help. - a Scömìche short story

new year's eve.

The countdown in the corner of the TV screen reading 2 minutes and 50 seconds until the Ball drops. It is mine and Scott's first New Year's Eve as a couple, and the anniversary of our first kiss. Looking around the room, I see the small gathering of our friends, all the ones we invite over every year, sitting in pairs. Avi and Kirstie, holding hands. Jake and Alex, Jake with his legs draped over Alex's lap and their arms around each other. Kevin and Alyssa simply sitting next to each other. They had a fight and refuse to make any physical contact. Candice and Lindsay sitting next to each other, their arms linked. But then there's Scott and me. As usual, I sit on his lap. His arms are around my waist and my head is tucked neatly under his chin, where it belongs. I have one hand wrapped in the hem of his shirt and the other grasping his arm.

"Mitchy." he whispers in my ear, trying not to draw attention to our little universe.

"Yeah?"

"I have to go to the bathroom and unfortunately I need you to move for that to happen."

"Be back before the ball drops. I want to kiss you in the first moments of the new year."

"I'll go as fast as I can. Be right back." I hold onto his hand until I can't and watch him disappear down the hallway.

"Where's he going?" Kirstie asks, giving me a look of sympathy.

"Bathroom." I keep my eyes fixed on the countdown on the screen. A minute passes and Scott still isn't back. The countdown has been reduced to merely seconds.

"10! 9! 8!" I don't bother to speak. I just stare down the hallway, the sound fading into white noise when they get to the final number and Scott is still nowhere to be seen. Around me, I vaguely notice everyone taking drinks and clinking their glasses together. Avi and Kirstie kiss, and despite them being mad at each other, so do Kevin and Alyssa, as well as Jake and Alex. Candice kisses Lindsay's cheek and receives a smack in return. A few seconds later, Scott comes sprinting down the hallway. I get up and run over to him leaning up to kiss him before he can say anything. He wraps one arm tightly around me, securing me so our bodies might as well be one.

"I'm sorry I missed it." he murmurs, resting his forehead on mine.

"That's okay. You didn't miss it by much." I reach for his other hand, which is hanging by his side, but accidentally grab his wrist instead. He flinches when I do and I immediately let go. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just got a bruise on my wrist. It showed up in my sleep."

"Oh, do you want me to kiss it better?" I smirk, biting my lip as I start to pull his sleeve back.

"No, no, it's fine. I promise." He yanks his arm away, the sleeve falling back down to cover his hand again.

"Okay...if you're sure. Come on, let's go sit back down."

****

After everyone goes home for the night, Scott and I start to clean up the house. Every time he bends over to pick something up, I notice that he tenses up.

"Scott, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Because," I start, dropping the trash bag in my hand and walking over to him, "I can see that you're tense when you move, and that's usually an indicator of pain. Especially for you."

"I'm not in pain. I mean, my back's a little sore, but that's it."

"Why didn't you tell me that? Go sit down and I'll get the rest of this stuff so you don't have to keep bending over."

"No, I'm fine and I'm gonna help you clean up."

"Fine, whatever. But you have to kiss me in order to continue." I snatch the garbage bag from his hand, hiding it behind my back.

"A small price to pay. I'll kiss you as many times as you want, pretty girl." I blush at the name and straighten up a bit while he stoops just slightly to kiss me. He grabs the trash bag and yanks it out of my hands. "I paid up, now let me finish." We share a smile and I shake my head, rolling my eyes as I pick up my own and fill it. "Hey, don't roll your eyes at me."

"How're you gonna stop me?" He throws the bag aside, grabbing a pillow from the couch and smacking me with it.

"Oh, you're on!" I grab one, too, and do the same thing. We end up chasing and hitting each other for about ten minutes until somehow we end up on the floor with me laying on top of him. "How does this always happen?"

"What, sugarplum?"

"We always start doing productive stuff and then it doesn't get done."

"That's okay. We're together, and that's what matters." I see something flash in his eyes and he takes a deep breath, any sign of a smile disappearing from his face.

"Hey." He looks up at me and I see an interesting blend of uninterpretable emotions hiding in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"You're lying. I can tell."

"No, I'm not."

"You know you can tell me anything, right? Anything. I mean it."

"I-I know, Mitchy." He takes one of my hands from his chest and plays with it for a few seconds before kissing my palm. I giggle. "What?"

"That tickles."

"Oh, that tickles?" He releases my hand, a devilish smirk coming over his face.

"Scott, don't."

"I'll show you tickling." Before I can stop him he is going at my sides and I can't help the shrieks of laughter coming from my mouth.

"Stop! Stopstopstop!" Though I can barely keep my eyes open and my chest is starting to hurt from laughing so hard, I notice something in his expression change. It's like a switch turned on. He stops tickling me, his smile fading away again.

"I'm sorry."

"For what, honey?" Instead of answering, he lays himself down between my legs so that he can rest his head on my chest. "We can finish cleaning up in the morning if you want to go to bed." He lifts his head to look at me and nods, eyes drooping with a sudden exhaustion. "You tired?" He nods again.

"Don't know why."

"Maybe because you never get enough sleep?"

"I'm not taking medicine to help me sleep." he snaps.

"I wasn't even going to suggest it." His expression softens.

"Why are you always so calm, even if I snap at you? What did I do to deserve you?"

"Getting upset with your emotions won't help anything, and I'm not going to try to stop you from feeling the way you feel." I shrug, holding out my hands once he is standing. He pulls me to my feet, pulling me to his chest and kissing my head before setting his chin there.

"I love you so damn much. It's unreal." he mumbles, rubbing circles on my back. I clasp my hands behind his and lean my chin on his chest so I can see his face better.

"I love you more." He offers a half smile.

"That's completely impossible."

"You wish, honeybun." He kisses me slowly, taking in the moment, before I pull away and say, "Come on, let's go to bed."