she wasn't lying, yet, he remembered all the secrets under her bed. Were there more?