Sunshine & Saltwater [BxB] COMPLETED

la tempête

Ronan knocked on the door. Theo's door, to be exact. He couldn't believe he was here, on a school night. Theo would probably be furious for this, but it couldn't wait. He needed to talk to Theo.

The door swung open and Theo's mother blocked the doorway. He tried to peer over her, but to no avail.

"Is Theo home?" he asked urgently. Theo's mom's gaze on him was sharp. Did she know? Did he tell her? Who cares, Ronan, it doesn't matter. Just find a way to talk with him.

"What do you want," she said coldly. He winced. Theo definitely told her something.

"I want—no, I need, to talk to Theo," Ronan pleaded. The woman's eyes softened, but only slightly. Ronan could tell she was still on guard, like a mother lioness protecting her cub.

"Fine, but you better make it count," Theo's mother said, swinging the door open and walking inside. He followed after, eager and anxious.

What if Theo sends him away? What if he hates him now? What if he'll never get to kiss him again? Or swim in the ocean with him?

He practically sprinted up the stairs. When he got to Theo's door, he took a deep breath to calm his jittery nerves. He lifted his fist to knock when the door swung open. Theo stood behind it, and when he saw Ronan, Theo's eyes widened in mild surprise.

"Ronan? What are you doing here?" Theo asked. Ronan was at a loss of words. No, not a loss, but an overflowing, like there were too many things he wanted to say but couldn't because they all got stuck in his throat.

"I...your mom let me in," Ronan said, barely pushing the words out. Theo's face was friendly enough, but his eyes lacked that usual spark whenever he used to look at Ronan. Theo seemed almost indifferent.

Was this an act?

"Oh, okay. Come in then," Theo said, shrugging nonchalantly, then walking back inside his room. Ronan followed, for some reason feeling more anxious. "Talk," Theo said, smiling, but it was distant and polite, nothing warm and welcoming about it.

"Why haven't you answered any of my texts?" Ronan asked, feeling suddenly breathless. Theo shrugged again.

"I'm sorry, okay? I messed up," Ronan said. Theo's eyes snapped up to Ronan's, glistening with rage. Ronan must have struck something.

Theo's voice when he spoke was like cold steel. "You messed up? Ronan, you told me to go into the fucking closet, ditching me for your friends without warning because you're too scared that someone's gonna find out you like boys. And then the next day you leave me stranded and don't bother texting me until three hours after school. Messed up, Ronan? Yeah, you messed up. You really did."

Ronan stood dumbfounded. When Theo put it like that, Ronan realized how truly stupid he had been acting.

"Theo, I'm really sorry. I don't know what I could say or do to make you believe that. But I'm so sorry. Will you ever be able to forgive me?" Ronan asked, his eyes shining with unshed tears. Theo looked at him with mirroring sad eyes.

"The worst part about this is not you hiding me or being ashamed of yourself in front of your friends. Or even leaving me stranded without a warning. It's the fact that you think I haven't forgiven you yet," Theo said. Ronan opened his mouth, even though he had nothing else to say, but Theo shushed him. "Just—if you want you can pick me up tomorrow after school. I forgive you, so now all you have to do is make it up to me."

Ronan couldn't even think, his whole mind a mess. Did Theo....forgive him? After all that he did in the last 48 hours, Theo forgave him? This can't be possible.