Date: Mon, 23 May 2011 20:49:10 -0700 (PDT) From: Joey Young Subject: Untitled Love Story, Chapter 12 Usual Disclaimers Apply Untitled Love Story Chapter 12 Author's Note: Thank you to all my loyal readers for keeping up with my insane schedule. I'm sorry for the delay of this chapter, but my muse has failed me again. Hopefully this will be the last time. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter, because I enjoyed writing it. Especially when it addresses a huge milestone for Caleb and Dante. But I digress. And too my favorite ninja editor, Lisa Blackburn. You are an amazing friend to keep assisting me with these stories. I commend you for sticking with me and my long lapses of silence. I will get better at this. Hahaha. I thank you and your positive attitude. It has helped me continue writing these stories, along with the support of my fans. To all, thank you. -Joey Young I sat awkwardly on the toilet bowl while Justin helped me put on my silly mask. I huffed in annoyance as his fingers nimbly moved behind my head. He was wearing a form-fitting white t-shirt that was tucked into a pair of nice black dress pants. The black tie he wore hung loosely around his neck, looking like he carelessly threw it on. But for him it worked. His dark brown hair was pushed back behind his ears, revealing his strong jaw and handsome face. His crisp blue eyes were clouded behind his white mask, which accentuated his endearing face. "Do you need help?" Stacey asked Justin as she rested against the bathroom sink. "I had yours on in less than a minute." Justin clicked his tongue in frustration. "It's this stupid mask," he hissed. "Caleb chose the most complicated one." Stacey sighed once, before moving in front of me, "Here let me get it, before you rip Cale's hair out." Justin surrendered and moved from my side. Stacey bent down behind my ear and tried to fasten the mask to my face. She was wearing a dark grey dress that dragged along the floor. It was strapless and fitted nicely around her chest. The color brought out the dark ember flecks in her eyes and the color of her skin. Her long dark hair was twisted up into a beautiful bun that had a complicated twist. Her dark eyes flashed in concentration behind an identical white mask to Justin's. Instantly I heard an audible click near my ear. "Got it," Stacey exclaimed triumphantly. Justin shrugged indifferently, "It's cuz you have smaller fingers than me." Stacey smirked, "Whatever you say, Justin." "Thank you," I replied in relief. I got up and moved to the door. Stacey stopped me before I could move any further. "Don't you wanna look at yourself before we leave?" she asked as we stood in the doorway. I shook my head, "If I look at myself before I go, it will only make me more nervous than I already am." She nodded in understanding and grabbed the edge of her long dress. Justin hooked his arm into hers and pulled her after me to the stairs. I descended feeling slightly self-conscious as the main floor met my feet. Suddenly a bright flash blinded me before I even stepped off the last step. I blinked repeatedly and tried to make the spots disappear. "I think I'm blind," I commented as I walked in a tiny circle. I heard my mom laugh. "Sorry, honey, just wanted a candid shot before you left," she said as another flash went off to my side. "Wow," I heard Stacey exclaim as my mom got them with her camera. "My retinas just fried." I chuckled as my sight returned and I saw my mom eagerly watching us with her camera. "I wish Dante was here so I could get all of you," she said disappointedly. I sighed, "Mom, I told you his practice ran late and he'll meet us at the dance. You'll have plenty of time for pictures after." She sighed too, "Alright, alright. Well let me at least get some of the three of you together. Then all of you separately." Stacey giggled at my mom's enthusiasm and pulled Justin into a pose. "Say, 'three musketeers'" my mom called out to us. "Three musketeers," we all said simultaneously as she snapped the picture. My mom ran over to us and showed her handy work. We were all smiling and holding each other by the shoulders. Stacey was in the middle and Justin was on her right. We all looked like siblings ready to attend some fancy dinner, but on top of all that we looked happy. Happy as a family. ~*~ It was eight o clock and they still hadn't arrived. I stood near the punch bowl, sipping on a cup of red juice. Students walked past me, the boys were all eyeing the food, pulling their dates after them. Some of the girls were looking at the food too, but a few were watching me surreptitiously. I smiled to myself and looked in their direction. Immediately they looked away in embarrassment. I didn't mind that I caught people's attention, but the only one that ever caught mine wasn't here yet. He was the only one I wanted to see. I tapped my foot impatiently and grabbed another glass of punch. I checked my watch again, 8:03. Damn it's only been three minutes. I sighed and downed my whole glass. I looked around at the interior of the ballroom and admired what they had done. The decoration committee had bathed the room in white gossamer sheets that made the room bright and modern. White cubes hung from the ceiling emitting different forms of light. Round tables lined with black table clothes ran around the dance floor and accentuated the white. The dance floor was completely white with blocks of hard tiles that changed colors progressively. All in all a nice dance. Suddenly I noticed a boy with golden hair walking right toward me. He was wearing a dark blue tux with silver cufflinks. My skin seethed angrily as he walked up to me arrogantly. His eyes blazed with superiority. I knew the reason why he came over. "Dante," he greeted with a hard nod as he poured himself a cup of punch. "Drew," I replied coolly and stared toward the entrance, trying to keep myself controlled. He loudly sipped his punch as he moved to my side. I breathed deeply, but kept my cool. "Where's Caleb?" he asked cockily as he drank his juice. "I would've thought you two came together." My teeth ground in annoyance at his assumption. "I don't see why that's any of your business," I replied calmly and turned to look at him. He just grinned broadly and stared back. "Listen, Giordano, I'm not giving up on him," he replied just as calmly. "You may think that you've won, but let me just tell you. I care about Caleb, more than you can imagine. . . And you're just a small inconvenience that's easily disposable." He sniffed and took a drink. I felt assured of my stake in Caleb's life after he said that and grabbed another glass of punch. