Salvation : Book 3

CHAPTER 26 : Be Here For You

We sat in silence amidst the slowly swaying trees and the soft howling wind and the whisper-like chirps of crickets. Clouds gathered overhead releasing a drizzle of rain that soaked our clothing but we didn't move. We sat on the muddy ground, as it absorbed the rain and our tears. Our hearts were heavy and pained and I could feel Adrian crumbling in my hands. And as if my hold was the only thing keeping him together, he leaned in closer and I held him tighter; if it was, if I really was the only thing keeping him from falling apart, I wouldn't let go.

    I'd hold him for as long as he needed me to. I'd be there for him the same way he'd been there for me; it's what one did for the ones they loved, they held each other. And I did love Adrian, more than I thought I'd ever love anyone, more than I'd dreamt or hoped, I loved him like the sun loves the west, because it always returns to it. I loved him in ways I didn't know we're possible until I met him.

    I loved every aspect of him, from his cheerful smile to his sparkling eyes, from his soft laugh to his gentle touch. I loved the way he made me feel when he was around. I felt safe, loved and protected. I felt wanted and cared for. I felt strong and daring. He made me want to be better, to be braver. And I hoped I could be that for him, in this moment I wanted to be his strength as he had been mine.

     The time passed, minutes turning into hours and then what felt like months; time lost its meaning. The world around us quickly became distance, stretched far and wide until it was like a spec in the night's sky, too far to reach. What echoed loud to me was Adrian's breathing, it started off frantic, pants between sobs but soon he'd calmed and his breathing became even. His sobs too stopped and eventually his tears dried. I didn't notice it then but I'd stopped crying too. But we still didn't pull away from each other. We couldn't. We had to hold each other.

     In another moment the rain had stopped, and I raised my head to look up at the sky, through the thick trees that shrouded us, and the night that covered us I could scarcely make out the grey clouds. It was still dark, we couldn't have been sitting there for that long then. A breeze blew past us and for the first time that night I felt the cold. I was cold. Suddenly alert to the chill coursing through my body, I shivered.

    Adrian raised his head off my shoulder when I sneezed. He looked at me with furrowed brows and concerned eyes. "You're going to get sick," he said, breaking the silence. His voice was hoarse and small, smaller than what made me comfortable. His voice was like a shadow, not fully there. "We have to get back." I stared at him for a second before I nodded. We got to your feet, I staggered—my legs had fallen sleep—and I would have fallen if Adrian hadn't caught me. He gave me a small tired smile and I straighten myself. He gave me his hand, it was still bruised and cut but it wasn't bleeding anymore.

     "What happened to your hand?" I tried again. He looked away from me pinching his lips together before he shrugged.

     "I punched a tree," he said and my eyes widened but I didn't say anything more than, "Oh."

      We were caked in mud as we emerged from the woods and walked down the deserted street. It was dark, but in the horizon, half shrouded by rain clouds the sun glowed. A few lights in some of the houses had been flicked on and by the time we made it to Adrian's house people were moving out of their homes for the new day. We garnered a few odd looks as we moved throughly covered in mud and holding hands. I couldn't care less about what they thought, I was too tired and cold. I wanted nothing more than to take a hot shower and cuddle up in bed with Adrian.

      Adrian swung open the door and we walked in. The house was in the same state we'd left it in, silent and empty. "You can borrow some of my clothes," Adrian said as I peeled off my jacket. I nodded and we took off our shoes at the entrance before he led me up the stairs.