Sweet & Sour | ManXMan

●Illaqueate

~Kaylen~

illaqueate \●verb. to ensnare 

I was trapped within my own self. My insecurities and denial acted like cuffs that bound me to the pole of inactivity. I couldn't do anything anymore, he was gone. 

Neither did I feel like eating, nor did I feel like talking to anyone. I wanted to be left alone, but at the same time, I hated that feeling. The company I desired was never going to be mine again. He had gone along with Jordon and their absence had made me realize that the duo occupied the majority of my heart these days. I was simply left illaqueated to my helplessness. 

~Emerald~

I stuffed my clothes in the suitcase as Jordon whined in front of me, stomping his foot and really irking the shit out of me that moment. 

"But daddy, why do we have to go? I don't wanna go!" 

He was all okay with leaving just the day before yesterday and now after a trip to Kaylen's house, he had changed his mind. Now he wanted to stay with the Lutyens. My mind was already a mess since the past two days and now I just couldn't take it.

"Jordon, will you stop it?" I shouted at him which silenced him immediately but then came the sobs. 

"Baby..." I sighed, throwing my head in my hands. What was I doing with life? What was happening to me? Nothing seemed to be agreeing with me presently.

"Come here, please." I said, opening my arms towards Jordon but instead of running into them, he ran out of the room in anger. 

Dropping my arms, I sighed in frustration and shut the suitcase, kicking it across the room. No matter what anyone said to me now, I was moving out of this town and away from this toxic life. I had made up my mind and nobody could change it. Not even when Kaylen comes begging on his knees - which, I was hundred percent sure, would never happen.  

My phone rang from my desk, adding to my irritation. I went over to it, snatching it from the wooden furniture in aggression. The caller would have to bear my wrath.

And it just so happened to be the Dean himself.

"Hello, Mr. Blake." He said from the other end. I furrowed my brows.

What was left after all the humiliation? Did I need to go atone for my sins now?

"Hello, Mr. Jacobson."

"I wanted to talk to you about...a few things. Could you come over to the office at, say, four?" He sounded strained, forced.

"Um...I have a flight to catch at five. I'm afraid I won't be able to make it, sir. Could you please tell me what it is about though?" I asked uncertainly.

"Mr. Blake... We want you to join back again."

~~~

Jordon dragged his feet along the front porch, a little duffle bag hanging on his shoulder. His head was bowed and his eyebrows were furrowed, keeping a frown constant on his little features.

"Hurry up!" I yelled from over the cab in which I was loading up my suitcases.

I wasn't kidding when I said nothing could stop me from leaving this town for good. Not even when the Dean offered my job back to me.

Jordon walked over to me, taking his sweet time to get into the cab and all. In the next minute, we were off to the airport.

The window was rolled down as the car breezed past the empty roads, I took a last look at the town I had called home for the past few years. I wasn't going to miss it that much, it hadn't given me the best of memories, except for some moments with him. The guy who crushed me and the town who illaqueated my feelings.

And anyway, I was returning to the town I grew up in, my real home town. Things would become better, wouldn't they?

"Daddy, why can't we take Kay with us?" Jordon's tiny squeeky voice broke out of the silence.

I turned to him and saw his dropped head as he stared intensely at his lap. He had actually started to bond with Kaylen like a family member. I wasn't unaware of the affection they both had for each other.

It felt cruel to separate the two but I knew it was for the best. They both would get over it eventually.

"We're going to find you a better buddy over there, yeah?" I said to my son, pulling him over to my lap and kissing his cheek. "You miss grandma and grandpa, don't you?"

He nodded grimly, still not over the thoughts of Kaylen.

~~~

Three hours later, and now we were in another cab, now moving towards our home instead of leaving it.

It felt refreshing to see my old place, I was excited to see how my parents were doing and how my highschool friends were moving on with their lives. I was quite positive that this was the best decision for me and for Jordon.

The cab stopped in front of my parents' house. The same peach coloured building that I left behind years ago. It felt like forever.

"Come on," I urged my son, throwing the door open and hopping out with a new bout of energy.

Jordon followed me, clinging onto his duffel bag while I carried the suitcases one by one to the front porch. Paying the cabbie off, I rushed over to the door and rung the door bell.

I swayed back and forth on my heels, feeling like a kid all over again, waiting for my mother to open the door like I did when I returned from school. A goofy smile was plastered on my face as Jordon came to lean against me. I ruffled his hair just as some footsteps were heard behind the door before it was swung open by a familiar face.

"Emmy!" The man with the big green eyes exclaimed before wrapping me up in his arms.

Only when I placed the feeling of his hug back to my adolescent days did I realize that this was Mark, my childhood best friend.

A/N: Where do you think this is going?