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Caldwell," I replied as I looked back to the entrance. Just as Drew was about to say something back to me, we saw the one person that could always shut us both up. Caleb. My heart swelled at the sight of him. He stood in the doorway, timidly searching the room for me. I felt some unbelievable joy at the thought of him looking only for me. He was wearing a white long sleeve button up shirt, which hugged his thin frame. He didn't wear a jacket but only a black vest that was buttoned up. His black tie hung loosely from his neck, making him look even cuter. His whole appearance gave off a warm innocent glow. The small black mask he wore accentuated his features greatly. His boyish face was hidden from me as his dark mahogany hair lightly brushed his forehead. His big brown eyes searched around the room, before finally resting on me for a split second. He smiled widely at me, before looking to my side. Instantly his smile shifted subtly into unease. I wished Drew would leave already. But he was too busy staring at Caleb to do anything else. We stared at the one thing we had in common. The only thing we could ever fully agree on. The boy we both loved. ~*~ I moved across the room, winding between beautifully arranged tables, trying to reach Dante and Drew. I hastily squirmed between two dancers, making both Dante and Drew smile at my awkwardness. I smiled back, but to whom, I wouldn't know. I jumped over someone's foot and landed in front of them, making them both chuckle. "Hey," I breathed as I walked to Dante. He smiled and grabbed my hand. "You look unbearably cute tonight," he whispered as he drew me close. I smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you," I replied warmly and took a look at him. "You don't look too bad yourself." Drew huffed in annoyance, making me turn to look at him. "You look handsome too, Drew," I commented and walked up to him, giving him a quick hug. It thawed him out a little. "Thanks," he replied gruffly and kept his arms lingering around me, before I moved back to Dante's side. I glanced at Dante whose face was a guarded mask. He looked remarkably handsome in his black tux. He went traditional and wore a bowtie, instead of a regular tie, but the look suited him. The tux formed around his lean frame, tapering at his thin waist. The dark mask he wore made his golden hazel eyes sparkle with brilliance underneath the twinkling lights. His usual dark stubble was all wiped clean and smelled of light aftershave. His hair was swooped up into a formal spiral above his forehead, making him look like a model on a runway. Drew on the other hand was a little different with a dark blue suit. The dark blue made his handsome face more angular and sharp. His white teeth flashed with radiance whenever he smiled. His golden hair curled around his ears and accentuated his blue suit. The suit hugged his broad shoulders and framed his lean body nicely. He wore a black mask, which made his already blue eyes sparkle with a deep hue. "Sorry I'm late," I whispered and grabbed the drink Dante offered. "Traffic and valet were a nightmare. That's why I hate coming to social events. I mean seriously, valet? For a school dance? And would you take a look at the decorations? It's unbelievable what they splurge on. Don't you think?" I turned back to look at him and saw that he was smiling amusedly. My cheeks flushed with chagrin. He lightly brushed it with his free hand, cooling it down. "I know, what you're going to say," I replied evenly. "Just enjoy tonight, right?" "Please," he breathed and leaned down to kiss me. It was a light kiss that I ended abruptly. I looked back to the punchbowl but Drew was already gone. I felt slightly guilty for ignoring him like that, but shrugged it off. Other students were sitting and talking, only a few paid us any attention. The news of two guys dating died out fast and hardly anybody wanted to contest Dante's physique, so we were accepted as the norm. In fact Dante's team thought that his attitude helped them perform better on the field. All in all a very open minded school for the modern age. Dante gently tugged my hand and pulled me to the dance floor. I tugged back in shock. "Nobody said anything about dancing," I said nervously as Dante easily dragged me onto the white squares. "Come on, love," he answered. "Just one?" His eyes were beautiful behind his mask and begged for me to agree. I stared around at the other dancers and saw that none of them were paying attention to us. They were all to busy staring at each other. "Just one?" I asked cautiously as he smiled brilliantly. "Just one," he answered as the song shifted to a slow melody. "And if you want more, just tell me." I smiled timidly and grabbed his outstretched hand. He grabbed the other and held it away from us as he pulled me close. I danced slowly with him and thought he looked so dashing in his black mask. It made his soft green eyes sparkle beneath his long lashes. I sighed contentedly and rested my head on his chest. His arm wrapped tightly around my waist and held on like I might float away. We swayed on the large dance floor and nobody gave us a second thought, except Drew, who caught my eye over the dance floor. He stared at us with obvious contempt, while he danced with a random girl. He locked eyes with me and stared at me beseechingly, like he wanted something. Oh, right, I was supposed to believe he wanted me after weeks of avoidance, physical and emotional pain, and constant degradation that spewed from his mouth. No, I wasn't going to let him get to me. I am going to enjoy this night with Dante, like I should. Softly I nudged my head into Dante's shoulder and closed my eyes. He seemed to make the same realization I did and whispered gently into my ear. "Are you having fun?" he asked teasingly, but I could sense the honest curiosity behind his voice. I stared up into his hazel eyes, "Yes I am actually. And you were right I should just enjoy my time instead of considering all the costs and preparation this took." He chuckled and squeezed me tightly, "Wow, you got all that from, 'are you having fun'?" I laughed and swatted his arm, just as the song