Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:05:37 -0800 (PST) From: Joey Young Subject: Untitled Love Story, Chapter 20 Usual Disclaimers Apply Author's Note: I'm sorry for the continued delay, loyal readers. Its just been chaotic and hopefully this chapter will make up for that lack of devotion. And I wish to thank you for your support and love of this series. Hope you enjoy this chapter. And again I lovingly thank the ninja editor that is my friend. -Joey Young Untitled Love Story Chapter 20 "AHHHHHH!" was all I heard for the next minute as I held the phone to my ear. It had barely been a day since we had become engaged and everyone worth telling knew about the impending nuptials. Dante's family of course was the first to know. They were surprisingly welcome to the idea of Dante marrying me, especially when it was two boys, not a boy and a girl. But the one most excited was Dante, who always tried to mask it with faux indifference. "Is your mom still screaming?" he teased as I held the phone higher up on my ear. I smiled and nodded silently. His arms were around me, as we sat on a small loveseat. My legs were casually thrown over his lap, where I was practically sitting on it. He leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, before going back and talking to his cousin about the soccer game. I was comfortable regardless and waited patiently for my mom to calm down. "Mom?" I asked quietly, once the phone had gone silent. "Mom?" "Yes," she called breathy. "Yes I'm still here. Oh my god, Cale! When did it happen?" I sighed and rested into Dante's lap ready to tell the story again for the tenth time. "A day ago," I replied vaguely. "Here at the house actually." "Oh, honey," my mom cooed, before I heard sniffles on the phone. "I'm so happy right now, you have no idea." "Ahh, mom," I whispered and gritted my teeth. "I'm happy too. I mean it was all a huge surprise. It's like a national holiday here." I could hear her sniffled laughter, which meant the waterworks were diverted for awhile. Dante and his cousin chuckled to themselves after hearing my joke. "Oh, Cale, I can't wait to see you. When you coming home? Stace and Justin are bugging the crap out of me." I laughed, "We'll be home in three days mom. And I can't wait to see you too. Where are Stace and Justin?" "There out of town actually, but they'll be home tomorrow. Have you told them yet?" "Not yet, but I will. I just thought you should've been the first to know." I heard her laugh again, "What about Belle and Giovanni?" "Oh, they know. Dante told them earlier this evening. We've barely had time to ourselves since we announced everything." Again my mom sniffled, "I just can't believe it. Oh, Cale, you're growing up so fast." Gradually I began to hear her cry again, which pulled on my heart strings. But I waited a few minutes before speaking again. "Mom, I love you," I whispered into the phone as I got up from Dante's lap. I could feel his gaze zero in on me, but I ignored it. I squeezed past a few of Dante's relatives or should I be calling them my own. I mouthed a silent, sorry, to them as I stepped over their feet. They just smiled and parted quietly for me. "I love you too, honey," my mom replied, after I took our conversation outside. "And I'm so happy for you. It's only a mother's dream to see her child so happy and loved. There is absolutely nothing else I can say or do, but feel momentous joy in this one moment." I smiled and stared at the backyard of Dante's grandparents' house. Tears softly began to stream down my face. I moved to a picnic bench and sat atop it and stared at the lush grass. "Thank you, mom. And I am happy. I have been for a while now." "That's good, honey," she answered her voice thick. "How have you been feeling? Medically, I mean." Instantly my heart froze over and my palms became clammy. "I've been good. I'm taking my medicine daily and Dante's walked with me everywhere." This was not the time to tell her about my episodes. "Oh, good," she breathed happily. "So how is my future son-in-law?" I gulped in relief at the subject change. "He's amazing, mom," I replied with loving compassion. "Honestly you should see him. All he does is smile and kiss me, even in front of his family. It's cute." My mom laughed. "You know it's like how dad was with you," I stated joyfully. "Remember?" There was a short pause and I knew I had put my foot in my mouth. "I do, honey," she finally replied. Her voice was calm and warm and I knew she was thinking about my father. "He would have been so proud of you, Cale. Even now, when we have all this craziness surrounding us... I'm proud of you Caleb." I laughed a breathy