The Boy With The Skull Tattoo 18+ (DISCONTINUED)

33. The Anniversary: Tres

He tightened his grip on my arms and pulled me in much closer. My forehead was a couple inches below his chin and I listened to him speak to me. I love how his tall frame just covers my entire body. I felt like a child buried under the warm hugs of a mother.

"Even just looking at you. . " He looked at me in the eyes. He looked like he wanted to cry. His brows began to furrow gently. He inhaled deeply trying to figure out the right words he wants to say. " I just need you Ellah. I had to tell you sooner or later. I've held it in for too long, too damn long, I want you, I need you, I love you."

"Drew I ---" I was lost for words.

"What?" he shook me.

"I'm ---"

"Say it." He motivated me circling his fingers in the air.

        I closed my eyes. Every memory from a couple of weeks ago traveled back in my mind. I was thinking about Deion and the night we made love and how close we've gotten while Drew was away. I didn't want to hide my relationship anymore. He had to know. I couldn't watch him cry out how much he loves me when I'm having an affair behind his back with his best friend.

"I can't do this." He looked away faster than I thought. "Drew I grew up with you and all but I'm going through some things and this is just too much."

"We can work it out."

"Seriously!" I backed away from him. "Can you just give me some time to think about what just happened here. You randomly expose your feelings for me and you expect me to just fall into your arms? Just like that?"

"I was hoping."

"Like I said this too much."

"Why is everything too much? How is this too much Ellah?" He was beginning to drive me mad.

"This!" I pointed at him with both of my right and left index finger.

"Why? Is there some other guy?" Shit!

"I don't know." Please don't ask me anymore questions.

"There is someone else." His voice softened a bit. I can hear the soft tone in his larynx begin to mellow.

       I looked guilty. I didn't respond to him yet, until he asked me who the person was. I didn't answer him. He asked me over and over again, almost forcing me to say the name and just give up.

As bad as I wanted to tell Drew, the name Deion couldn't come out, yet.

"Who is it? Is it someone I know?" No response. "It is someone I know? Is it Quinton? Elijah? Don?" My nose wrinkled when he said almost half of the guys I would never near date. Yeah, they're attractive but they are just no where near my type. He stepped back from me, slowly, stepping into a shadow of darkness.

"Why am I getting the feeling ---" I cut him off.

"It's Deion." He was silenced longer than I thought he would be. All I can hear was his footsteps bang against the marbled floor. The thud annoyed me a lot. His foot did more of the talking themselves.

    Next thing I knew, my uncle, Jason, barged in. He pulled out a lighter and flashed the flame under his cigar. Drew and I looked at him like two guilty criminals caught by the cops. It felt like someone said freeze!

      He didn't notice we were standing there until he looked at the both of us with curiosity in his dark brown eyes and a trail of exhaled smoke released between his lips covering his eyes. The black and white marbled floor pavements lead him towards us. He stood there, eyeing me, wondering what Drew and I are waiting out here for.

"How you doin' pumkin?" He said to me opening his arms for a hug.

"Hey uncle Jay." I looked at Drew. He didn't look back at me or Jason. He stared blankly at the windows. You could tell he was carefully listening to the fire truck sirens that passed by. I saw the detailing of the trucks in his eyes. They looked like confetti decorations in them. I felt like I was watching a circus.

"Drew is everything alright?" Drew didn't answer him. He turned to us now. He just looked at us. No movement. Just standing for the most part. Suddenly, he walks away from us. Jason called his name a couple times but when he got no response he stopped calling his name and looked back at me instead.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's been having a bad day at work. He just wanted to talk to me about it and get it off his chest." Jason nodded his head, accepting my lies.

"Come inside."