ended. We stepped apart and clapped for the band. He smiled widely showing all of his teeth. He looked so handsome in his black Tux that it made every guy pale in comparison. Suddenly stiff competition walked up to us, towing along that random girl. He walked up to us and nodded silently to Dante. "Drew," Dante answered coolly and smiled at the girl. "Shelby." Oh, so that's who it was. She was wearing a white mask that showed off her light brown eyes. She wore a white slim dress and had light brown hair that spilled around her shoulders. "Hey guys," she replied excitedly as the band started a new slow song. "Dante may I have this dance?" Dante smiled and turned to me, I just nodded my approval. He grinned and kissed me on the cheek and escorted Shelby to the dance floor. Drew stared at me fully, making me feel uncomfortable. I smiled timidly at him and turned around, hoping to get away from him. Quickly I moved to the punch stand, where they had trays of food and drinks. I was starving anyways and had been eyeing this table since I got here. Of course Drew followed. I moved about the table with a plate and randomly grabbed anything that was edible. Drew followed me in line and pretended to grab stuff too. I reached the punch bowl and moved to pour myself a cup, but Drew already began to pour me one. I sighed and dropped my food onto the table in annoyance. I glanced around the ballroom and saw the library door off to the right. I dashed for the door and opened it. Nobody noticed my departure, except Drew. I turned on him the moment we got into the Library. "Why do you keep staring at me?" I exclaimed in frustration. "Isn't it bad enough that I have to see you at school everyday? It's hard enough to even talk to you, without being insulted or degraded. I get it, you're angry. And I'm sorry, but how many times do I have to say that before you finally understand." He just stood at the doorway and stared silently at me with his beautiful blue eyes. "Stop staring at me!!" I yelled. "I can't breathe or think when you stare at me like that. I'm with Dante now, don't you get that? I can't have you starting at me one day, then have you slapping me or insulting me the next. It's exhausting trying to keep you in my life. And you make it even harder by staring at me. So stop." Suddenly his eyebrows knitted in frustration and he frowned angrily. "You think I wanna keep staring at you?" he asked harshly and stepped forward. "Do you think I like feeling this way? Feeling in love all the time with some boy, whose already taken. You know, I would love to close my eyes and not see your brown eyes for once, or to smell my clothes and not think of you. I don't want to stare at you, but I can't help it. I'm in love with you." He quickly grabbed my waist then and whipped off my mask. I gasped at the sudden movement and squirmed in his arms. "I can't stand watching Dante have his hands all over you," he growled as he pulled his mask off too. "I stare at you because you're the only thing I see. You're the only thing that I want to see and when he holds you like that, I get jealous. Cuz, I wanna be the one holding you, while he just stares and I wanna be the one to kiss you on the cheek, while he just gets stolen glances. . . . And I want. . . . .this. . . . . ." He trailed off then and leaned in to kiss me on the lips. His hand caught my wrist before I could slap him and held it behind my back. My other arm was pinned beneath his, while he held my waist. His lips formed around mine gently, but I started to fight back. I bit his lip, which produced a growl out of him, but he didn't give up. Slowly he pushed me against the large bookshelves and rested my head against it, holding me there. His kisses became slow and passionate. His tongue slipped into my mouth and I so badly wanted to bite it, but he grabbed the roots of my hair and pulled back harshly. I hissed with pain, but couldn't do anything about it. He moved his body between my legs and forcibly spread them. His kiss was long and ardent which made loud smacking noises with our lips. Eventually I just shut my body down and did nothing. I didn't kiss back or move an inch of my body. He didn't seem to register this fact until he was about done. He kissed me lightly once, then twice, then three times, before he figured out I gave up. He frowned in frustration and released me. I hopped to the floor and stared up at him. "I love him, Drew," I whispered softly. "I'm sorry." I moved to walk around him, but he stopped me. "I'm not giving up this easily," he growled angrily. "I will keep fighting for my chance, until the day you die." I gulped quietly, feeling a lump in my throat, "Good, cuz I need you around more than you need me." He slowly released me and let me get my mask from the floor. I slid it over my watery eyes and walked back into the dance. A few seconds later, Drew followed. Dante was waiting for me by the punch bowl holding a plate of food. He smiled at me as I approached. "Hey where'd you go?" he asked and handed me the food. "Just had to take care of some business," I replied vaguely. He frowned in concern. "Is everything alright?" he asked again. I turned and glanced at the dance floor, where Drew was joining Shelby. She smiled widely at him and he only grimaced in response. I quickly looked away before he noticed I was staring and turned back to Dante. "Everything's fine," I replied with a small smile. He frowned in confusion but couldn't voice his concern as Stacey and Justin joined us. "Hey guys," Stacey exclaimed as she crammed an appetizer into her mouth. "Did you dance yet? It's so fun." Dante's confused demeanor shifted into polite courtesy as he turned to Stacey. He chatted with them as I started to restack another plate of food. I glanced up a few times in Drew's direction but he was still dancing with Shelby and pointedly ignoring our area of the room. Suddenly I heard someone whisper lightly next to me. "He'll never be with you," a nasally voice said behind the huge ice centerpiece in the punchbowl. "Yeah, uh-huh," I replied quickly and popped an appetizer into my mouth. "What are you doing here?" "Oh just enjoying the dance and noticing the constant glances you keep giving Drew and his date," the voice replied nonchalantly which made me turn then. It was Alley of course and she was wearing a dark dress that matched her long dark hair. She looked pretty for someone with such