Broken (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 13 - The truth about our world

-Cameron's POV-

Gabriel's words ran through my head on repeat, reliving his story and realising it was all my fault. I was 13 years old when I broke but what I didn't know was that it wasn't just me who paid the price. If only I had held out for longer, tried to escape sooner, maybe I could have saved Gabriel from his pain.

But I didn't, I was weak and caved as soon as it became too much to bear, and now I felt selfish. I didn't know. If I did, would things have been different?

I felt guilty, a horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach. Would he blame me? Somehow, I knew he wouldn't but that didn't make me feel any better about it either.

He deserved to know and I was going to tell him, but the emotions were already so high so I made a decision there and then, as I lay in Gabriel's arms listening to him read; I will tell him tomorrow.

I stayed for a couple more hours before Adrian called Gabriel to say I had to come home. I felt like a child with a curfew, I didn't want to go home, I wanted to stay here with Gabriel. I wonder how it would feel to fall asleep in his arms.

But Adrian has already given me so much, it would be rude to disobey him now, no matter how much I wanted to stay.

Gabriel took me home shortly after that, and not before long I found myself lying on my bed, thinking over the events of my day as I held the wolf teddy in my hands.

My skin still burned from where Gabriel had kissed me on the cheek before saying goodnight.

And now I was trying to think of how I could tell him everything tomorrow. The thought honestly terrified me, but I knew I had to do it, he deserved that much. Come to think of it, they had all been so generous, yet they didn't know anything about me.

I let my fear control me, after all this time I've been saying I don't want to be scared anymore, yet I don't do anything to stop it. I truly am pathetic. But tomorrow things would be different, I just had to suck it up and be brave for once in my life.

They are on my side. I repeated in my head until sleep finally overtook and tomorrows events waited ahead of me.

****

"The sun will come out, tomorrow!" I groaned as Adrian pulled the curtains open, blinding me with the mornings sun as I tried to hide away under the covers.

"Bet your bottom dollar- "

"Shut up!" The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them and I jumped up in bed, staring at Adrian in pure terror, but to my surprise he cracked up laughing.

"Someone's getting more confident or spending too much time with Gabe." He laughed harder, telling me breakfast was ready and leaving the room.

I can't believe I just told Adrian to shut up, how embarrassing...Somehow, I feel like he won't let me live that down.

With my cheeks blaring, it didn't take me long to jump out of bed and rush into the shower. The water was so relaxing, maybe one day I could just stay in here all day. Maybe today...

Shaking my head, I massaged the shampoo through my hair. I couldn't bail out today, I made a promise to myself. Today could either make or break me and whether I liked it or not, I was going to find out.

It was Gabriel's opinion I cared about the most and if he hated me after this, I don't know what I would do but I probably wouldn't be able to stay here. That thought alone nearly made me back out, but I knew I had to do this, not just for me but for them.

My friends. Gabriel, Adrian, Zach, and Kaden. Kaden...I thought about telling him first, he was always the calmest and most understanding, he could advise me on what to do but would I be betraying Gabriel somehow by telling somebody else first?