laugh, "Oh, mom, you're gonna go and make me cry." She laughed too, but I could hear the distinct hitch in her voice. Gently my hand began to tremble and I wiped profusely at my nose. "Sorry, sorry," she called through the phone, before I heard her blow her nose. "I'm just an emotional wreck." I chuckled wetly, "I guess it runs in the family." Suddenly I heard my name being called. I turned and saw Dante making his way towards me, his face concerned and loving. I smiled and waved him over, his face still showing distress. "I'm fine," I whispered to him as he drew near. I reached for his hand and tangled my fingers with his. My mom was still blowing her nose and regaining her composure to notice my distraction. "You okay?" Dante asked, his brows furrowed in concern. I laughed, "Just the old Pierce family waterworks." Instantly his face smoothed and he wrapped an arm around me. "Good, I was getting worried there for a moment." I squeezed his fingers and wiped my tears on his grey shirt. My mom immediately began to talk on the phone. "Cale? Cale? Are you there?" "Yeah," I quickly responded. "Dante just came to check on me." "Oh, let me speak to him," she squealed, her voice chipper again. I looked up at him and grinned widely. His face was kind and open as I handed him the phone. "Mom wants to talk to you," I whispered and saw his face blanch in surprise. "Hello?" he said into the phone. I watched as his face relaxed and he smiled faintly. I could hear my mom burst with audible chatter, while Dante gentlemanly took her volume with grace. I grabbed his large hands in both of mine and silently began to play with them. "Of course I will," he said and looked at me. He chuckled lightly but continued to listen to whatever my mom was telling him. I sighed softly and rested my head against his shoulder. Knowing my mom, it would probably take a while before I got him back. "Yes, yes, uh-huh," was all he kept saying between light chuckles and kisses on my head. "I will. Thank you." I just continued to sit in silence and reflect a little. I'm getting married. The actual physicality of it hadn't settled in yet and it took some getting used too. I sighed and thought errantly about Justin and Stacey. I smiled at the idea of telling Stace. She would freak. Justin probably already guessed this would happen. Abruptly it happened. Like a jolt of electricity it stabbed my heart with a piercing pain. Drew. Quickly I jerked from Dante and slid off the picnic table. My legs were shaky and my head pounded with each heartbeat. I felt like throwing up, but it all seemed to be in my head. I heard Dante get up, but I turned and raised my hand to stop him. He was mid-stride, with the phone still against his ear, when he froze. "I'm fine," I whispered, while avoiding his penetrating gaze. "Seriously, I'm fine." I smiled for his benefit and saw him shuffle his feet impatiently, but he listened. "Just give me a moment," I whispered more to myself as I closed my eyes. "Heartburn." The Drew door had opened, practically broken at the hinges and my heart poured out undeserved love for him. And pain, always pain. Immediately I tried to shove the door back closed, but it was too late. I had felt something for him, even for a moment and now I had to deal with the consequences. So, instead I tried to focus on my previous moment of happiness and on Dante. He still stood near the picnic table, but he was kindly ending the conversation with my mom. "Of course, Mrs. Pierce," he answered. "I will. Thank you. I love you too. Yes. I will. Bye." Once he hung up, he moved to my side. His hands latched to my waist and he pulled me to his chest. He made me look at him and he examined my face with a concerned clinical expression. "I'm fine," I lied between clenched teeth. "Just a little spasm." But it didn't qualm his fears. "Are you sure?" he insisted. "You looked like you were in pain." I coughed and brought my finger to his furrowed eyebrows. I smoothed them out and kissed his lips lightly. "It was just heartburn, I promise." He eyed me for a moment, but seemed to believe me for the most part. I just saw the tiniest tightening of his eyes. "Let's go inside," I suggested and pulled him through the lush grass. ~*~ His arms were warm as they held me in the water. I giggled as he flicked a pile of foam into my face. He chuckled deeply and readjusted his thighs underneath me. I could feel his long member resting against my cheek, which was almost as distracting as his breath on the nape of my neck. His hand ran a sponge across my arm, which trickled soapy water across my bare skin. I sighed and rested my head back on his shoulder. "This is nice," I