Bab 31: Chapter 29
" Where're you going later on?" I tried my luck for the second time. I was curious,and I didn't see any reason why he couldn't tell me.
" That's still none of your concern, "
He tried to stand,but I pulled him back down easily because I was still holding his hand.
" Friends tell each other things. "
" Then I'd like to tell you to let go of me please. "
" Fine then, I'll just follow you and figure it out myself. "
He immediately turned to me with a bored look, he knew I wasn't joking. If I wanted to know where he was going then I would know. I felt as if it was my right to be aware of everything that had to do with him. Sighing, he run a hand over his face. Then he asked me not to do that. And when I asked him why I couldn't he told me whatever he was going to do was private.
" It's about my mom, " he briefly explained, letting me conclude whatever I wanted to. And judging by the look on his face, I could easily tell that his mom had mostly likely not changed. I would have asked what exactly his mom had done,but I didn't. The limit wouldn't let me, and I also didn't think he'd appreciate me prying that much. If he wanted to tell me then he would, otherwise I had no choice but to be content with whatever little he had told me.
" Oh!" he suddenly said, sitting up straight and turning to face the left where I could clearly see the kitchen.
" I didn't even offer you anything to drink, "
The fact seemed to truly bother him, but I assured him I was okay.
" Sure?"
I nodded, then I let go of him and he looked down at his free hand with an inquisitive look. One laced with quite a bit of disappointment. But that look was gone as fast as it had arrived. And I watched as he fisted the hand and placed it on his thigh, them he swiped the tip of his tongue a cross his lower lip and stared at the empty space in front of him.
" Go out with me tomorrow, " I asked. He frowned and looked at me with the most perplexed look. Wanting to ask me something but not knowing exactly how to phrase his words.
In the end he settled for, " Out?"
I nodded, fully aware of what he was assuming.
" Not like that Stevens, " I clarified with a smirk. Then I told him we would just be going out as friends, and to catch up because we had been apart for such a long time. He seemed to be thinking, then he shook his head and told me he couldn't, and before I could say anything he went ahead to explain.
" It's a school day, and I have to get to work immediately after, "
" What about after work?"
" It'll be too late by then?"
" How late?"
" I get off at eleven, "
My eyes widened in unhidden shock. And I started wondering whether he even got enough sleep. That was really late, and when you added the time it took for him to get from the store to his home, and then to finally get to bed, I concluded that he must have slept close to or past midnight.
" Eleven? " I asked when though I had heard him clearly. He nodded.
" But maybe during the weekend, I have more time then, "
The weekend was too far. He was basically asking me to wait an entire week before we could hang out like we currently were. I doubted that I possessed that amount of patience, but there was nothing I could do so I just nodded my agreement. The most important thing was that we were finally talking again, and that he wasn't trying to shut me out like he had been doing since I arrived there. And plus I was always busy as well. I had been willing to sacrifice some time but there was nothing I could do if he was always tied up. In th remaining time, we'd talk...then we'd grow quiet and listen to the silence. Even though he had decided to stop icing me out, he wasn't completely over everything. I sensed that he didn't trust me as much as he used to. And I knew it would take time to rebuild the sort of bond we used to have. But that was a task I didn't consider difficult. He had and would always be the one person I felt most comfortable with. And even after five years of us neither seeing nor communicating with each other, that hadn't changed.
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KYLE'S POV
I gave in...of course I did.
It was Austin after all. I was no match when it came to him, and deep down I had known that it was only a matter of time before I let him in again. And now that I had I felt weary about what would happen. I couldn't take back what had happened, there was no way for me to turn back time and undo what I had done, and even if there had been one I doubt I would have done so.
I would probably never understand what we were. Why he made me feel all the complex and strange things I felt each time he was close. And now that he had left, I couldn't help but wonder where I had gotten the courage to ask him in what sort of way did he love me. If he hadn't been suspicious before then he definitely was now. I was currently outside this local bar named " Zest " A drunk Timmy had called me that morning and asked that I go and pick up my mom. A few months or years back, I would have left everything I was doing and ran to take her. But I was tired already, and I had decided that I'd finish up everything I had to do first before I prioritized her. It's why I had called Austin over first, I hadn't wanted him to come over while my mom was around. And I hoped that they'd never even see each other because I'd feel completely ashamed.