a vicious heart. She wore a mask with a large feather attached to the side. It quivered as she downed a glass of punch and turned to look at me. "I wasn't staring," I argued defensively. "I was just admiring the, uh, glowing boxes." She grinned widely and threw a keish into the air, where it landed onto the table without a care. "He's lying too you, you know?" she suggested as she grabbed a plate and grabbed some food. "He has no heart to love anyone. And the best he can do is casual sex." "You're the one lying," I replied, starting to get angry. "Am I?" she asked cockily and placed her plate onto the table. "Has he confessed his undying love to you yet?" I gulped unconsciously and stared at the dance floor. It was horrible timing. My eyes immediately locked with Drew's who slowly danced with Shelby in a slow circle. I couldn't break the stare even though I wanted too. I don't know if he could see Alley but at the moment the only thing I could think of was his eyes. His eyes were beautiful and dark beneath the dim lighting. His hair was a dull gold that glowed whenever the white cubes flashed yellow. "I'll take that as a yes," Alley sneered with venom which made my heart ache. Eventually I broke away with a huff of pain. Pain from guilt. Pain from love. But most of all, pain from longing. "Why do you care so much?" I asked then and turned on her. She just merely crossed her arms and took a stance. I noticed then that she was wearing long black boots with a wicked heel. Somehow that was more intimidating than her actual presence which was saying a lot considering our past together. "I don't," she replied honestly. "But does he?" "Stop," I hissed angrily. Quickly I grabbed her wrist and twisted it. "Why can't you just leave us alone?" I asked, my blood beginning to boil. "Us?" she replied in disbelief. I back pedaled and tried to correct myself. "I mean me," I replied quickly. "Why can't you leave 'me' alone?" She just grinned wickedly and leaned forward, drawing me and her wrist forward. "Are you getting angry?" she goaded as she twisted her wrist the opposite way. My grip didn't even seem to phase her mood and our encounter hadn't even caught anyone's attention. I gripped her wrist harder as my anger began to take over. She just smiled her wicked smile, prompting me to use all my strength. My hand shook with the effort but I wanted her to feel the pain I felt, especially the destruction she caused. "Oh," she exclaimed softly with a chuckle. "It seems I'm not the one being affected." She pointed then to my nose and laughed again. This time her laugh was more of a cackle than a laugh, which made my anger fade instantly. I let go of her wrist then and dabbed my nose, feeling the sticky fluid already. "And he thinks you're so special," she exclaimed in disgust. "Shut up," I whispered sadly as the blood stained my white sleeve. She just kept laughing as the blood ran down my lip. Suddenly someone tapped her on the shoulder making her turn around. Within less than two seconds I heard a loud thwack and saw Alley's head swivel on her shoulders. She landed with a loud thud onto the floor at my feet. I looked up then and saw Stacey shaking her hand off to her side and staring at Alley's motionless body. "I've been meaning to do that," Stacey said with a huff as she slowly stretched her fingers. Alley just laid on the floor howling at my feet, while cradling her injured face. "You okay?" Stacey asked as she hiked up her dress and stepped over Alley's body. I nodded dejectedly and took a quick look around me. Everyone was watching me now and could see the blood slowly leaking out of my nose. I could see a few of them murmuring to one another, but I didn't know what they were saying. Immediately I stormed away to the huge double doors to the entrance. My hands were slick with sweat and shacking with pain. My chest contradicted with short breathes which started to make my head dizzy. Stop, I thought angrily. You're making yourself sick. I pushed past people trying to form a path, but it seemed like they were intentionally trying to block my way. They stared at me in bewilderment as I aggressively shoved through them. My lungs felt thick with constriction and my throat felt closed off and dry. I slowly started to hyperventilate but I was nowhere near the exit. Eventually I began to draw a crowd as the teachers saw my brisk path. My mask moved into my sight, but I quickly ripped it off in annoyance. "Caleb!" I heard a teacher exclaim in alarm as I broke through a group of students. I didn't turn but kept going to the main exit. My body prickled with heat as I stepped on the first step. Students stared at me wide-eyed not hiding their expressions. I stared back at a group of kids with fear and they reached out to me in concern. I stepped back just as they reached for me. I turned then to the whole ballroom and saw that everyone was staring at me with concern. I could see a few teachers moving to my spot, but they weren't as determined as two individuals who cut a path through the crowd with ease. I could make out Dante and Drew's figures as they ran to my spot, not caring to cause anyone pain. My head swam with dizzying spots as I looked up at the flashing cubes. I could hear a loud ringing in my ear but nothing else. The music had stopped playing and only the ringing in my ears was audible. I turned then and stared at my blood stained hands, before I moved up the steps and out the double doors. I didn't hear anyone calling my name, so I continued down the hall as the blood continued to flow down my lips. I don't know why I didn't stop the bleeding. Maybe it was pointless too or the idea of seeing the blood scared me, but I didn't stop it. I shook like a leaf as I slowly walked down the hall. I was afraid to see what was behind me. I was afraid to see the pity in my classmate's eyes. I never wanted to see the horror on their faces again. I was afraid to even look down. So instead I held my head high and resolutely kept one foot in front of the other. After a few doors and two hallways later, they caught up to me. Dante's face was determined and strong as he spoke to me, but strangely I couldn't hear what he was saying. His mouth moved but no sound reached my ears, besides the loud ringing I heard the whole time. I turned then and looked to Drew questioningly. His face was a worried mask of concern as he guided me forward. I didn't know I was