Chase You

20; late night conversations are the weirdest

"Even I don't know what I am." He retorted, "I just sort of liked Jace at one point, it's nothing."

"You're lying."

He rolled his eyes and leaned on the counter top, the tension in his arms made his biceps pop and I tried my best to resist staring so much.

He sighed and looked down before lifting his head again and staring at the wall behind me.

"Stop stalling."

"Ok, fine. There was usually up to three kids a room." He started. "I was sharing with one of the older guys, the bully's 'sidekick'."

"He said to me one night that he didn't actually like the guy that bullied me, and he didn't like being a part of it all so we conspired something, it all went to shit after that." He sighed, looking down. I instinctively grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"He lied, the bully became twice as bad and well, that's that." Ben shrugged.

"That's a little vague." I mumbled.

"I don't want to talk about it to anyone. I don't like looking back at it." He looked up to me and met my eyes, the green was much darker this time but his complexion was hard to read, like usual.

"You don't look sad, you look... Angry?" I pointed out as I noticed his teeth grit together again and his breathing become louder.

"It's nothing, it's in the past, the bully is gone, okay?"

"He still affects you."

He started flaring up, clenching his free hand and tensing his shoulders, he looked absolutely livid; it was actually scaring me and I wasn't too sure how to deal with it.

"Ben." I called and squeezed his hand again.

"It's fine. I'm fine." He muttered, his voice hoarse and monotonous, but his shoulders remained tense.

"No, you aren't." I stated, placing a hand on his shoulder, he relaxed a little, but not completely.

"Flynn." He growled quietly. "I'm fine."

I stretched my arm out and wrapped it around his head, I didn't know what to do so I ended up pulling him to my chest and resting my chin on his head. "Match my heartbeat, okay?"

"Flynn-"

"It's weird, but do it." I ordered. "Inhale then exhale slowly."

He nodded against my chest and made himself much more comfortable by resting his elbows against the counter on either side of me.

I felt slightly awkward, but I wrapped my arms around his head anyway controlled my breathing for him.

I remember this was something that my dad's psychologist would encourage him to do with my mother, I've only seen them do it once because my dad was super angry one night and if it weren't for my mum being there to help him, he probably would've harmed me.

"Pete, I want you t' sit on the sofa." I remembered my mum saying, she was really young then, her hair was long and curly, unlike now- short and always tied back.