whispered before I leaned in a kissed his dark stubbly jaw. He grinned and applied the sponge to my neck. "We can always do this you know?" he replied, still grinning. I rolled my eyes, "Yes. We can bathe each other for the rest of our lives." He chuckled lightly, "What I meant was, we could always have nice times like this. At home I mean." I breathed and smiled unwillingly. The idea intrigued me. Softly I felt the brush of his lips on my jaw. "When do you think we should have the wedding?" I asked. "Hmm," he mused as he continued to kiss my jaw and neck. "It depends. How does Caleb Giordano sound?" Instantly I snorted. "Why Giordano? Why not Dante Pierce?" He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders slightly. "It doesn't matter to me, love. I wouldn't mind being a Pierce. In fact, it has a certain ring to it." I grinned and turned to look at him. Already his gold-green eyes found mine. I lifted a wet hand and brushed it through his damp hair. "How bout Caleb Pierce-Giordano?" His eyes melted to a soft green gold and he smirked cutely. "We'll work it out, love. There's no rush." I slowly nodded back. "Or should we be?" he asked, sensing the new change in energy. "Well..." I answered. He stared at me expectantly. I sighed and moved in his lap to stare at him directly. "What happens if...you know?" He just frowned in response, "No, what?" I groaned. He was going to make me say it out loud. Suddenly it seemed to click in his head and a dark cloud passed over his expression. "Oh," he breathed and looked at me. "Listen, you don't have to worry about that. I won't let anything hurt you. I promise." I smiled affectionately and caressed his cheek. "That's very noble, but I'm pretty sure you can't fight cancer cells." Instantly he growled and tightened his grip on my waist. He twisted me in his lap and wrapped my legs around his waist, straddling his lap. I noticed his neck was strained with tension, so I ran a finger across it, trying to relax the muscles. His hands remained at my waist as he continued to speak. I could feel his large package against the bottom of my crack, but the thought of sex was far from my mind. "Caleb, I understand that I'm no match for cancer cells. I know that. But what I'm trying to tell you is that I won't let you give up. And I won't let anyone hurt you or take you away from me. Not now." "We will get married. And I know this, because as a man, I love you. I have never felt so strongly about someone in my whole life than the way I feel about you." "It's taken me this long to realize it and now that I have. Well..." He smiled widely and gently shrugged. "Let's just say I won't go down with out a fight." His eyebrows had knitted into a thick wrinkle, which made me realize that this really bothered him; my reluctance to fight. So softly I touched his furrowed brow and straightened it out, which not only relaxed his face, but his whole body too. He laughed a breathy laugh and loosened his hold on my waist. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get that serious." I smiled faintly, "Its okay." He sighed and gently began to rub my back beneath the water. "Do you wanna get out now?" he asked as he softly kissed my wet shoulder. I nodded lightly and moved from his lap. I watched as he got up from the bronze tub and stepped onto the tiled floor. The soap suds ran along his abs and thighs, leaving behind clear sparkly trails of caramel skin. His large meaty shaft slapped softly against his inner thighs as he walked to the towels hanging on the hook near the door. His ass was round and dimpled as he reached for a beige towel. I smiled and rested my chin against the lip of the tub, admiring the view. He took a minute to wipe away all the excess water, while I gazed hungrily at his whole body, watching the way his muscles moved. His hair created a halo of darkness around his handsome face, which was smiling at me. His golden green eyes stared back at me as he wiped at his chest. His pecs had gotten slightly hairy, which was new. The nipples were surrounded with a light dusting of dark hair that trailed to the middle of his chest and down to his belly button. My eyes followed it to his abdomen, which v-lined to his muscled groin. I gulped quietly as I saw for the first time that his dick was slightly protruding from his shapely pelvis. His balls hung loosely from his shaft and were covered in black scraggly hairs. Slowly he began to walk towards me. I felt the water trickle around me as I moved and stood up in the tub. "Need help?" he asked huskily as he moved to the lip of the tub. I nodded silently, unable to mouth any words. "Here," he whispered as he