ALONE [manxman] ✓

BOOK TWO

Julian Douglas: sophomore in college, star athlete, a guy who seems to have his life together, at least by everyone else's' standards.

There's something missing though, a significant other if you must. Being single in college is every man's dream but being single after you're sure you've already met the love of your life... That's enough to drive a man crazy.

Still, Paul Jones, an artist with over six million subscribers on YouTube, showcases in art galleries across the country, and a smile that could make angels envious... He's hard to let go of.

: : :

"I'm your boyfriend, Jules." He looked so sad then, so completely vulnerable and it was my fault. It was all my fault and I didn't notice until it was too late. "Do you forget that?"

Maybe I did. Maybe I thought ignoring him would stop these feelings from surfacing, that missing him wouldn't take over if I never thought of him.

And Paul had sighed, his hands coming up to wipe the few tears that hadn't fallen. His cheeks were flushed, he'd done enough crying for the day, and his hair was all over the place from his frustrated tugging. We'd both looked rough but seeing him just as a mess as I was... it made my heart hurt.

So did his next words and I knew he'd already given up.

"Do you wanna be with me or do you just not wanna be alone?"

[TRIGGER WARNING: MAIN CHARACTER IS DEPRESSED. This story deals with mental illness and alcoholism.]