Husbands But Not

35: Vermilion 2

Noah

Maybe it was hopeless. Maybe Kent wasn't worth it. Maybe I really was trying in vain. We weren't an item. We didn't date; we didn't have a romance, or one of those movie moments where you find love in the eyes of someone you did not expect to offer it. Strange how the first place we look for love in is the eyes.

What was I to you, Kent Sinclair?

A friend?

A best friend?

A love interest?

A boyfriend?

A husband?

Not?

It seemed impossible. For someone in my place, it actually was impossible. I was sixteen, I had slightly better driving skills than an ape. I had the same amount of money as an ape, too.
My capabilities allowed me to barely travel across Rivertown. To seek a journey to Ripplemills was the definition of madness.

It didn't take us long to find out Kent's dad transferred him to a different school in a different town, all the way across Parkridge State.

I was sad, a lot. I was very much ruined. Kent and I were walking down a road that was going to be drawn as a memory lane later on through canvases of our imagination, and our memories were gonna be the colours. Kent's eyes dancing around in mine were going to be the strokes that painted the paths to come. We didn't get the chance to.

In many ways, I was glad we had what we had, despite how little it was. Some people never get the eye contact, the brush of arms, the scent of clothes, the comfort of company... The physical contact, the holding of hands... The kisses.

Some don't get the slightest peck.

I was thankful we at least had those moments. These were enough for me to build something in my mind that will forever remain, no matter what the future held for us, an image of a beautiful Kent Sinclair.

The beautifulest image in my mind.

While in someways I had given up on what we could've been, in a lot of ways, I wasn't giving up on Kent.

It was hard to convince my parents to let me stay at Spyder's on a school night. It was harder to lie to my parents about staying at Spyder's. It felt like I betrayed their trust.

With the poem neatly tucked in my pocket, I met up with Spyder and Raiken. My parents thought I was sleeping at Spyder's, while Spyder's parents thought he was sleeping at Raiken's. As for Raiken's scary ass parents, I didn't wanna know where they thought he was.

"We're so gonna be in trouble." I said reassuringly.

"If my dad finds out I'm going to the Devil's Alley, he's gonna make me see the actual devil." Spyder admitted.

"If uncle Harken finds out I'm trying to sneak into his nightclub, he's going to turn into the devil himself." That didn't help my ever growing anxiety.

What were we doing? Who were we looking for? We had a piece of paper to lead us, and nothing else.

The bus arrived at last.