wrapped the thick towel around me. "Better?" I blushed and smiled softly, "Much." He grinned widely and leaned in. "Good," he replied as his lips touched mine. He parted them softly and breathed shakily, which only made my head dizzy. Immediately I felt my legs buckle, but he was prepared for that. His large arms grabbed me and hefted me from the tub. I could hear droplets of water falling back into the tub like light rainfall. "I don't feel that tired," I whispered as he carried me back to the bed. He chuckled and rested me on my feet beside the bed. "Neither do I, love," he responded as he began to towel me off. I smiled and let him dry me off. I watched as he carefully dried every limb I had. He was extra careful with the soft mounds he loved. Gently, he ran a hand along my butt, making sure it was dry. I shivered at the casual touch as he finished up. Once he was done we both crawled into bed naked. "When do we leave?" I asked quietly. He sighed and pulled me into his chest. "The plane leaves at 1, so probably in the morning." I groaned and rested my head on his large bicep. "I don't want to leave." He chuckled and moved his hand to my thigh, where he slowly began to rub it. "We can always come back, if you want. My family would love it." I looked up at him and stared into his gold green eyes. "With my mom, next time." He laughed and squeezed me lightly, his arms felt warm and secure around me. "Of course, you silly beautiful boy. Of course." "Good," I whispered with a pout, which only made him laugh again. Gently he leaned down and kissed me on the nose. "Now, sleep. We have to get up in the morning." I groaned again, "But I'm not tired." "Well what do you wanna do then?" he asked with a chuckle. I smiled and softly hitched my leg around his hip. "Well," I replied. "We just took a bath and I saw that you needed attention." I didn't even have to say another word, before he pulled me on top of him and we started to make love. I laughed as he growled and kissed me urgently, while throwing the blankets around us. "We are going to be so late tomorrow." ~*~ The tinted windows provided enough shade for my sleepy eyes as we passed through the streets of Taylor. I yawned lazily and wrapped my arms tightly around Dante's neck. His right arm rested along the steering wheel, guiding the car down the street, while his left arm held me softly. I felt comfortable and warm on his lap. Safe. "You still tired, love?" he asked quietly and kissed me on the cheek. "We could always go home and rest." I smiled into his shoulder at the idea of skipping our engagement party. I did like the thought. "Very tempting," I replied groggily as I ran my hand along his chest. "But it's intended for us. I don't want to disappoint our parents." I could literally feel his joy radiate throughout his chest after I said, 'our parents'. He liked the plural use of the word of parents as much as I liked saying it. "Are you sure? We could always stay in tonight." I yawned happily at his suggestion, but shook my head lightly. "No. We have to go, otherwise all their hard work would be for not." He chuckled and shuffled his lap, making more room to relax. "Well take a nap, until we get there. It'll be another 15 minutes." I sighed heavily, but let the soft drum of his heart and the low hum of the car drift me off to a short nap. "Just 15 minutes," I stated resolutely. Dante always seemed to indulge in my small desires. If it was up to him I would never touch the floor, but instead be carried around by him. He laughed and leaned down. His nose softly grazed my jaw, before he kissed me lightly below my ear. "15 minutes, love." ~*~ "Honey, where are you going?" my mom asked as I bounded down the stairs and headed to the front door. "Caleb's back," I heard Finn's dry voice answer. I grinned at his words and reached for my keys hanging on the wall. "Oh, Drew," my mom said with a sigh. "Just leave them be. You'll just complicate things." Instantly I stopped mid-grab and I turned to look at my family. My mom was half-seated next to my father, like she was about to get up. My father's hand was barely restraining her from running towards me. Finn was just staring emptily at the television, not even looking at me. My father breathed and rested his other hand under his chin. "Your mother's right, Drew," he said with a solemn expression. "It's best if you just left them alone. That boy has been through enough already. He doesn't need this too." I clicked my tongue in annoyance and frowned at him, "You don't know him like I do. And his name is Caleb." Slowly my dad rose up from his seat and took a step towards me. "Drew, it is unhealthy for you to