"What are you over there smiling about," I heard Melanie say. We were in my room lounging around since we had just gotten off of school for Thanksgiving break. Honestly, I barely even heard her. I was too busy laughing at Jayden who I was texting. He was yelling at me because I'd taken the sweet liberty in insulting his favorite MMA fighter and then told him that the fighter who he absolutely hated was better. I was expecting him to get pissed off at me but he was more than just pissed off. That boy takes his MMA stuff very seriously – more seriously than I thought he did. The second he read my first message, I think bells went off in his head since he just started cursing me out in Spanish over texts. I mean, he did know I was only playing around but he probably just decided that it would be fun to yell at me for it. Or maybe he was serious. I wasn't quite sure. All I knew was that I was going to get pummeled into the ground the next time he saw me. But, then again, my joke did lighten the atmosphere between us.
Ever since altercation with his stepfather a couple weeks ago, Jayden has been acting a bit like how he used to. He didn't really like talking much, his ice wall had risen and he began to distance himself from me. A part of me figured that Jayden probably thought that I was going to break up with him or something because of what I saw. While I didn't see much, it must have been enough in Jayden's eyes. Plus, his whole little speech about death at the park didn't really help anything. I think that was the most he'd talked since. Other than that, he let me do all the talking. It was hard though. I didn't want to go on acting as if there wasn't something bothering him when I knew clearly that there was. So, I tried constantly to get him in a brighter mood but none of my charades really worked. I could see that the altercation had bothered him more than he wanted to let on.
"Huh," I asked Melanie, looking up at her with a dumbfounded face. My best friend was staring at me with a raised eyebrow, her mouth pursed in suspicion. She tilted her head at me as she spoke next.
"You've been unnaturally happy lately, you know. That's kind of confusing since you just broke up with Mia. Shouldn't you be going through post-break-up depression or something?" She paused for a second before continuing. "Why did you break up with her anyway? You never told me."
"Oh...it just didn't work out," I said with a soft shrug. "And I'm just happy because life has been good lately. Is it a crime for a guy to smile?"
"No but you have those unnaturally happy, blissful smiles going on." My phone buzzed again causing Melanie's eyes to drop down towards it. "Do you have a secret lover that you're not telling me about," she asked. My stomach clenched slightly at the sound of her question. I felt a bit of guilt roll over me. I wished that I could tell her about my budding relationship with Jayden – she probably wouldn't care that I was gay. But then again, I wasn't afraid of what she was going to think about my sexual orientation. I had faith that she would love me anyway. I was just being insecure about our relationship, that's all. I mean, it was just still so new and fragile. I didn't want anyone to mess that up – not that Melanie would mess it up but just the simple thought scared me. Jayden and I had grown so close in such a short period of time yet I couldn't bear the thought of losing him. I liked having him all to myself. I liked the way our relationship was developing in the sense that we could be ourselves without any judgment. I liked the way he held me, the way he kissed me. I didn't want any of that to change. So, that meant that I was just better off keeping our relationship on the low level that it's been on.
"No," I said evenly. "So, how are you and Damien? Are you guys officially a thing yet or do I need to confront him to give him a little inspiration?" Melanie blushed deeply, looking down so that some of her honey brown hair covered her face.
"We are officially a couple actually," she said bashfully. I smiled at her. "It's a funny story actually. He took me to dinner a week or two ago but it's not like your average date night dinner. I'm talking this really expensive, fancy restaurant. Anyway, we had a great dinner and we danced a little bit and stuff. Then at the end of the night, I lie to you not, Damien got down on one knee and proposed a relationship with a cute promise ring and everything." She held her hand out to show me the silver ring that had a small heart shaped diamond on it. "It was the absolute cutest thing ever! The whole restaurant clapped for us and it was just so perfect!" My smile widened as I watched her gush on about her new beau. Seeing her wide smile and the sparkle in her eyes made me happy. I could tell this guy was proving himself to her in the best ways possible and I respected him for that. Melanie deserved someone who would treat her like the princess she is – even over little stuff like making a relationship official. I just hoped that this guy wouldn't break her heart. If he did then I would have to borrow some of those big guns that Jayden owned.
"Enough about me and my sappy love life," she said as she waved her hands. "Let's talk about college. Have you decided which Ivy League school you're going to yet?"
