Bleed Into Your Mind (KELLIC)

3

The next morning, I woke up bright and early, not that I got much sleep the night before. Knowing Kellin was once again with me had me feeling all giddy and excited. I made a promise to myself to leave him alone for the night though. He was overwhelmed with finding out I was still alive and that we were together again, so I gave him the night to recollect his thoughts.

Now though, it was morning, and I knew he'd be hungry, so I headed down the basement stairs with a bowl of cereal. It wasn't exactly your fancy five-star breakfast, but it was the best I could do given the circumstances.

He was awake when I saw him. He was sitting in the corner and when I switched on the light he looked up at me, squinting. This was all still so surreal to me. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that he was alive and I had him back. Seeing him first thing in the morning was a true gift. He was beautiful.

"Good morning. I hope you slept well." I said.

The shy boy didn't respond. I went over and sat on the mattress, facing him.

"I have some food for you." I said.

I undid one of his wrists, freeing it from the constraints of the rope. I held the bowl out towards him but he didn't make a move to take it.

"Eat." I ordered.

Once again he didn't say anything. He sat there staring at the wall, paying no attention to me or what I was offering.

"You need to eat something." I sighed. He finally looked at me.

"Please let me go. You know this isn't right." He said.

"It is right," I snapped back quickly, "You and me...here...together...There's nothing more right in the world."

I knew he knew I was right. I could see it in his eyes as they teared up. It was still taking him a while to accept all of this, and I didn't blame him. I set the cereal to the side and moved closer.

"Aren't you as amazed as I am that the world brought us back together?" I asked.

He didn't answer. I held back my annoyance, trying to be understanding of how he was feeling but I honestly needed him to snap out of it right now.

"You have no idea how happy I am that you're here. That you're alive." I said.

"I wish I wasn't." He whispered.

"Oh honey, shh. Don't say such things." I hushed him.

As a few tear drops fell down his cheeks I reached out and brushed them away. I'll always be here to brush away his tears. I had to be patient with him. He would come around eventually. He had to.

"How is this even possible? I saw you jump." I asked the question that had been nagging in the back of my mind since I first saw him again.

Kellin looked away from me, almost like he was ashamed. Of course he was. He led me to believe he was dead. He should be ashamed of that. I refused to believe it was his idea though.

"It was the police's fault, wasn't it? They found you alive, but didn't fine me, so to keep us apart they made you fake your death." I said.

He still wasn't talking to me so I took as a sign that I was right.

"Were you in witness protection?" I asked.

He slowly nodded. I sighed and shook my head.

"You don't need to be protected from me." I said.