Mr President's son -BoyXBoy- *ACTIVELY EDITING*

Chapter Nineteen*

"How are you so calm?", I plead to Gale. It was later that night and Gale and I were in the back garden, him leaning nonchalantly against a tree while I paced in front of him. He doesn't answer, taking a moment to fiddle around in his pocket. The black captain America shirt he wore hung wrinkled off of him, like it was two sizes too big. My eyes widen slightly as he lights the shirt, pulling a lighter from his pocket. "What are you doing?", I practically hiss, my eyes widening as I grab for it.

      He looks at me, almost confused as to why the lighter was now in my hands. Had he already smoked a bit of what he was about to? Honestly, I don't know if I could blame him. But right now didn't feel like the time or place to be smoke weed. "What is up with you, Tyler?", he asks, taking back his lighter and pulling out the half smoked joint from his pocket. I knew it. Dude was stoned right now. "I know you're worried about your dads announcement. But honestly, dude", he pauses, asking his joint. "It's not like there's anything I can do about your dad's announcement. Or you. It's going to happen". I nod a little, my thumb going up to my mouth where I chew on my nail beds. I get lost in the end of his joint, the burning ember that melt the paper as it trails. "Besides, there's no way they have any proof I have anything to do with Article1". This seizes my attention and I look back at him. He gives me an easy smile, one that washes waves over me. "Because I don't have anything to do with them"

     "They could still search your room. Or, or look at your phone records. You were extremely open to talking about it at dinner", I say, looking back at the White House. "With people you didn't even know", I mumble under my breath.

He scoffs, ashing the joint again. "People I don't know? I knew those people for years. I grew up with them. Natalie is one of my best friends in the entire world, and someone I could trust way more than you, if I'm being completely real with you", he says, dropping the joint on to the ground.

"Way more than me? What is that suppose to mean?", I ask him, crossing my arms defensively over my chest.

He shrugs and I clench my jaw, ignoring the slight ache. "You keep.. looking at me. Expectantly. Like you expect me to freak out and blow your cover at any moment", he explains easily, as if it's common knowledge. Easy to get out.

This gets me. Every move I make I feel is for him. Since I met him, I've believed the world rotated just for him. "I have been nothing but kind and understanding to you. Even when you brought in illegal documents into my house!", I throw my hands up. "And it isn't just my cover you have to worry about, Gale! It's both of our covers! It's our lives!"

"Yeah well you're the only one worried about a fucking cover!", he snaps, his hands clenching into fists. "You're so worried about what everyone is going to think! So worried you can't even fucking live! When your father is around you won't even look at me! You won't breathe the same air as me!".

     I shove him against the tree he's only leaning on and his eyes widen. "I'm fucking scared! Do you think I want to die in this bullshit war we have going on? You think I want to lose you? I can't lose you!", I plead, grabbing his shoulders. "You're right! I am worried you're going to blow our cover. But not for me. I don't care about me. I cannot even imagine losing you"

     He shakes his head, like he's battling his own thoughts. He just tore my own out of me, and it was his turn. "Talk to me" I whisper. "I can't.. I can't feel like I'm fighting this alone. Like we're in two different worlds. Two different wars"

    "I can't", he whispers.

    "Why? God" I gasp for breath, an overwhelming feeling of dread sweeping over me. "How are you so okay with what's going on? With word getting out about us! About them finding out about us and killing us?" This wasn't a game, or some play. It was life or death in the real world. In a real battlefield. And we're on the wrong side.

   "I don't think I can tell you", he whispers, shaking his head. "I can't... I won't put you into any danger. You're way too close to the center of it". He finally looks at me. "I didn't tell you everything. Or even.. even a little bit of it"

    I suck in a breath, my mind pleading for him to continue. I needed him to continue. Whatever it was

Would change everything.

"Please", I whisper

     He looks at me for a long moment, as if calculating every single reaction that could possibly happen. Finally, he takes a breath, removing my hands off his shoulders. "Fine.. take a walk with me".