When You Need Me | Scomiche

Chapter 15

     Connie was pleasantly surprised to be seeing Mitch, but decided not to question it. As her family sat looking at her and chatting every once in a while, she noticed her son had been acting a little strange. Lately when he would visit her, he would barely look away from her face. She was sure he was absorbing every word she said probably thinking it would be the last. But now, Mitch was doing that and Scott was just looking at Mitch. Scott had always looked at Mitch like that. Even back when they first met, she could tell her son was captivated by the smaller man. She smiled at the memory of everyone calling him "Heart-eyes Hoying" on twitter a few years back, shaking her head at the accuracy. His eyes read so plainly to her and she doubted he even knew he did that. Mitch was busy gushing to her about Vogue when she decided to speak up about it. "Scott?" Mitch paused what he was saying.

     "Yeah?" Scott replied but didn't look away from Mitch. Connie looked back at Mitch's confused face and pointed to Scott. Mitch looked over and met Scott's eyes for a split second. The blonde blinked and turned to look at his mom. "What is it?"

     Connie just sighed with a smile, "Nothing baby, don't worry about it." Mitch turned back to face her and they shared a small smile. Little did she know Mitch was caught staring at Scott this morning too. Scott had told her pretty much everything that happened between the two of them. She was disappointed in the boys for a while there but seeing them together now really warmed her heart. She knew she was the reason they were talking again, which pained her a bit, but she wanted the best for her son. She needed someone to make sure Scott was taking care of himself after it was her time and knew no one was better suited for that job than Mitch. Her eyes started drooping, and Mitch turned to Scott.

     "We should head out, Scott." Scott nodded and walked to his mom, giving her a kiss on her forehead.

     "Mom, we're gonna give you your space now and let you rest, okay?"

     "Okay, thank you, baby. I love you. You too, Mitch" Mitch walked over and squeezed her hand then turned towards the door and headed out. Scott was reluctant to leave her, as always.

     "Bye, Dad, see you later." Rick looked up at his son from his book and nodded with a gentle smile. He exited the room and met Mitch in the hall waiting for him.

     "Goddamn, it gets harder and harder to leave her every day." Scott pressed a finger and thumb into his temples.

     "I know, I'm sorry." Mitch placed a hand on Scotts back and rubbed in circles as they made their way out to the car. "Let's go somewhere we can talk. Maybe get some dinner while we are out? So neither of us have to worry about cooking." Mitch offered.

     "Sure, babe. How about we grab some chipotle and head to the bleachers?"

     "Sounds great, Scotty." They hopped in the car and Scott started it up. "Kirstie would kill me if she found out we were breaking into the stadium without her again."

     "She didn't stop us in high school when we would go without her." Scott glanced over at Mitch, wondering how he would take that sentence. Besides the other night, the last time they had snuck into the bleachers there was no talking involved, just sloppy inexperienced kissing.

     "I mean, I wouldn't want to be with us either back then... considering." They shared a knowing look.

***

    They decided to sit under the bleachers and out of the wind this time. Mitch guessed winter finally decided to make an appearance in Texas now that it was mid-December. They ate quietly, Mitch trying to figure out everything he wanted to say. He set his fork down in his bowl. 

     "I think... if I hadn't come home last week, I would have said yes to Beau." Scott put his fork down at that and pushed their food off to the side to scoot closer to Mitch. "I left without talking to him. He came home drunk after my Vogue shoot and passed out. Even slept through me packing and leaving." Mitch looked down at his hands, a little ashamed of himself for leaving a two-year relationship like that. "I ended up taping a note to the fridge, knowing he would see it when he woke up hungover and needing food." He eyes filled with tears and he took a deep breath. Scott pulled Mitch until his head was resting on his shoulder and kissed the top of his head. "I still haven't heard anything from him. Technically, I don't actually know for sure if he got the note."

     "He has seen it, there's no way he hasn't noticed some of your stuff gone, or that you haven't been home."

     "I just feel... really shitty about how I handled things. He was only ever loving towards me. He literally is the one that got me the connections to break into the modeling industry in the first place. I have no idea what I would be doing if it wasn't for him. He would always drive me around and make me food when I would forget. Help me pick outfits for shoots and he was always so damn kind to everybody. Literally the nicest person in L.A., I swear."

     "You sound like you love him." Scott's heart was hurting, conflicted with hearing Mitch talk about Beau and wanting him to be happy all the same.

     "I really did, I think." Mitch looked up at Scott who was frowning.

     "If you are in love with him then you should be with him. If he makes you happy and takes care of you, then maybe marrying him wouldn't be a bad decision." Scott couldn't seem to look up into Mitch's eyes, but really and truly he wanted what was best for him.

     "That's the thing though, I love him for taking care of me and loving me back, but I am not in love with him. And I'm pretty sure it has to do with the same reason I never really dated anyone when we were living together."

     "Hmm... What did Kirstie say about it?"

     "I never called her. She doesn't know."

     There was a long pause before Scott replied. "You said no to him because of me." He stated, honestly a little shocked to realize this.

     "Yes, and no. You helped me realize that I wasn't in love with him, but it was obvious that I hadn't been devoting myself to him fully almost our whole relationship."

     "And how did I do that? All I said was I didn't want you to marry him. I didn't try to convince you that you weren't in love with him." Mitch turned his body to face Scott, who was now looking a little nervous, and grabbed his hand.

     "You didn't have to say anything. We have something that I've never been able to find in a different relationship. I don't know what exactly, but I feel it all the time. Just because we didn't talk for a little bit didn't mean it wasn't there. I thought about you all the time, Scott. Probably close to every day."

     "I thought about you all the time too. Even when I found out about everything, you were still there in the back of my mind. I still think about you all the time." Scott brought his hand up to cup Mitch's cheek. Mitch's hand covered it and he leaned his head into the touch. His eyes scanned the handsome face looking back at him. Scott's expression was the same as back in the hospital.

     "Can I try something?" Mitch wasn't sure if this was a good idea but it was worth a shot.

     "Um... Sure." Scott raised an eyebrow when Mitch shifted around onto his knees. Mitch slowly placed both of his hands on Scott's shoulders and lifted a leg, swinging it over Scott's lap. He slowly settled into Scott's lap, never breaking eye contact. Mitch slid his hand down Scott's arms and met his hands, lifting them up and placing them on his own hips. He circled Scott's neck with his arms and shifted forwards, more comfortably slotting their bodies together, their chests pressing together.