Midnight Lips | Ghost

𝐂𝐇. 50

𝐕𝐀𝐋
༻❁༺

Rudy joined Simon and I on our way to the meeting room, though Simon took a quick detour before we could arrive, leaving Rudy and me on our own. I didn't want to think it was because Rudy was making me so many questions, almost forgetting Simon was there, but one thing I loved about Rudy was that he never let anyone feel left out, so he kept glancing back at Simon to make sure he was in our conversation, even if all he added was the raspy 'mhm' that came from deep down his throat.

But then he squeezed my hand and told me he'd meet us there in a bit and left with nothing much to say. As always, I stared at the place he disappeared through, my train of thought leaving with him and making me forget what I was talking about. "And uh..." I trailed off. "I believe—ah, yeah."

"I'm still trying to figure it out, you know?" Rudy said in Spanish. "It's so weird."

I looked at him, now confused because if I remembered correctly, the context of our previous conversation was another one. "What thing?"

"You. That man. That thing."

"You say 'that man' as if he's an alien and doesn't have a name." I turned around to continue walking toward the meeting, Rudy quickly following behind me.

He stuck his head around for me to meet his eyes. "I see you decided to ignore the 'that thing.'"

Damnit.
I did.

I sighed and pressed my eyes together for a second, gathering my thoughts together. "Well, ah, I don't know what you want me to say. Yes, it is a thing, and I am okay with it as long as it's still something." There, I admitted it, and it felt... strange, but right.

"Oh wow. That's... deep."

"Am I being too foolish, maybe too delusional? After all, look at the place that we are."

"Of course, you are not. I understand that this is an odd place to get so attached to someone, but there's always the outside."

"This is the only place where he and I could ever have something. Simon said he didn't want to meet outside."

"But you want to."

"I do."

He remained silent for a few beats. "Maybe he'll change his mind soon."

"There are so many things you don't know. Even I, myself, don't know." I crossed my arms over my chest, and suddenly a chill ran down my spine.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Not until I got to understand. Until Simon himself wanted to talk about it. What better talking about it could possibly do if not confuse me even more?

Rudy and I continued walking down the hallway in complete silence. We were about to arrive at the room when he decided to break it for a last time, "So, does he treat you well, like you deserve?"

I smiled to myself, remembering our morning routine lately, if you know what I mean. "He's so gentle and caring."

"Hard to believe."