Grey Thorns

Chapter 45-Burning

People started laughing in the hallway when they saw me. I was taught in the training facility not to show emotion but Liam had told me to act normal. So I cried in my third class. My religion class brought me to thinking of my old dedicated christian life. But now I was so confused. What was God's purpose in me now? I'm the reason for a war. I'm guilty. I'll never even die. Unless it's in battle. Which isn't that bad of an idea now come to think of it. What am I suppose to do about that?

I wait for Liam outside one of my classes. He made a bee line to me and pulled me into his chest. "It's okay. We don't have to go tomorrow. It was a bad idea to take you away from home." He whispers and I sob quietly into his chest. One hand finds my cheek and wipes the tears while my face is still buried in his chest. When I cleared my buried eyes I could see the faint scabs over his wrists he's covered up with his sleeves. "Let's get you in the car." He whispers and tugs me to come with him. I attach myself to his arm and hold on tight to stop my trembling.

When we got home, Liam fell asleep on the bed after dinner and I sat next to him reading the bible. I wondered what would happen if the rapture came. What would happen to us? Would I ever get peace? I closed the book and set it on the table. I did nothing but watch him sleep again. He's all I literally have. I don't have anything.

***

He took me to the beach the next day. Since it's sacred territory, I didn't have to worry, but I was still paranoid the whole ride here. "You need to calm down. Trust me a little more." he laughs under his breath as he pulls off his shirt and tosses it on the ground. I watch him in my ridged state and the way he shrugs his jeans off his hips before walking into the water. He kept his boxers on. His back was still pretty bad. "You should let me clean up your back a little when we get home. It still looks infected." I say and he looks at me over his shoulder. "We're not going anywhere until you take off those close and get in here with me." He smiles and walks deeper into the water.

The water reminded me of Luke and the nightmares I've had because of the simulations. But I looked at him instead of the water and took off my shirt. I kept the tanktop on. When I bent down to pull my pants off, I noticed him stare over his shoulder. I look down and try to cover my mark that all my life, has been a lie. He clears his throat and looks down back at the water. I loved the way he looked at me, he's the only thing that keeps me happy about living forever. Cause I'll wake up with him every morning.

I push my legs through the water until I'm feet away from his back. "People talk about us, you know?" I say almost nervously and watch his fingers play with the water. Where we were standing, the water was only waist deep to him. "Do they?" he asks. He looked at me over his shoulder. He looked so tempting to touch. Like he was purposely tormenting me. "It's never anything good." I say and he turns partially towards me. He was still playing with the water. "Then let them talk. It shouldn't matter." he says and glances at me out of the corner of his eye again.

He looked so picture perfect the way he was standing. Even with all the gashes on his back. I look away and swallow. "I just wanted to know how you felt." I say and he shrugs. "60 years from now, they'll be dead. 10 years from now, they may not even remember you or me. There is no reason to feel anything for it." he says and I push my way through the water to stand in front of him. I couldn't hug him because it still hurts him.

"Tell me why you love me, Liam." I say in a quiet voice and a soft smile. "Why do I have to tell you?" he asks and I step closer and keep my hands at my sides. The teasing look in his eye drove me nuts. "Because in a few weeks, we may not have the chance to say it." I say and the corner of his mouth turns up.