Falling for the Good Boy *Editing*

Chapter 5

Blake and I sat beside each other on the edge of a fountain, in the middle of an empty park, at nearly 11:30 at night. All of this, just so I could know more about him.

Blake took in a big breath and began to speak.

"My parents had always been coming and going ever since I could remember. When I was 9, they went out for some unknown reason and just never came back. I don't know if they did something to get arrested, or if they got in an accident, but I'm pretty sure they just decided to leave me, like those people who move houses and leave their dog at the old one. Anyway, I managed on my own for about two years by stealing from convience stores-I mainly took only clothes and food. I lived if you could call it living, pretty much anyplace I could find. I'd crawl into those huge pipes in construction yards, Sometimes I'd find a way to sneak into apartment complexes and sleep in the garage." Blake took in a shaking breath before continuing.

"When I was 11, I was trying to take some shoes out of a store-I'd gotten good at removing tags and the security sensors from the shoes. I'd always leave my old shoes in the box and slide them back onto the shelf. I was usually good at noticing cops and scoping out the area for anyone watching, but I didn't notice this one cop. He saw me put the shoes on and walk out with them s he just grabbed me by the arm and told me that I had to come with him. I was terrified of those handcuffs so I agreed to cooperate and he took me down to the police station where he asked if I had anyone to call and I said no, so he called social services. They asked me all of these questions-questions that a young boy wouldn't be able to understand. I ended up spending the night at the station in a cell but they fed me some fast food and it was warm so I can't really complain. I was terrified, but it was better than anyplace I had ever slept." Blake glanced over at me, but quickly averted his gaze once we made eye contact.

"Social Services came the next day. They took me to this place that was full of a bunch of other boys from infants to 17 year olds. Sometimes, a family would show up and say they had room to foster and after a thorough inspection, they could take a boy home with them. I bounced from one family, to another, to another and so on for a year. Finally, this family I was staying with decided that they liked me. I was there for less than 2 days, but they had already wanted to adopt me. I knew that being adopted meant that you wouldn't have to stay in any other home and legally, those people were your guardians, but I wasn't sure how it worked. I remember that the only feeling I had when I found out they wanted to adopt me was acceptance. I was so, so happy. Every time I see my adoptive parents, all I can think is how much they must love me to put up with me."

I was crying. Why was I crying? This was a story about love and acceptance and survival. I wanted so desperately to hug Blake, but I knew that the second that I made any tender gesture, he'd freeze again. He'd shut himself off from the rest of the world. Blake looked at me and his features softened.

"Hey, don't cry." He reached his hand out, but thought better of it and folded it back in his lap. He just stared at me. I had never seen this... delicate side of him. Granted, I had only known him for a week, but it was still surprising.

I wiped my eyes and looked away. "I just can't believe that you went through that but keep it to yourself. Do you know how many more girls you could get with that?" I tried and failed at lightening the mood, but Blake laughed anyway. 

"So that's my story. What's yours?"

My heart began beating faster and harder and I started to lose my breath. I had never told anyone about my ex-boyfriend.

"You asked for this. Are you really prepared to comfort a crying girl at midnight?" I looked at Blake. My words sounded like a joke in my head, but once they were hanging out in the open night air, they sounded very depressing.