be infatuated with this boy, when he's clearly in another relationship. We're just trying to help you." I sniffed angrily and wiped at my nose out of furious habit. I counted to ten in my head, trying to slow down my heart rate and keep from yelling. "It's not like that. He loves me too." "Oh, honey," my mom whispered softly. "I'm sure he does, but does that love cover everything. What happens if he--" But she froze and didn't complete her sentence. I smirked wickedly, without humor. "What were you going to say?" My mom shook her head and looked to my father. He sighed, "What she means is, god forbid, what if Caleb doesn't make it past the next year. What then, huh, Drew?" "I'm stronger than I look," I scoffed as I moved to the door. I heard soft shuffling, but I ignored it and twisted the doorknob, ready to bolt if they tried to make me stay. Suddenly my father stated quietly, "He's engaged, Drew." My hand quivered on the knob as this new information sank in. "They're back, and engaged. But did he ever once try to tell you." Hot stings of pain shot through my eyes but I gripped the handle tightly and shook my head vigorously. "You're lying!" I yelled back, without actually looking at them. "He loves me!!" My arm shook heavily with my shattered heart and all I could make sense of was the tearing in the center of my chest. The pain radiated throughout my body, like a ripple of heat and anguish. The only thing holding me to this earth, was barely even holding on to me anymore. "We found out today," my mom whispered. "His mother made a visit. We, along with her, believe that this will only end badly." I growled and threw the door open with one quick tug. The door crashed into the side of the wall, making the glass shake in its frame. "Drew! Where are you going?!" I heard my mom call to me as I sprinted across the lawn to my truck. "Drew!" my dad bellowed, just as I jumped into the cab. With a loud rev of my engine I backed out of the driveway and sped away. My thoughts and emotions seemed to fall behind as the passing streetlamps became blurry in my tear filled eyes. He loves me, was all I kept thinking as I drove towards the only logical place I could think of. Caleb. ~*~ Beautiful black and silver balloons lined my back yard and music seemed to fill the atmosphere with a light tinkle of piano keys. The lawn was covered with small tables lined with white tablecloths, which made the other colors blaze to life. Twinkling lights were placed in the surrounding trees, which threw the shadows of people into beautiful prisms of light. I smiled and gripped Dante's shoulder as he recited a joke I had heard before. I laughed at the joke and took a sip of the apple cider I had. I badly wanted something stronger. Everyone I knew was here. From the nurses at the hospital who knew our family to Josh, who looked better than before. Dr. Williams, was holding my mother tightly against his side as they talked to a group of people congregated around them. I smiled and winked at my mom. She just smiled back and raised her glass. Dante's parents were quietly sitting together, hands entwined, and speaking softly to each other. They seemed content and in another world that no one wanted to interrupt. Dario was running around the yard with other little kids, laughing and being incredibly mischievous. I laughed and smiled at him as he passed, his little nose scrunched in concentration. "Having fun?" I whispered to him as he passed. He just smiled and nodded enthusiastically, before disappearing under the nearest table. I laughed again and stared back at the gathered guests. A few of Dante's relatives were standing at the buffet table, picking at the food, while the others were dancing. Justin and Stacey were already on the dance floor, gazing into each others eyes. They were the only young couple out there, which provided a stark comparison to the other dancers. "Let's dance," I said to Dante, interrupting what he was saying. He smiled and softly glided his hand across my face. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern quickly coloring his expression. "I'm fine," I lied as I pulled him to the dance floor. He chuckled and addressed the people we had just left. "Excuse me for a second, while I dance with my fianc ." They all laughed bubbly and went back to discussing what I interrupted. "Feeling suffocated," he whispered into my ear as he pulled my arm around his neck. I smiled sheepishly, "How did you guess?" He grinned and gently began to sway us to the rhythm of the song. "There are many things I love about you, Cale. And subtly just happens to be one of them." I just grinned and rested my hand on his shoulder. "So," I replied, changing the subject. "When do you think this shindig will be over?" He laughed loudly and pulled me to his chest. "You're bored already?" he asked quietly, before gesturing to the party. "I have to admit, it's pretty glamorous." I looked around too, and nodded in agreement. "Stacey," we both said at the same time, making us both chuckle quietly. Suddenly Stacey's voice piped up. "Yes?" she asked innocently. I looked to Dante and grinned sheepishly. He just laughed and turned to Stacey. "Nothing, just admiring the party. Nice work." She smiled, "Thank you. I'm glad you approve." "We do," I replied easily with a grin. "So, how was your trip to Berkeley?" She sighed dismally and detached herself from Justin, who was reaching for my mom to dance. "Nothing compared to the life I have here." "Psshh," I snorted and put my arm around her shoulder. "Just wait and see. I bet you and Justin will have way more fun there without me." She sighed and leaned against me. "It's really nice though. Beautiful campus. Great program." "Sounds like heaven." She titled her head and looked to Dante, "Wait, haven't you told Cale?" Immediately he frowned and looked down at me. "I was going to find the right time to tell you," he said only speaking to me. "Oh!" Stacey exclaimed in apology. "I didn't mean to break the news..." I scowled in confusion, "What do you mean?" Softly Dante ran his finger over my scrunched brows. "I've been accepted to Berkeley. Early admission like Stace." Instantly I dropped his hand and stepped back. They both stared at me as a range of chaotic emotions ran threw me. First I felt a little betrayed. I hadn't known about this. Then my mood swiftly changed to disappointment. Why hadn't he included me on this future plan? Was my death certificate already sealed to him? Finally I settled on acceptance. "Okay," I whispered quietly. "Okay?" Dante asked uncertainly. Quickly I forced a smile on my face and glanced up at him. "Okay," I repeated as I stared at both of them. "Okay, I'm good." Stacey grimaced slightly, "Are you sure, Cale? Cuz its seem--" "Yeah!" I exclaimed in defense, before I broke away from them. "I'm just going to check on the food." Gently Dante tried to reach for me, but I raised my hand in objection. "I'm fine," I whispered. I watched as his face crumpled in defeat. Stacey stared after me as I jogged into the house, past Justin who glanced questioningly at me. Once inside the house I moved to the platter of food on the counter. Rapidly I began to scoop out the contents and place them onto a plate. My thoughts were a jumbled mess as I haphazardly created a disarray of cold cuts on the surface of the counter. I didn't realize I was building a heap of food until my spoon slipped in my hand and clattered to the floor. At once I froze and whimpered faintly. Blood spotted the floor where the spoon had fell and more droplets began to widen the pool. I shuddered delicately and clutched the countertop as a wave of nausea washed over me. I gagged slightly, but swallowed it back. The scent of dish soap helped me as I squirted it onto a dish towel, and began to wipe up the blood. My hand shook gently as I finished cleaning up my mess. The momentary feeling of sadness had passed and all I wanted to do was sleep. It had been 18 hours since the last time I slept and the effects of it were beginning to show. So, I decided to retire early and give as short of an excuse as I could. I reached for a bottle of champagne near the fridge and hefted into my hands, ready to go back to the party. Suddenly, the sound of the doorbell ringing made me stop and turn. I sighed. Who could that be? Sluggishly I opted to open the door. I moved through the kitchen, slowly taking my time, hoping whoever it was would be gone when I reached the door. Abruptly the doorbell went off again. I scowled in annoyance. How rude. Roughly I grabbed the doorknob. With one quick tug I flung the door open, only to be momentarily stunned. "Drew?" I choked as the bottle of champagne slipped from my hand. The crash of glass and liquid on the wooden floor was all I heard for the next slow heartbeat. "Hey, sweetie," he replied tenderly. "What are you doing here?" I asked quietly as my heart caught up with my head. Drew was visibly handsome in the soft light of the streetlamps. The porch was dark, and the only thing I could make out was the defined outline of his body. His face was masked in shadows, but they still looked beautiful to me. I sighed and stepped towards him, only to see him draw back. He was leaner and taller than I remembered. His golden hair glinted in the darkness, like a beacon to my torn heart. I