I walked into the bar, I couldn't even name the number of times I had gone there for that same purpose. It had become a routine. I narrowed my gaze, fighting the urge to cover my nose because that place sincerely stinked. It was slow, there were only a couple of people there, and when I couldn't spot.mom I walked over to the bartender..Casey, we were well acquainted with each other. Each time he we me he always threw me this sympathetic look. I greeted him and then shrugged.
" She still here?" I asked afterwards. he pursed his lips apologetically and shook his head.He was in the process of drying some glasses.
" Left about an hour ago with Tony, you know? He's the guy that works in that gas station, you've seen him a couple of time, "
I had. He had dated my mom some months back but they had broken up. I thanked Casey, then I walked out immediately because I was in desperate need of fresh air. When I got outside I took in a deep breath. My mom was like an uncontrollable child. It was extremely difficult to keep tabs on her. And I wasn't going to bother going over to Tony's house just to get her, I'd tried that once with another one of her exes and it hadn't ended well. That had been the first time I had gotten into an actual fight where I had intentionally hit someone. But I had learnt that when it came to my mom, it was wise to jus let her do whatever she felt like, she'd eventually go back home. Even if it was after a week.
I just felt awful because had it not been for her, I'd have spent more time with Austin. And now that he has already gone, I didn't even know what to do. I wasn't in the mood to read, I'd spent all of my morning studying and it was only logical that I take a short break first. Max and Kira were most likely busy spending time with their families. I walked back home, and once I got there I just went to my room and threw myself onto my bed.
My room wasn't at all large, it was just large enough to store all my things and to fit a bed. But I always arranged it in such a way that it gave the illusion of being bigger than it actually was.
And as I closed my eyes, I thought of the tattoo on Austin's chest. Of the burning urge I had to see it again..much clearer this time. I wanted to inspect it completely.
I just wanted him close again. I was starting to feel how I used to when we had been younger, like any moment that wasn't spent with him wasn't meaningful because I only felt alive whenever he was with me. And I had a feeling that it was dangerous for me to think that way. He made me feel too much, sometimes e was all that existed in my world. To a certain extent, it didn't even feel sane.
But I had no power over it, he was what I craved most if not all the time. For lack of anything better to do, I went out on a walk in an attempt to clear my mind. To try and get my brain to think of other things, but it was no use.
Even in his absence he took over my thoughts.
The next day at school, I saw him standing by his locker, Miles was next to him. I had been about to head to the library to return a book but I found myself watching their interaction. It was still strange, watching them two of them talk like they were friends. And he had admitted that they actually were. Miles was one of those people who prioritized how they looked. And he always went for the expensive and flashy things. I didn't pay much attention to such things, but Max had once told me it was rare to see him wear the same thing twice. He also owned a sports car. And most of the other students often stated that a party wasn't a party unless Miles was present.
His dad was a renowned priest. There was a billboard of him in town, and the resemblance between them was too striking to go unnoticed. I just never understood how his father could not know what his son was up to. Because in as much as Miles was a nice person, he also did some things which I wouldn't consider to be right in the eyes of the Lord so to speak. But I never paid much attention to such matters. My only concern was that Austin was nothing like Miles.
If I were asked to pinpoint the similarities they had, all I could come up with was their families' social status. Nothing else came to mind. Despite what most assumed, Austin was actually an introvert at heart. He was quick to anger and liked to speak his mind, but he still preferred to stay somewhere he felt peaceful. I was the same. I always believed we had gotten close because for the first time, each of us had found someone that they actually enjoyed talking to.
I watched as Miles handed Austin some sort of paper, I was sure it wasn't school related because school was nowhere in Austin's list of priorities and cares. He took the paper and went through it, then he nodded and smiled before telling Miles something that made him laugh. I watched as Miles patted his shoulder, then they spoke for a few more minutes before he walked away. And as soon as he did, Austin turned towards my direction and winked. As if he had known all along that I was standing there, watching them.
I watched as he put his finger up, silently asking me to stay put, then he closed his locker and began making his way towards me. I looked around, at the moment everyone was too busy chatting on their phones or talking to their friends, but I was certain that there were some who'd be watching us interact just so they could confirm what they had been hearing.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone