Somebody like you (boyxboy)

27. Only Love

Charlie

"I will always do it, though," Trevor said as we walked through the hallways Thursday morning.

"Do what?"

"Save your life, get in front of you if somebody is threatening you."

"Trevor –"

"No, I would. I don't think you get it, but I care about you too, just like you care about me, so don't ask me not to defend you, because I always will. I will always do what I have to do for you. It's not fair of you to ask me not to, especially when you say you would do it for me."

"Let's just hope we never have to do something like that again, shall we?" Trevor nodded and bumped his shoulder into me. If he just knew how I felt... how I tingled every time he smiled at me.

"Wait, you're friends again?" I stopped in my tracks and stared at the boy. "I'm kind of hurt, Trevor, I thought you finally saw how horrible he is!" he said accusingly. It was the same boy that screamed at me Trevor's first day of school.

"To be honest, he isn't bad at all," Trevor said with a smile. "Please don't be mean, I would just need to raise my voice again and I don't like doing that." We walked past him and entered the classroom. Another antagonising day of school.

***

"Why does he hate you so much though?" Trevor asked once we were both back in our room.

"I sent his father to prison."

"What?" Trevor's jaw dropped and I nodded solemnly.

"He beat him. He beat him every bloody weekend, over and over until the boy could barely walk. He would come back to school on Sunday and he would limp a bit, flinch when people came too close or moved too quickly."

"But didn't the teachers do anything?"

"No. I'm not sure if they didn't see, or if they simply overlooked the signs subconsciously, but no one did anything. I called the police, and well, his father ended up in prison." I shook my head. "I thought I'd done him a favour, you know, but he just looked at me like I'd ruined his life."

"Well... he might not have been too happy about everyone finding out that his dad hit him, he was probably embarrassed."

"But nobody knew! The reasons for why he was in prison was never known to anybody else! I thought he'd thank me, instead he turned the entire school on me. I don't understand it." I rubbed my face in exasperation.

"Maybe they have economic problems now, maybe his mother doesn't work or get very little..."

"If that had been the case... But it isn't and it still wouldn't have made sense, I know... I know what it is like to be afraid of your father." Trevor caught my gaze, and suddenly he came over to me and hugged me. He held me so tight I could barely breathe. I didn't mind, I felt the muscles in his arms, his warm breath on my neck and suddenly my head was spinning as I took in his smell.

"Sorry, I don't know what to do. I'm trying to comfort you - tell me if it isn't working."

"Mhm, it's working," I whispered, and put my arms around him.

"I can't imagine how it must have been for you, Charlie. I'm so sorry. I know I had nothing to do with anything, but I just wish I could do something, I wish I could just fix everything! Maybe I haven't been a good friend after all you've told me. It's been a lot to take in, and I don't know how to respond!"

"It's alright," I said, eyes closed as I couldn't concentrate on anything but the feeling of him pressed so closely against me, my face hidden in the short curls in his neck. "You're the best friend I've ever had.

He pulled away and looked at me.

"You're my best friend too, believe me." Friends though, just friends, I thought and shook my head at myself for ever wanting anything more with someone that didn't want me the same way. "I need to shower." He went over to his bed and stripped down to his underwear. I tried to be discreet, but I couldn't take my eyes away from how the muscles in his back moved as he pulled the t-shirt over his head. He was so strong, steady, he wasn't broken at all. And he was beautiful. He turned around and caught my eye.

"Seeing something you like?" he asked with a wink.

"Oh, yeah," I replied awkwardly, trying to sound casual. He chuckled and grabbed his towel then went in to shower. I sighed heavily. I needed to get past this.

***

"Aren't you going to pack?" I asked, peeking up from my own suitcase to look at Trevor who just sat on his bed.

"Dad is coming to pick me up at eight, I have all the time in the world."

"I can ask mum to come later if you –"

"No, it's fine, don't bother."

"What's up?" I asked, and saw first now how melancholy he looked.

"I'm not going to see you for a week!"

"So?"

"I'm going to bloody miss you!" His words brought a smile to my face.

"I'll miss you too, grumpy."

"Don't chuckle, this is no time for chuckles! I'm going to be so bored!"

"Ah yes, what would you possibly do without me?" He said he'd miss me, I thought over and over as joy spread through me.

I closed my suitcase and put it by the door.

"My mum will be here in ten," I said and sat down in front of him.

"Why can't you just come to me?"

"I wish I could. I really, really can't, you know!"

"Well then," he said and tackled me, then rolled around so he was lying on top of me in bed. "You won't be leaving at all, we'll just stay here."

"No, idiot, we can't do that." I could feel my heart swell in my chest, and beat, fight to get out of its cage and fly. It was reverberating through my body and I was surprised Trevor couldn't feel it. He was pressed so close to me I couldn't focus on anything but his warmth.

"Please?" I untangled myself and got up, knowing that if I didn't do it now, I never would. It was still much more difficult than it should have been.

"I've got to go." He sighed reluctantly and got up too.

"Fine." He pulled me in for a hug. Without thinking of consequences, without thinking of anything, I pulled away, just enough so we were face to face. I looked at his lips, I took a deep breath, and covered them with my own. He stiffened in surprise, then relaxed just as I pulled away. I grabbed my suitcase and walked out the door.

"Hey!" Trevor yelled after me. "You can't just leave without a word! Charlie!"

"Watch me," I yelled over my shoulder and ran.

***

Man is he going to regret that! What do you think?

Please vote and comment, thanks so much for reading :)