shivering until Dante slid his coat around me. I moved robotically and only managed to move a few steps before my legs gave out under me. Immediately they both crouched down next to me and stared at me worriedly. Dante turned to Drew and asked him something I couldn't hear. Drew shrugged once and replied back to him. Finally Dante scooped me up into his arms and carried me through the halls. I curled up into Dante's chest, making him look at me worriedly. He spoke again, but I couldn't hear what he said. Swiftly he cradled my head and buried his nose into the crook of my neck as we walked down the hall. My body felt weak and I couldn't do anything but lie in his arms. My right arm slid from my lap and lazily lolled to my side. Instantly I felt a warm hand grab it fully. Drew held it tightly as we exited through the mansion's front door. His face was hardened into a mask, hiding his emotions. The last thing I saw was the bright stars dance around my vision, which reminded me of the night I first met Drew. ~*~ "Why didn't he tell me it was this bad?" Drew asked me angrily as I slid into the back of my car with Caleb. I huffed angrily but ignored him as I cradled Caleb on my lap. The collar of his white shirt was spotted with blood and so was his left wrist. His soft features were still with unconsciousness under the dim lighting of the mansion's lights. I could hear the teachers yelling at us to stop, but Drew already had my car in reverse. I looked up then as we pulled out of the parking lot and zoomed past a set of confused adults. They only got a glimpse of me with Caleb before we were through the main gates. "Where to?" Drew asked coolly as he hit the main road. I pushed a lock of Caleb's hair back from his forehead and lightly kissed him on the temple. "Caleb's house," I replied evenly. "His mom will be there and I'm pretty sure Stacey or Justin called her, already." At that I pulled my cellphone out and dialed Justin's number. He answered on the second ring and sounded like he was outside. "Where are you guys at?" he asked breathlessly as I heard Stacey's car alarm beep. "We're headed to Caleb's. I don't want to take him to the hospital unless we have to." I replied softly. "We'll meet you there," was all Justin said before he hung up, leaving me alone with Drew. "What did they say?" Drew asked from the front seat as he signaled onto the freeway. "There meeting us at the house," I replied indifferently as I slowly started to wipe away the blood from Caleb's mouth. The metallic smell of his blood subtly began to waft up to my nose, which for some reason had me on the verge of tears. I roughly pulled at my bowtie and broke it loose. I unbuttoned the first few buttons of my shirt before suddenly ripped the collar open. Angrily I threw the tie and buttons onto the floor. Tears stung the back of my eyes but I gritted my teeth in determination. He will not die, he will survive, I chanted in my head as I gently moved my jacket around his shoulder. Slowly I grabbed his wrist and held it in my calloused hands, memorizing the soft texture of his beautiful skin. Abruptly Drew's voice broke my thoughts. "He will live, I know he will," he said determinedly as he drove down the interstate. "Caleb is strong. . . . Stronger than me. . . . He will live." "How can you be so sure?" I replied in despair as a tear escaped and landed on Caleb's cheek. "I can't," he replied honestly. "But I know he'll make it through this." "What if he does?" I asked harshly, but not meaning too. "What then, huh? More empty words of strength. . . . This isn't some baseball game where the strikes just determine a game. This is a person's life and right now Caleb's running on strike 5." I glared at him in the rearview mirror as he drove silently. I could see his expression in the mirror and was surprised to see that his casual air of arrogance was gone. He sighed tiredly, "Don't you think I know that. . . ." Immediately my anger began to fade and I could see that this was taking a toll on him too. I sighed in frustration and tightened my hold on Caleb's waist. Gently I caressed his cheek and positioned his head in the crook of my arm. "I'm sorry. . . . It's just. . . Just. . . " but I couldn't finish the sentence. There were no words to describe how I felt. "Complicated?" Drew stated calmly from the front of the seat. "That's an understatement," I replied bluntly and stared back at him in the rearview mirror. Drew stared back evenly but kept the car perfectly aligned on the road. We were still driving on the interstate and I could see the bright lights of stores and buildings winking at us through the window. We remained silent for most of the journey and only spoke when we debated the best route to Caleb's house. Ultimately Drew won the argument. "I wonder why he couldn't hear us, even when we yelled at him," Drew asked openly. I had wondered that too, but wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one before I voiced my opinion. "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure Trudy will have an explanation," I replied tiredly. I stroked Caleb's cheek just as Drew said the one thing that had been on my mind all evening. "You know it's only going to get worse from here, right?" I shivered at the statement, but shook it off as a reflex. "The only thing I know is that I'm going to get him help, no matter what," I replied sternly and stared out the window at the passing houses. "I've talked to my parents about him. . . . And they're willing to help pay for treatments that could make him better." My heart tightened at the mention of treatments, because I know what Caleb would say. He would say that he refuses the treatments and would rather die to give away his heart than fight. It seemed Drew was in sync with my thoughts. "He won't do it, you know," he answered superiorly. "I've asked my parents too and they have oncologist friends. . . . They all say it's his choice to accept treatments or not. . . . And I won't force him to do something he doesn't want to do, even if it is life threatening." Instantly anger flared through me as I read into the meaning of his words. "See that's what sets apart, you and I," I replied brusquely. "I will do whatever it takes to keep Caleb alive, even if it means forcing him to take treatments. Because I'm not the only one who is affected by his choices. WE'RE not the only ones. . . ." "He has family. Family that loves