SUGAR (bxb)

31. A dream or Reality (Ave)

   "Never leave me again," I whisper. "Talk to me. Share your fears. I'm yours. I'll never hurt you."

   "I know," Casey sniffles. "I promise. I won't do it again."

   "Are you ready to tell me what happened," I ask, gently tracing his bruised cheek.

   "No," he chuckles lightly, "but I will."

   He takes a deep breath and I squeeze his hand to give him courage.

   "I was seventeen," he starts shakily, "still in high school. I had never been kissed, or had a relationship, or even dared to dream of one. I was too shy. It had never crossed my mind to share with someone that I was gay. I don't think anyone had noticed, even my parents. Everybody thought that I was not interested in girls just because I was so invested in studying and earning good grades."

   Casey shakes his head, as if to mock at his own naivety. I don't like it. Whatever happened, he shouldn't blame himself for somebody else's bad behavior. I kiss his lips and smile to show him that no matter what he's going to tell me, I'll still think that he's perfect in every way.

   "One day this boy came," he goes on, "as a representative of the Technical University, to make a presentation about the educational programs they offered. It was two hours long and he was looking straight at me every single minute of them."

   He closes his eyes, maybe, to remember it better, or, maybe, to stop seeing it in his mind. I really hope it's the second. I keep quiet and he continues.

   "I thought that it was because I was with the highest score in the school. They would surely want to recruit me."

   "But it wasn't because of your grades," I frown.

   Casey nods, looking at me pleadingly. "Don't judge me, Ave. I was so inexperienced and... I... fell in love with him."

   "Why would I judge you, babe? You didn't do anything wrong," I'm quick to comfort him, seeing the distress, darkening his sky-blue eyes.

   "It was good in the beginning," he sighs. "He was gentle and nice, always repeating that he's in love with me, calling me beautiful and an angel. I thought it was a dream come true, for months. But then I realized that he was using me for sex. He never introduced me to a single friend of his, not to mention his family. He was very careful to choose places with the least possibility of meeting someone who knows him for the rare occasions that we went out."

   Casey drops his head and starts toying with a wrinkle on the sheet.

   "I see nothing that you should be ashamed of, babe," I say, stroking his hair. "He sounds like a real jerk."

   "No, you don't understand," he retorts. "It was like an addiction. I knew it was bad for me, and humiliating, but I kept seeing him, despite this. It went on for two years, Ave, two years of being someone's secret sex toy. It was my fault. I shouldn't have put up with it for so long."

   I grab his shoulders and make him look at my face.

   "It wasn't your fault," I state firmly. "You were in love. The sex was great. People have done much worse things because of these two reasons, believe me. You've hurt no one, but yourself."

   He smiles a little, but it's a sad smile.

   "I'm not like him," I say intently. "Casey, whatever impression you got by the stupid way I hid from my sister, I'm not like him. I did it only because she's a real pain in the ass. I was hiding her from you, not the opposite."

   "I know," he throws himself in my arms, curling on my chest like a kitten. "Ave, I know."

   "Never forget it, bunny. You're my boyfriend and there won't be a single person that is not aware of that." I kiss his lips and squeeze him impossibly close to me.

   "I know," he repeats and smiles, this time happily.

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A/N

Hello everyone at the end of Chapter 31.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting! ❤❤❤

Do you think it's easy to break up with someone, you're in love with, even if it's clear that it's a toxic relationship? 🤔

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See you in the next chapter.

Love: Anny