A Little Less Lonely Now (boy)²

eighteen

Caden's P.O.V.

"Caden Anthony Smith, who the hell is this laying on your bed." Mom stood in the doorway, her oxygen tank emitting a low humming sound. I jumped off my bed; Simon's arm flew off me and he startled awake.

"I can explain. I just-"

"No. I know what I saw. How could you go against us like this? What about Sarah? You two hit it off so well!" Simon shrank back at the mention of Sarah. My mother looked ready to pounce, so I stood in front of him protectively. She turned around to call down the stairs, "Dameon! Get up here right now!"

My father ran from whatever he was doing in the kitchen and up the stairs. His face turned hard when he saw me standing in front of the other boy. "Caden, who on God's green earth is sitting on your bed right now?" I could tell he was trying not to yell; the neighbors didn't need to know our business, and if dad yells, the world knows everything.

"He's... he's..." I started shaking. Simon grabbed for my hand, but I pulled it away. He stood up and grabbed my hand defiantly.

Simon turned to my parents and held out the hand that wasn't holding mine towards them, "My name is Simon Lewis. Nice to meet you."

Their stares traveled back and forth between our joined hands and the hand Simon held out. I mimicked their expressions with shock of my own. Where did Simon get all this courage, and what is he doing?

"I am not shaking our hand, but you know what you are going to do? You are going to get out of my house, and stay the hell away from my son. We don't want a restraining order, do we?"

"Okay, sir." Simon put his hand and head down at the same time. He turned around and looked at me with his beautiful blue eyes. "I love you." He whispered before he kissed me. My parents screamed in disgust, but before they could do anything, my knight in shining courage had run out the front door.

I whispered back, so my parents couldn't hear. "I love you too."

.

One Week Later

There are new locks on the doors in case I had given Simon a key to the old ones.The windows have security systems and I'm not allowed anywhere but school. All my classes with Simon were rearrange per my father's requests, and I haven't seen him all week. he deleted Simon's number from my phone, and I wished I had only thought to write it down somewhere.

The only reason everything is this way now is because I ran away he night after they found me with Simon.

.

I jumped down from the second story window, careful to land in the bushes so I didn't get as hurt. I made it off my front lawn with only a few scratches. My backpack had a few pairs of clothes, my $273 from working at the pizza place, and Simon's coat that he had forgotten at my house yesterday. I slipped my phone back into my pocket after checking the time. It was 1:12 in the morning. It would only be about seven hours before my parents realized I was gone.That should give me enough time to get Simon and get out of here. We could live on the road, maybe we could even start a band or something. Simon sings better than he would ever say- I've heard him singing when he's alone in his house and I'm waiting outside the door.

I started the car and drove down the few streets separating me from my love.

The stone path up to his house was more haunting this early in the morning. I climbed the tree outside his window like I have a couple times before. Three taps on his window, then two, and then three again. He opened the window after checking to make sure it was me, and then rubbed his eyes. he must have fallen asleep waiting for me because all his bags were in order and he had day clothes on, but his hair was a rugged mess and he yawned when I jumped in the window.

"Are you ready to go?" I whispered, picking up his bag and slinging it on my shoulder.

"Yeah, I have everything. Are we really doing this?"

"Why not? We're young, in love, and people like to judge anyways." He shrugged as if to say 'alright, let's go'.

I helped him through the window, ad then closed it behind myself. I followed him down the tree and to my car.

I opened the passenger door, "Here you are. You can put your bag in the back seat."

I threw my bag in the backseat next to his, and got in the driver's seat. I started the car and grabbed his hand over the center console.

He looked into my eyes, and I knew the fear in his gaze matched mine.

"It'll be okay," I reassured, "I promise."