him more than us. They can not force him to see his errors, but I can and after what happened tonight, I will. . . . I don't want to be brute and demanding, but I see no other way. Caleb is my life. . . . I'm tied to him like I've never been tied to anything in my life before. . . . And to lose him would be a tragedy that would leave me lifeless and dead. So, yes, I will do whatever it takes to keep Caleb in my life, while you placate him and try to gain his love back." I could see Caleb's house as we pulled up the street. The front porch light was on and I could make out the very distinct shape of his mom's shadow on the steps. Her slim arms were wrapped tightly around her small frame as the wind whipped through the yard. Drew became silent as we approached the driveway. He parked behind Trudy's small car and immediately shut off the engine. Slowly I began to move across the seat as Drew opened the door for me and Caleb. Trudy was calm and collected as I carried Caleb to the front porch into the bright light. She only grimaced once at the blood staining his shirt but guided me into the house. I was impressed at how prepared she was for our arrival. The small living room looked bigger as the couches and end tables were pushed to the walls, making room for the large coffee table at the center. It was covered with a thin blue sheet and had a small pillow near the end. Gently I placed Caleb onto it and stepped back as Trudy began to examine his eyes. "What happened?" she asked in a clipped tone, which was somehow more aggressive than a scolding. Drew spoke before I could and brought her attention along with it. "He ran out of the ballroom and started to bleed, then he collapsed in the hallway," he answered as Trudy stared at him with curiosity. "Who are you again?" she asked pointedly to Drew. "Uhh, Drew Caldwell, a friend of Caleb's," he replied quickly. "Oh," she commented but was interrupted when Stacey and Justin barged in still fully dressed. "Is he alright?" Stacey asked breathlessly as she and Justin moved to Trudy's side and stared down at Caleb's still form. "He's fine, just unconscious," Trudy replied, soothing everyone's concern. "He will wake up but not for awhile. He needs the rest." "There was something else," I stated woodenly as Trudy held Caleb's hand. She turned at the sound of my words and waited expectantly. I locked eyes with Drew before speaking. "He couldn't hear anything we were saying to him, even when we were yelling right at him. I think his hearing wasn't working." I heard a sharp intake of breath from Stacey as I said the last thing. Trudy's face twitched involuntarily and I seen Justin's head duck somberly. I looked to Drew for an answer but his face was blank with confusion. "What?" he asked for the both of us. "It's another symptom," Trudy replied gravely as Stacey whimpered in pain. "Signaling the end." ~*~ My head pounded with each of my heart beats as I slowly began to wake from what felt like a long nap. I groaned in grogginess as I rolled over, suddenly colliding with something firm and solid. I opened my eyes slowly and sat up. I was in my room, bright light filtered in through my window at a slant, which probably meant it was late morning. I turned to my side and saw Dante lying peacefully on his side. His right arm was extended over my pillow and his left was placed lightly over my waist. I smiled happily and stretched my arms widely, before resting back onto the bed. I curled up into his hard chest and stared up at his handsome face. Light stubble lined his chin, even though I was sure the last time I saw him it was shaved. His long lashes shadowed his light caramel eyelids and his hair was messy with sleep. I noticed that he was still in his dress shirt, when he abruptly started with a jolt. He jumped with a grunt, before settling back with a sigh. Instantly he noticed I was awake and pulled me into his chest. He cradled my head and slowly inhaled my scent. Quietly he began to chant into my ear how I scared him and how much he loved me. Suddenly I realized I could hear. "I can hear!" I exclaimed happily and wrapped my arms around his lean waist. He stiffened with shock and he pulled back to see my face. "Really?" he asked in surprise. "You're not just saying that?" "Yes, I can hear," I replied with a chuckle. Again he pulled me to his chest and whispered, "I love you" into my ear. I laughed wholeheartedly and ran my hands through his soft hair. "I love you too," I whispered back fiercely. ~*~ "Right here," I whispered as Dante carried me to the small love seat in the living room. He placed me on the small couch and crouched near my head. My mom and Stacey were in the kitchen making me a light lunch while Justin was playing a videogame on the TV. The little characters were shooting each other and Justin's character was taking out most of them. Dante chuckled as Justin angrily flung his controller to the side after his guy died. I yawned tiredly, and saw from the corner of my eye Justin and Dante move as if I was going to fall. I smiled at them and patted Dante's arm. "I'm fine, just yawning," I said dismissively. They instantly relaxed and somberly sat in silence. Suddenly the sound of the doorbell made them jolt with surprise. I laughed at their shocked expressions. "It's just the doorbell," I replied with a chuckle and got up from the couch. "Relax guys. . . .I can get it." I moved to the door and opened it with a smile, before it immediately disappeared. Quickly it was replaced with a confused and angered expression. I stared at the porch and stepped out onto the wooden paneling. Two things registered in my head as I closed the front door; annoyance and unfamiliarity. The girl standing in front of me brought up both. "Yes?" I asked confusedly as she held a small bouquet of flowers with a 'get well, soon' card in the front. I stared around her at the porch and noticed tons of identical flowers and cards lining the banister of the porch along with candles, posters, and banners. "I, uhh, heard about your condition and I wanted to send my regards," she replied nervously as she assessed my reaction. "I'm the student council president and I wanted to just give you these." She extended the flowers and card to me as if somehow it would make up for the problems I had. For some asinine reason this annoyed me to no end. For the longest time people in school ignored me and shut me out, but now that