didn't see the Drew I loved anywhere in his expression. I only saw pain and anger. His thin sinewy muscles coiled with tension as he crossed his arms. But there was a consolation. I could still smell the fresh scent of him, like citrus and honey. His lips moved in a synchronization of porcelain beauty. "I wanted to see you," he answered faintly. "I missed you." I sighed and rested my hand on his tense bicep. The muscle there was hard and strained. "Oh, Drew," I whispered as his body relaxed at my touch. Swiftly, without thinking I moved into his arms and nestled my head into his chest. His warm inviting chest. Like taking a breath after being underwater, we both inhaled sharply. The physical pain of meeting under our current circumstance seemed to weigh heavily on us as we embraced. Neither willing to let go of the other. But eventually we had too. "Come with me," he suddenly stated as his hand found mine. I exhaled in surprise, "What?" "Come with me," he repeated, his voice eager with passion. "Where?" I asked in disbelief. He smiled and gently tugged my hand. "I don't know. Away." "Are you crazy?" I hissed in shock. "Probably," he answered quickly. "Do it. Come with me. Don't think about it." "I can't do that. I'v-" "You can do whatever you want... You know you want too." "How do you know what I want?" "It is. I know you." "You don't--" "Don't think, Cale. It's what we want. It's what I want... I want to be with you." I stared at him in disbelief. "So come with me," he continued. "Let's go and have an adventure. Just you and me. Like you promised." I sighed and glanced back at the party being held in my honor. "Drew..." "Please, Cale. I need this. I need some form of closure. Put me out of my misery." I frowned and glanced back one more time, before I gently slid my hand around his. "Okay," I breathed. "Let's go." ~*~ The truck was silent as we drove through the streets of downtown Taylor. We had no destination, only a short amount of time. Time which slipped through our fingers. "Were you ever going to give me any warning?" he asked quietly, his words slow and anguished. He stared straightforward only giving me the briefest of glances as he drove. I exhaled faintly and reached for him. "I-I was," I whispered back. "I wanted too. Believe me I did. But..." I couldn't finish my sentence. I had no excuses to offer, only guilt and shame at my cowardice. Slowly he brought his hand down and gently caressed my cheek with a soft expression. He didn't respond immediately, but kept his hand lingering on my skin for an immeasurable moment. "You don't understand how much it hurts, just to hear it," he replied with a somber voice. "Even when I haven't heard it from you directly, it still hurts." Instantly my eyes watered and I scooted to his side. Lightly I wrapped both my arms around his right one and I rested my head on his shoulder. He sighed sadly and placed his hand on my thigh. We continued to drive into oblivion, to a place neither one of us wanted to reach, not yet anyway. "I'm sorry," I replied as I wiped my eyes on his shoulder. "I really am, Drew. I'm sorry you had to come home to this. I'm sorry that I haven't been kind to you. But this moment right now, is all I can give. And that makes me sad." I heard a sharp intake of his breathe, but he remained stoic. I just clung tighter to his arm and sniffled some more. "I do love you, Drew, and if it was another time. Another place...." Instantly I broke down and started to weep uncontrollably. "Hey, hey, hey," he whispered brokenly, his voice crackly and pained. "This is enough for me, okay?" I sniffed loudly and moved one hand to his. "Okay?" he repeated again. "Okay," I answered quietly as our hands intertwined. "This is enough for me too." He squeezed my hands lightly and kissed the top of my head. "I've honestly missed you, Cale. And I hate that I'm always making you sad." I frowned and nuzzled his shoulder, while stifling the tears from erupting. "I hate that too," I replied. "Really?" I blinked and nodded softly. "But that doesn't change anything," I stated quickly deflating any hope he had. "I've chosen what I've chosen." He sighed, "What does that mean?" I pulled away from his shoulder and lifted my knees up to my chest. "It means, I'm getting married within the next few months and there's nothing you could do to change that." I didn't look up at him for fear of what I might see. But I did see his arm grip tightly with restrained tension. After another minute I looked up. "Drew?" I whispered softly. "Say something, please." He continued to stare forward, not saying anything as I watched his face shift into a tender expression. "Caleb," he