(Canceled) Before I Shatter (FNAF Highschool) (Book 1 of 3)

Chapter 14

===Foxy's POV===

      Everything was once so hazy. Emotion clouded, feelings drowned in the sense of loneliness. But now... Now, for the first time in my life, I see things with absolute clarity. All because of Mangle. The way she makes me feel is something beyond measure. I feel safe, secure, and most importantly, she makes me feel like I'm no longer alone, she makes me feel loved. How I was ever able to live without that kind of peace is another question I'll never find the answer to. Nor do I ever want to.

      My eyes crack open slightly. Surprisingly I feel rested and relaxed. It feels as though the burden I carried was suddenly lifted. It's all peaceful. Calm. The rage and bitterness seems to have faded away into the past. Finally, I can rest. No more hatred. No more anger. No more pent up frustration. No more nightmares. No more seeing my fathers lifeless face night after night.
      Yet. It's the same ceiling I always wake up to. The same early rays of sunlight that peer though my curtains, though, a different feeling. A feeling of butterflies fluttering in my stomach. With a relieved sigh, I try to sit up. My effort is stopped by a weight on my chest. When I investigate the source of this weight, I find nothing but platinum hair blocking my vision, seeming to glow in the early Saturday morning light. Curious, I run my fingers through it. It's silky and soft to the touch; its smell is familiar to me. The scent of a winter's quiet untouched morning. The figure in my  bed lets off a soft moan of pleasure at my touch. It's soft and innocent voice sounding so sweet. That's when it dons on me, and the weight begins to stir and looks up at my face with tired yet innocent eyes. Mangle's innocent eyes seep into my soul and I stare back in shock. Finally, the obliviousness wears off and she realizes the situation this looks like.
      We both let out a yelp of surprise and I fall off the bed onto my back with a heavy thud. I ignore the pain searing through my spine as I sit up and continue to hold the line of sight with Mangle. No. No. We didn't... have... no. no. That's absurd!

      "F-foxy? What are you doing in my room!" She exclaims, still oblivious to where she is, which would have been charming in absolutely any other situation.

      "I should be the one asking you that question!" I quickly retaliate and with one quick glance around the room her eyes go wide. Her face turns hot red at the predicament we've both found one another in.

      "Oh my God! We didn't-"

      "NO. NO. NO." I say quickly interrupting her question. "No we didn't!" At this point both are faces are a hot shade of red from embarrassment. An awkward silence looms thickly over our heads. Not one of us speaking a word. I try to think of a way to play this off, but no matter what direction you look at this from, it always looks bad. Even worse so when considering Mangle's sleeping attire. One of my t-shirts that's about two sizes too big and comes down barely below her waist and no pants only her panties as all of her clothes had been soaked by the rain from the prior night. Out of courtesy as well as embarrassment, I advert my eyes away from her and she quickly picks up why and tries to cover her lower section with her hands. This makes her grow a shade of red darker and begin to stammer for something to say.

       "I-I- I'll get out s-so you can c-change!" I exclaim finally breaking the silence before rushing out of the room at lightning speed. God what have I gotten myself into?

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      I eat my breakfast alone and in complete silence, still contemplating what the hell just happened. I mean, I know that Mangle and I kissed last night... well kissed, in my opinion, is a bit of an understatement. But after that, I guess we both fell asleep. Nothing happened. But still, there is this strange feeling in my chest. One I haven't experienced before, or at least in a long time. Anxiety. My stomach turns in knots at the thought of what happened. What could've happened. All of it makes my head spin.

      "good morning." A soft voice says from over to my right. I turn to see Mangle in previous days attire now clean, coming down the stair with the same look I imagine is on my face. I wish her good morning back and get up to grab her a plate. Then it's just us, eating together at the same table, not saying a word. Not even making eye contact with each other. Roughly at the same time, we finish our food and place the dishes in the sink for me to take care of later. The entire time we sat in silence, I had been trying to come up with something to say to break the tension, and am just about to speak when I notice that Mangle is missing.
      Curious, I begin to wonder the house in search of her. I weave in and out of every room before eventually finding her in the lounge room where a grand piano sits in the center surrounded by a number of couches. Mangle sit at the piano and softly strokes the keys before playing a single mid-ranged note, then another in a melodic tone. I stare at her from the doorway with a strange kind of satisfaction. Just admiring her beauty and grace as she moves up and down the keys. The way her hair falls and shines even in the dim lighting. She notices my stare and again the awkwardness returns.

      "Do you play often?" I ask trying to break the silence, which works if only for a second.

      "A little. I took lessons when I was younger." We had come out of silence only to return to silence. I decide the only way the only way to make the situation comfortable is to act like it happened but that it isn't bothering me. I enter the room and take a seat on the piano bench next to Mangle and begin to play a story of chords off the top of my head. It's beautiful and graceful in sound, lighting up the mood and making things feel just a little more normal. Which seems to clam Mangle's nerves.

      "Is there anything you can't play?" She asks in a joking manner.

      "Well, mainly just the cello, but I mean who plays the cello anymore?" (I know many people do, and I respect all those who can. Just don't berate me in the comments. It's only a joke.) We both begin chuckling  before Mangle again looks at me with a fondness in her eyes. A question sits just on the edge of her lips, and she is dying to ask but just can't find the right words.

      "Foxy... What happened last night..." I hold my breath as I wait for the next part of the sentence. Would she say it was a mistake, I wouldn't blame her, but I would be devastated after everything I said. All those emotions and feelings that I had spilled after years of hiding them behind walls.
      "It was amazing... I can't deny that... But what now? What does this make us?" 

      "I'm unsure. To be honest this is the first time I've ever felt this way. What do you want us to be?" She thinks about this for a moment before answering again.

      "Last night when you said you loved me. I didn't say it back because I wasn't sure... Wasn't sure I was ready for something like this. This kind of commitment... but now... I realized that I have been alone for just as long as you have. I may have had my friends to keep me company, but I always felt disconnected from them. Like I was always wearing a mask, and that's not who I wanted to be... But when I met you.... You changed my world. Showed me the truth and made me realize that I don't want to be alone either... I want us to be something, but not for our own selfish reasons, but because I'm also in love with you." Her words are heavy and moving. Never before has someone said that to me. Those exact words. 'I love you.' My heart begins to beat faster and faster, harder and harder with excitement as I deliver my response.

      "Mangle I know what it's like to wear a mask. Pretend to be someone you're not. So I hope that you are able to trust me and I you. And... that you would be my girlfriend." Tears had begun to corner the edges of Mangle's eyes and stream down her face as she agrees with all of her heart and soul. Every corner of my life seems to light up in an instant and I can't stop myself from also crying.
      "Then I promise, no matter what. Nothing will ever keep me away from you. From protecting you. Though things might lurk behind shadows, I will never let anything bad happen to you." We seal our promises to each other with another kiss that has me enthralled in the moment. The intoxicating taste makes me feel, for the first time in a long time I'm able to feel. Able to feel my undying love for Mangle burning everlastingly inside. All my shattered pieces fit perfectly back into place, and make me whole again. Whole again in Mangle's love.