My Bubblegum King

38

He was rambling. He was so uncomfortable and trying so hard to deviate from the original topic and tell me everything at once.

I placed my hand on his thigh and he glanced at me and his leg stopped bouncing. Then I took a deep breath and he smiled, mimicking me. I tried to place my thoughts, thinking everything through. "You went to prison?"

He nodded. "I lost my cool at a shop. Went batshit crazy on some innocent and broke like three laws at the same time. Got arrested and was refused bail because I was above eighteen and didn't seem 'mentally stable'." He added air quotes to that. "I called you with my one chance to call someone and it didn't go through. Called again the next day, still didn't go through. So I called my mom. She was shooting a movie, so I stayed extra two days before she arrived and bailed me." He glanced at me. "No, don't worry I really got a lot of time to think there, okay? Jail time was good time."

I bit down on my lip to stop myself from crying as I nodded at him.

"When I got out, I went for my dad's money and it took a lot of steps before I got it. Then I came to your school yesterday and your girlfriend was in your room with Sim. She looked bad, so I stayed with her. Was supposed to go after you today and then we got a call from her girlfriend, so we met at the airport instead." He finished, tapping his hand on the steering wheel.

I facepalmed and cried a little. I was a complete piece of shit,  no doubt about that now. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. The only thing you could've done for me was stay good. And you did, so thank you."

I wiped my eyes, trying to stop the tears but it was futile. "I went for a fucking vacation and you were in jail."

He put his palm out and I put mine over his and he brings our palms up to his lips as he placed a kiss on my palm, a tear leaking out his eyes. "You're here now."

I voice broke, "I wasn't good though. It was the worst week ever."

"Same here," he kissed my palm again. "But I got you now and I'm never letting go, I promise."

We drove to a hotel and Seb opened the door for me and grabbed my bags, taking my hand again as we walked in. We take the elevator and go up to the highest floor. There are just two rooms on the floor and we walk into one and it's the biggest hotel I've ever since in my life. Seb let's go of my hand only when we're inside and I turn around to look at the only place until I almost get dizzy.

"Whoa," I smiled. "I feel like such a Prince."

Seb chuckled, "you're a king." He dropped my bags and walk back to me. "Hungry?"

I shook my head, "no."

"Tired?"

I shook my head again, "no."

"So let's talk? We have a lot of things to talk about."

I nodded, "okay."

He took my hand and guided me to the long sofa there, taking a seat and placing me on his thighs. He wraps his hand around me and relaxes his head on my arm, inhaling and exhaling. Then he looked up at me, tongue poking the insides of his cheek. "I'd go first but let's not cry anymore, yeah?"

I nodded and he reached up to clean the tears on my face and I do the same for him. "Sure."

He sighed, "I really didn't mean to betray you." I opened my mouth to talk and his finger came to rest on my lips, stopping me from talking. "Sorry, but listen please." I nodded and he sighed, continuing and hugging me closer. "I know I fucked up, should have told you I didn't want to go to college anymore but I wasn't even sure myself. It's not because I don't trust you to handle it or I don't believe you can but I really didn't what exactly I wanted. I just want to be with you, nothing else mattered and nothing ever will."