whispered back just as softly. "Yeah?" Gradually I moved to his side and waited expectantly in easy silence. "Cale, what if I asked a question? Would you answer me truthfully?" he whispered. "Of course." "Cale?" "Yes, Drew." "Will you marr--" Suddenly his face whipped forward and I felt his arm push me back into the seat. I didn't even have time to gasp, before I felt my body crash into the dashboard. The sound of crushed glass and the careening of metal was all I heard as my body tumbled around the cab of his truck. I closed my eyes for a moment, which to me felt like a lifetime. In that time I felt my leg twist back in an unnatural position, that sent a blinding pain into my hip. I felt like I wanted to scream, but warm liquid filled my lungs, cutting off my circulation. Pain lanced across my whole body from the back of my head to the middle of my chest. My eyes flew open for a second, but that was all I needed. I saw Drew's golden hair fly into the back window, shattering the glass. I tried to scream for him, but all I could do was gurgle as I felt the truck flip once, twice, and then silence. Drew was securely protected in his seatbelt, which brought immediate relief. But I couldn't help but notice I was no longer in the cab of the truck. Blinding lights flashed across my head as a dark heaviness threatened to breach me. Abruptly I began to feel my heart race and my breath became labored and gurgled. I started to hyperventilate as the darkness started to cloud my vision. The fact that I could feel nothing scared me. What was going on? Why was I paralyzed? I heard a gurgle sound, but I couldn't find where the source of the sound was. Suddenly Drew's voice sounded out in fear. "Caleb!" he yelled. "Oh, god, Caleb! Oh god. Someone, help! Help! Help!" I tried to ease his pain, but the darkness enveloped me. Was this death? If it was, I began to welcome it with open arms. I let it embrace me with relief as Drew's voice faded into the background. "Caleb!! Sweetie!?" It was warm. So warm. ~*~ "Caleb!" I screamed as I yanked at my seatbelt. "Caleb, sweetie! Say something! Please!!!" My voice broke on the last word. "Caleb!!" I wailed. The sounds of sirens in the distance provided a small comfort, but the image of Caleb on the hood of my truck dashed away that comfort with force. His hands were scratched and bloody laying at his sides. I could barely make out the thing that I had hit. I squinted and saw that it was another car in the middle of the road. I groaned and yanked harshly at the fabric holding me prisoner. My leg was pinned beneath the dashboard and throbbed with a dull pain, but I didn't care. I kept screaming for Caleb. For his safety. For his warmth. For his voice. Anything to signal that the boy I loved was still alive. "Caleb!! Please!!" Nothing. Roughly I pulled at the strap of fabric binding me and felt the buckle click open and release me. I huffed in pain as a sharp stab ran up the side of my leg, making me freeze in horror. My leg was broken. Still I tried to move towards Caleb, despite the small cracking sounds I heard. The tear of fabric made me sigh in relief. At least my clothes were cooperating with me. Abruptly I gasped as a sharp pain lanced across my femur. "Fuck!!" I yelled in fear. There was no way I was moving from this seat. Suddenly I heard a whimper from Caleb. "Cale, sweetie?" I called, only to receive more silence. I groaned in pain and fear. The sirens seemed to have faded to the back of my head, no longer a message of hope. He was dying and here I was helpless and on the verge of tears. This was all my fault. All my fault. ~*~ I blinked to life and gasped awake. I coughed loudly and rapidly patted my body. Nothing. No blood. No pain. Just complete euphoria. "Oh, my god." I breathed happily. "Oh, my god!" I glanced up and looked around, only to find myself thoroughly confused. What was I doing in my backyard? And why was it all bare and grassy. I looked behind me and saw that all four perimeters were fenced in like a wooden sandbox. This was my backyard, but there was no house. The only things I could identify were the two tall oaks and the grass. Other than that, the place was pretty much empty. There was nothing on the other side of the fence, but a white void of emptiness. "Hello?" I called out as I stood up from the lush green grass. "Anybody here?" I took a few steps forward, before I felt a presence in the space. Within the same realization I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. "Hello, son," I heard a familiar voice state evenly. "I've been expecting you." I froze and smiled softly. "Dad?" Please send comments to untitledlovestory23@yahoo.com