Sage (manxman)

Chapter 16 - Pain and Power

            Ford shook his head, “Are you mad at me?”

            “No, not at all,” Erin reached forward and grabbed a soda from the machine. “I just, ugh,” Erin took a sip then leaned against the machine. “I just, I really liked Landon and I knew he was a player. I mean, like every city…but…before we came here, we just clicked.            “I’m sorry, this is all too much for you.”

            “No, not at all,” Ford shifted his feet. “I’m just glad we are talking. I mean, we are all Sages…we should get along, right?”

            “I wish that were so.” Erin looked at Ford and frowned. “Ford, I know you don’t want to kill someone but…”

            “I know, I remember the last time you were here.” Ford shrugged shaking his head. He couldn’t imagine hurting a human, someone like him. Ford needed to change the subject and push away this darkness for at least a little longer. “So why don’t you tell him?”

            “Tell…Landon, what that I like him” Erin took another sip of her soda and blushed.

            “Yeah,” Ford nudged Erin in the side.

            “I guess I am just scared.” Erin threw her empty soda can in the trash and started back towards the room. “Maybe I’d rather watch myself get hurt than commit to anything.”

            “I suppose I’m the same way.” Ford replied thinking about his current romantic predicament.

            “Yeah, what happened with that one guy, the one you saved?” Erin looked Ford in the eye. He couldn’t escape this one.

            “Levi?” He gulped.

            “Yeah,” Erin ran a hand through her hair pausing at the entrance to the room.

            “Well, I guess…. I saw him with someone else but I-ran away.” Ford said, feeling a little relief he finally got it out of his system. He felt a little silly too.

            “Looks like we are both in the same place,” Erin commented. “Do you want to go see a movie tonight? Have some fun for once.”

            “Sure, but I have to do something first.”  Ford thought and walked to his truck parked outside the motel room.           

***

            Ford turned onto the street and parked a little before the streetlamp so it wouldn’t illuminate his car. His stomach felt like it was falling and he could feel the nerves begin to creep up his back. Opening the door his foot hit the concrete uncertain and he began towards Levi’s house. He froze as the front door slowly opened and Levi stepped out onto the porch easing the door shut behind him. Levi was so meticulous not to make any noise and a gray hoodie was wrapped tightly around him. Levi turned around and jumped, scared, by Ford’s presents.

            “Ford,” Levi whispered into the thick night air as he approached the teen. “What are you doing here?”

            Ford looked into Levi’s face and his tongue was tied. He gulped back his fears and kept thinking about Erin and what she had told him. “Levi, I need to tell you something.

            “What?” Levi eyed Ford then looked over his shoulder nervous.

            “I just, I don’t know how to say this.”  Ford gulped again, he felt his voice shaking as the words slowly strung themselves together. “I’m sorry for running away, I should have told you sooner but I was scared. I liked you and I wasn’t sure how to express it or what to do so I ran.”