"Um, I'm actually not going to an Ivy League college next year," I started to say. I felt a bit of blush come upon my cheeks in embarrassment. I hadn't exactly told anyone besides my parents about my change of plans in schools for next year. It felt kind of awkward considering that I did get into each and every one of the Ivy League schools. But, I knew that I was making the right decision for me and not for what everyone else wanted. Melanie was a good start for telling people though. I knew she would be happy for me either way.
"Really," she asked with a surprised expression. "Then where are you going?"
"I was actually seriously thinking about going to Stanford University." As soon as the name of the school left my mouth, Melanie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. I felt my eyebrows crinkle together in confusion. My first thought was: Did I say something wrong? Apparently, I guess I didn't since she tackled me into a hug.
"OMG DANNY," she exclaimed. I chuckled under her embrace. She looked up at me, her brown eyes sparkling with excitement. "Stanford was my first choice! I just found out that I got accepted there last night and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to go there! Danny, we're going to be together for college! OMG, this is the most amazing news ever!" Her slender arms tightened around me as she threw her head against my chest. I couldn't help but to feel a small smile come upon my lips as relief spread over my body like a smooth rain. I wouldn't lie that I was a bit afraid of going up to California by myself and being so far away from home. At least now I had Melanie with me. We always took care of each other so I'm pretty sure that we both would be just fine up there. "We should start a pimping business," Melanie suddenly exclaimed causing me to look down at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Excuse me," I asked. She smiled as she let go of me and flopped down onto my bed.
"We should totally go up to Cali and start a reputation as pimps."
"Hmm, I'm not too sure how Damien would feel about his girlfriend being a pimp?" She shrugged.
"Hey, he could either deal with his girlfriend being a pimp or he could deal with his girlfriend being a stripper. If I were him, I'd rather me to be a pimp. They make some serious cash flow." I shook my head at her although I could feel a smile on my lips.
"And why the sudden change in a college job?"
"A girl needs to pay that college tuition. You, my friend, are super smart and athletic so you therefore have a full-ride. Meanwhile, the above average but not totally super smart kids get partial scholarships and have to work the rest off." I rolled my eyes at her.
"Melanie, I think you forget who your parents are."
"Yea, I know that they're rich but I still wanna be a pimp for the fun of it." I chuckled softly, once again shaking my head at her. This time, her phone buzzed. She rolled over onto her stomach as she grabbed her phone from off my pillow to look at it. She groaned as she read over the text. "I'm sorry, Danny, but I've got to go. My mom's flipping out because she can't find the cranberry sauce. I told this woman where it was this morning but apparently it must have slipped. I swear there is nothing in her pretty little head." She scooted over to give me a hug before hopping off my bed.
"Text me, will ya," I told her as she headed for the door. She held up the peace sign in response before opening the door. I'm sure we were both surprised to see Jayden standing there with his fist raised as if he were about to knock. He was dressed in his black work clothes covered with a jacket and his book bag on his back.
"Hey Jayden," Melanie said happily as he shot her his tiny smile.
"Hi Melanie," he replied politely. Melanie glanced back at me, wiggled her eyebrows slightly before skipping out the room and down the hall. I felt my stomach clench slightly at the sight of her eyebrow wiggle. I prayed that she didn't suspect anything. But then again, she was my best friend. She knows everything about me. She probably knows but is just waiting for me to tell her. Or at least, that's what I'm hoping.
"Hey," I told Jayden as he walked into my room. His tiny smile had fallen and he was closing the door behind him. As soon as he turned and set his green eyes on me, his expression changed into a deadly glare. Shit. He was going to kill me. He dropped his bag on the floor before he began to shrug off his jacket. He set it down on the desk chair before starting to come towards me. He began cracking his knuckles, causing me to smile nervously and back up on my bed. "Now, Jayden, let's not get too serious here. You know I was only playing around."
"Mhmm," Jayden said half-heartedly. I opened my mouth to come out with some excuse but he was on me before I could blink. My back hit my soft mattress before I felt his hands on my stomach. His hands alternated between tickling me, throwing light punches at my torso, and messing up my hair. I couldn't help but to laugh and wiggle under him. I tried to tickle him back but he grabbed both of my wrists in one of his and continued to tickle me. I threw my head back and laughed loudly. I tried to wiggle my hips and flip him off but his legs tangled themselves with mine so I would stop moving. I will admit that he had me pinned down pretty good with the elimination of my arms and legs. I felt my stomach tingle a bit at the thought out of that. Jayden lightly smacked my cheek before he began to get off me. "Stupid white boy," he muttered under his breath. I smiled at him as I sat up.
