Heartless Shadow

5. "I love you"

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Back it up! Did Tom just say what I think he just said?! We had always been friends but I'd liked him as a bit more than a friend. but I sure as hell wasn't expecting the 'L' word.

I looked at his blush-covered face before pecking him on the cheek and saying "I love you too. Always have, always will do." If I'm being honest, I had always hoped to give him my first...well, everything.

He made eye contact and placed one hand lovingly on my cheek. "I've loved you since the first time we met. I always thought you liked me as a brother figure," I smiled at him, understanding how hard it was for him to admit. There is always the fear that the other person doesn't like you in the same way and that is the most frightening.

I pulled him into a hug and we just stood like that and Tom whispered reassuring things in my ear while I returned them.

I pulled away and asked him "Smithy? Are phones and kindles allowed here? And, where is my school bag and boot bag?" "No phones, otherwise innocent people like us might actually escape this hell hole. Same for kindles. Your school bag is in your room and your boot bag has been confiscated. They figured you could use your boots as an offensive weapon." I rolled my eyes and smirked "Smithy, you saw what I did to that wall, 0% trained. I notice they didn't confiscate my fists...or my knees." I pretended to thoughtfully stroke a fake goatee. Tom chuckled. "Don't worry, Blue. I'll try to keep you with me as much as I can, but that won't always be possible. I'll try to get your boot bag for you." I flashed him a grin and whispered in his ear "Thanks Smithy. You're the best. Now, what would you do if I still had my phone?" He looked puzzled as he asked me "Why? Do you still have it?" I looked proud as I said "Yep. And I set it up to conference call a few people. I've told them to go to the Guardaí and get them to trace it. You and me are hopefully getting the fuck out of Dodge." He smiled. "I never knew you turned into such a badass." I giggled and said "Yup. Love me, hate me, anyway you take me."

We sat in silence until I started voicing my thoughts...that could be very dangerous for me considering some of the things I think. "Is this your room? How come you ended up over here? How come your an enforcer to a gang of sex slave-drivers? What the hell happened to reality?" Tom's eyes filled with sorrow. "Yes, this is my room. I came over to Ireland for a fresh start. I was in a Judo lesson. They wanted the student with the highest belt as an 'enforcer' and that happened to be me. And that, is how I was kidnapped by guys who were in the sex-slave business. Reality is fucked up. The best thing is though, I've found my Sky Blue again." He pulled me into a hug again and whispered into my ear "I love you." I whispered back the most natural thing that came to mind..."I love you too."

Looking at the clock, It said 18:00. Tom said he had to go and report how his 'discipline' with me was coming along so I got changed back into my tank top and shorts before curling back into Tom's bed.

A short while later, Tom returned and stripped down to his boxers, before climbing into bed beside me, us just cuddling. He looked troubled and I didn't like that. "Smithy, you know you can tell me anything, right?" I questioned. "Mmm," he replied groggily. I nudged him in the said and he jumped before snapping back to reality. "Oh, right. My cue to tell you how the meeting went. Well, I've been told you have to have started behaving and...um.." He trailed off, unsure. I nodded and let him continue in his own time. He sighed deeply. "Well, I have to...um...make sure you're good in bed," he mumbled the last part to himself but I heard it. "It's OK. I understand. I know you would give me time but those assholes won't. I trust you and I would give you anything you ask for, including my v-card." He started to try and interrupt but I gave him a gentle peck on the lips. "Don't. I love you and nothing is going to change that." Tom pecked me and said "You and I lose to each other. Deal?" "Deal," I confirmed.