If I Didn't

29 - Mitch

Scott wasn't home when I got back from dinner. The lights were off, and a ninja Wyatt darted back and forth across the house.

"Scott?" I called, setting down my keys and then turning on the lights. The house seemed to be empty. I raised an eyebrow, taking out my phone to text him while closing the door.

It just so happens that a rocket of force barreled into the door behind me, and I screamed while I jumped away.

Scott stumbled in, breathing heavily. His eyes were huge and blue and terrified. As he panted, he stared at me profusely as I just gawked back with wide eyes of my own.

"Scott, what's-"

"I have to ask you something, Mitch. It's important. And I don't know what you're going to say, but I just had a moment of realization and at the moment, it's all I can think about." I stared at him, searching his face for the answers to my questions. His hands went to his hair, which was something he did when he was stressed out. I furrowed my eyebrows, terrified of what was happening. I took a step forward hesitantly.

"A-ask away." He kept my eyes on his. Staring at each other in the faint light in the hallway, taking one another in. The silence made my heart and my brain ache. And under his gaze, I felt like I was drowning.

(A/N: ayyyyye ^)

"Okay. So Mitch...a lot has happened recently, and my judgement's been clouded ever since then. I don't know if my brain's been working right ever since Alex left me. But...you've been here to support me and I'm eternally grateful..." My heart thumped out of my chest, and I urged for him to continue when he tore off. He swallowed, and did just that.

"I guess I just have one question. And...I want you to answer honestly. Don't be afraid of what me, okay?" I nodded. Was this actually happening?

He took a shaky breath in. "Mitch...do you love me?"

My heart swelled and my knees wobbled, but I wasn't sure why. I don't know if he could hear my internal functions shutting down one by one, but I stood there sweating; staring at him with those blue eyes and that blonde hair and that beautiful face. The man that I had loved for so long has figured out everything and it's terrifying. What was going to happen if I said yes? If I said no? Pentatonix would be forever changed. I didn't necessarily want it to happen this way.

But I told the truth.

"...yes." Scott squinted, as if he was reading my face for the lie. I kept my expression blank. There was no lie to tell.

"Like as more than a friend."

"Yes," I said again. God, what's he thinking?

"...really?"

"Yes." I gained the courage to take a step closer. "I'm sorry for all the things that I might have done to confuse you. It was all fake..."

"Like Jake?" He asked quietly. His facial expression was unreadable. It killed me.

I sighed. "Yes. Jake's a friend of mine who agreed to act as my boyfriend to make you jealous. I feel so bad for that, I'm sorry."

He still looked like he was coming to terms with everything that I had said. "I...I don't trust myself after Alex. I don't want to go through that again. I don't know what to do." His voice got softer and higher toward the end. A single tear escaped, and it ran down his cheek. I felt my heart break for him.

"You won't be hurt again, Scott," I whispered. "I won't let that happen."

"But what if we change? I don't want us to change, Mitchie."