they heard I was sick and dying they took it upon themselves to make amends. It didn't work that way. I cocked my jaw annoyingly as she spoke about how sad she was for me and how she would miss me. To me it sounded like she was feeling sorry for herself rather than conveying her condolences. "Thanks, but I'm pretty sure I'm not dead yet," I replied peeved. "Oh, I'm sorry," she replied apologetically and stepped back. "I didn't mean to sound like your death was inevitable." Instantly she understood what she said and she stepped back onto the steps. "I think I should go," she said as she moved to walkway. "Again I'm sorry, Caleb." And she was gone, leaving me in a sea of empty apologies and tokens of self-depreciated pity. I stood their feeling disparaged until I heard the front door open behind me. "Who was that, love?" I heard Dante ask from the door, before he noticed the flowers and cards. "Oh, wow, aren't those nice gifts." That was all it took before my anger took hold of me. Instantly I dropped the flowers and kicked them off the porch into the yard. I ripped the card in two and threw the pieces to the floor. Roughly I began to wordlessly scream and tear up all the useless tokens of sadness that reminded me of this horrible disease. I grabbed a handful of vases and slammed them into the wooden floor, shattering the glass all over the porch. I could hear Dante yelling at me to stop but I ignored him. I stormed to a huge banner tied to the porches pillars and I yanked at it. The flimsy paper gave way to my brutal attack and the paper crinkled under my hand. "I'm not dying," I screamed to the banner as I tore it from the pillars. I could feel my bare feet tread over the broken glass, but felt none of the pain. My head pounded with anger as I feebly began to run out of things to throw or tear. My hands were red and bloody with tiny cuts from the glass and thorns of flowers. The whole time I screamed at the top of my lungs things I didn't even remember. Finally after everything was destroyed and I crumpled to the floor on my knees, Dante came to my side. "I'm not dying," I whispered brokenly to him between tears as he lifted me up into his arms and carried me inside. "I know, love," he whispered back as he straightened out my hands. "I know." "I'm not dying," I repeated to no one as Dante carried me to the nearest bathroom. "What happened?" my mom asked concernedly, but I couldn't answer her. "I don't know," Dante replied brokenly which made me feel worse than the physical cuts did. "But he's bleeding pretty bad." "Can you hold him on the toilet bowl?" my mom asked as Dante walked through the doorframe of our bathroom. Her voice was no longer concerned, but controlled and focused. It was the usual tone she had when it came to emergencies and business that required her full attention. "Caleb?" she asked gently as she turned the faucet on to wet a cloth. "This is going to hurt, but the glass is embedded into your skin. I have to take out all the pieces in order to clean it, okay?" I just nodded and buried my head into Dante's chest. His arms slowly twined around my shoulders and held me tightly as my mom pulled out the first shard of glass. Immediately I whimpered in pain as the glass left the heels of my feet. Dante rubbed my shoulder as she slowly continued to take out the next few pieces. After several minutes of fiddling with my feet she cleaned around the edges and covered the cuts up with gauze, effectively healing my mistakes. My palms were easier to deal with and only took a couple of minutes. Once done she slowly began to clean up, evidently staying away from bringing up what just happened. I turned to Dante and whispered, "Can you take me to my room?" "Sure," he replied gently and stood up with me. I cradled my injured hands on my lap while Dante ascended the stairs. He didn't speak a word the whole time, even when I was safely in bed. For some reason I felt empty and tired of everything. I just needed refuge in the silence that accompanied isolation. I was tired of talking about my feelings. Tired of expressing my fear. Just tired of being. Silence just seemed like a peaceful compromise that kept the outside world at bay. So, when Dante asked if I needed him, I replied with an honest, no. I couldn't even register the hurt expression on his face as he left the room. Instead I reveled in my own self pity and climbed back into my turtle shell. I knew it was wrong to drown in my own depression, but I felt like I needed a reality check at the moment. And what better way than reliving all the pain I had caused to those I loved including myself. So there I laid, for what I would have liked to say days but in reality it was just until my mom couldn't take it anymore. "That's it!!" she exclaimed with frustration. "Caleb, get up." I could see the outline of her under my thin sheets, but I couldn't find the strength to move the sheets myself. "Caleb, sweetie," she said more tenderly than before. "I know it's hard, but you've got to eat something." I moved then and pulled the sheets over the tip of my nose and exposed my eyes. I glanced at her, but she was just smiling warmly. Her eyes melted with warmth as I slowly began to sit up in bed. "Was it all just a dream?" I asked softly which made her eyes shimmer. "I'm sorry, honey," she replied as she shook her head. "Cause it feels like it. . . . I mean I feel like I'm still floating . . . . Just floating," I stared at her trying to convey my mind's confusion. "Do you know what I mean?" Sadly, she shook her head. "I don't honey, I'm sorry, but I do know someone wants to see you." I groaned then and squirmed back into my sheets a little. "I don't want Dante to see me like this," I mumbled through the layer of sheets. "I look horrible." She laughed then, "Okay, how bout this. . . . You take a shower, get ready, and brush your teeth. Then I'll let Dante come in. Deal?" "Well, okay," I replied quietly. "But why the sudden interest in Dante seeing me?" She smiled, "I just want you to perk up. You chastise yourself too much." At that she left and softly shut the door. I groaned again and threw the sheets over my head. I laid beneath the blankets until all the oxygen left the small space. Slowly I pulled the blankets away and sat up with my feet dangling over the side of the bed. Stop! Dante's waiting for you! Again I groaned and stood up from my bed. Determinedly I walked to my closet and I fished around for something to wear. I grabbed a dark grey t-shirt and some jeans, which were the only things I had that weren't covered in blood. I made a mental note to do laundry as soon as possible. After getting my clothes I took a shower. The hot water ran through my hair and trailed down the side of my face. I stood in the shower's direct stream for quite awhile until the water started to grow cool. With a quick twist of my wrist I turned off the faucet and got out. The whole room was clouded with steam, which threatened to suffocate me with its heavy presence. I wiped away the excess water from my mirror and revealed my reflection, which wasn't as bad as I thought. I had lost a considerable amount of weight, which showed in my cheekbones and neck, but my hands had healed to little pink scars. It was a big improvement considering my previous state of awareness, and I was willing to take it. I got dressed immediately and combed out my thick mahogany hair, which would always look the same. Once done I looked at my reflection again and saw my old self. The Caleb, who was just happy reading thick books and eating Twizzler's. I smiled at the thought, but briefly before I left the room. The moment I stepped off the stairs I knew something was wrong. For one, everyone was too carefree and smiling to really put anyone at ease. Secondly, Dante was dressed warmly despite it being early autumn. And finally he held a large basket lined with thick linens, like he had prepared food for an event. I eyed them all suspiciously as Dante stepped forward, hand extended. "Ready, love?" he asked softly as his eyes melted. "Where we going?" I asked quietly as Justin and Stacey silently went back to the movie they were watching. "You need a break," he replied with a crooked smile. "And I'm providing that." He sensed my paranoia and chuckled with loving humor. "Trust me, love. Just a break." Hesitantly I grabbed the hand he offered and looked up at him. "Okay. I trust you." ~*~ The air was amazing as it blew over my face. A few seagulls flew by and plucked a helpless fish from the water. I stared in amazement as they flew away to eat the poor fish. Dante laughed at my shocked expression, making me look at him. "Poor fish," I stated with disbelief. "He had no fighting chance." Dante laughed again from behind the stern of his parent's boat. He wore a thick black sweater but the air was nice and cool with warmth. The autumn season hadn't affected the temperature of the sun which reflected off the oceans waves. He steered the boat as I sat on the edge, peering out over the open sea. We had been traveling for the past 30 minutes, but we had no destination, just freedom and privacy. "You have a strange tendency for other's safety except you own," he replied as he lifted his favorite pair of shades onto his head. "It's adorable." He smiled at me beneath his sun kissed skin, which added to his rugged good looks. His soft black hair blew in the wind, but kept its usual swoop above his head. His teeth glinted in the bright sun as his rough hands moved the boat West. I smiled back, "When are you going to join me? You've been sailing since we left." He chuckled then and stared out over the water. "It's nice, I like it," he replied. "It's like the purest form of freedom, especially when there's nothing to run into. . . . Would you like to try?" Immediately I perked up, "Really?" He grinned crookedly at my sudden enthusiasm. "Yeah," he replied happily. "Come here." I got up and placed the large blanket off to my side. I walked across the small deck and jumped to his side. He gently grabbed my hand and placed on the wheel. I could feel him quietly align his chest to my back as his hands glided over mine. "Now be careful," he warned as I felt his calloused palms wrap around my hands. "The waves can jerk it out of your hands." I gripped the wheel tightly as he adjusted himself behind me. One foot held us steady, while his left arm wrapped securely around my waist. "Now what you'll want to do is ease it slowly to the right," he said softly in my ear, which was very distracting. "Yes, like that." His hand was placed firmly on my belly, which was making it very hard to concentrate. I could smell the sweet scent of his breathe on my ear as he gave me simple directions. "Very good, Cale," he commented even though I had no idea what I just did. "See, you got the hang of it." Slowly he started to step away, but I didn't want him to stop. Without even thinking I let go of the boat's steering wheel and twisted in his arms. My lips connected with his, creating a long dormant spark that took control. The boat rocked then and had us careening to the side, where I landed on top of him. His lips were soft like the inside of a rose petal. Our kisses weren't sweet little brushes. They were long arduous displays of passion. My tongue fought wildly with his, but neither would win. Our breathes were heated and animal like, but that only fueled our desire. His hands were everywhere. In my hair, under my shirt, on my ass. My hands were on the same path, but I was only aiming for one thing. The one thing I hadn't touched before. I reached then below his belt and past his tight briefs. Thick hair ran under my fingers, but that only added to his insane masculinity. Finally I touched the one thing that belonged to me. It was semi-hard but twitched at my touch. It was warm despite the cool weather and soft as velvet. My hand barely wrapped around the shaft which was quickly growing to its full potential. My lips formed around Dante's low guttural growl which made me even more excited. Suddenly Dante grabbed my hand and slowly withdrew it from his pants. "What?" I asked in alarm. "Did I hurt you?" He chuckled then and looked at me. His eyes were bright with sexual excitement. "Not in the least," he replied warmly. "But I need to drop the anchor so we can go somewhere more private. Otherwise, well end up near Alaska." I laughed in relief as he got up and started to drop the anchor. I stood up then and stared at him as his powerful arms went to work. He turned then and smiled handsomely at me. "Why don't you get warm, I'll be there in a minute," he said tenderly. I nodded then and gave him a quick kiss. "I love you," he whispered just as I pulled away. And that confirmed my belief. I was ready to make love with Dante. Now and always. Please send comments to untitledlovestory23@yahoo.com