"Is this how we greet each other now," I teased. He raised an eyebrow at me as he untucked his black shirt.
"This is how we'll great each other when you decide to be a smart ass. If that's going to be often then I guess so," Jayden replied.
"You know you like it, don't lie," I said as my smile grew. Jayden rolled his eyes but I could see his cheeks regain slight color. He began to walk back towards the door, grabbing his coat. "Hey," I said, causing him to turn. "Where are you going?"
"Home," he said. "I just wanted to see you before I headed home. I figured I could kick your ass and see your face at the same time."
"Hm, I still remember when you said I wasn't cute." Jayden rolled his eyes but a ghost of a smile played on his lips.
"Because you're not cute, Daniel. You're perfect." I blushed deeply as his green eyes stared at me. He noticed my blush and his tiny smile returned upon his lips. "I should go. I have to catch the bus since my bike broke down again." He took another step towards the door.
"Wait, Jayden, don't go. Please." Jayden had an eyebrow raised as he looked towards me again. I blushed deeply and looked down at my comforter. "I mean, I can drive you home later. Maybe we can hang out for a little while if you're not too tired. I can put on a movie or something. My parents aren't home and my brother's preoccupied downstairs and Ashley knows. It's okay if you want to stay." I glanced up at him to see that he was staring at me. "Just stay with me. Please." I looked up at him through my lashes as I said this. Jayden hesitated for a moment but nodded and put his stuff back down where they were.
"It's sad how I can't say no to you," he said as he walked over to flop down beside me on my bed. I smiled as I scooted closer to him. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. I noticed the weariness in his body as it relaxed. I watched as his jaw muscles loosened, his eye lids fluttered, and as his mouth began to part slightly. I couldn't help but to smile as his new peaceful expression. I had never actually noticed how beautiful Jayden was until recently. Yes, I had always taken account of how handsome he was but I'd never really analyzed him. Lately, though, I've been taking in realization of his smooth, dark caramel skin, his vibrant eyes that held some bits of dark orange in them, his full, pink lips, his long, thick eyelashes, and his curly dark hair that felt like silk. His body was also so muscularly sculpted yet so thin and tall. It was almost as if a talented artist had painted a Hispanic prince and he had stepped right out of the page. He was absolutely perfect.
"Falling asleep on me," I asked him, letting my voice get soft.
"No," Jayden murmured. "I'm just laying here." He opened his eyes halfway and looked over at me. His green eyes scanned my blue ones for a moment before they looked down to my lips. "You know, I didn't give you the proper greeting that I wanted to." I felt my heart flutter as his accent dominated his voice. The ends of his lips pulled up slightly as he turned onto his side and reached out to grab my hips. He pulled me close – so close that our bodies were pressed up against each other. I could smell his signature cinnamon scent that always radiated off of him and I felt the butterflies get stronger from the subtle scent. Jayden leaned in to kiss me softly, tenderly. His lips were soft against mine although I could taste a bit of the cold air from outside on them. The soft kiss led to many more, our lips beginning to move together in harmony. Slowly, I wrapped my arms around his muscular torso and squeezed him tightly. My demonstration of strength caused a small noise to come from Jayden's throat. His hold on me tightened as his tongue lightly licked between my lips. I let him work his tongue to get my mouth open. I found it a bit more fun to let him work for that. His tongue was so warm and so skilled as it licked my lips slowly. Once I actually did open my mouth, Jayden slowly stuck his tongue into mine. I felt our breaths deepen as our tongues collided and our kisses got deeper. One of my hands crept up into his silky curls while his pressed firmly against my back. We kissed for a while before we slowly pulled away.
"I think I like that greeting much better," I whispered. Jayden chuckled.
"I bet you do," he whispered back before pecking my lips. His arms pulled me into a tight embrace, my head resting against his chest.
"So, has your dad gotten here yet," I asked him. I remembered that Jayden had mentioned his father coming up for the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas to spend time with his kids. Jayden hasn't mentioned anything about his father coming home since then but his father was a bit of a touchy subject for him so I tried not to talk too much about it.
"Yea. I think he got here a couple hours ago. He called me when I was on break at work," Jayden said.
"Are you going to stay with him while he's home?"
"No. Like I said before: he can tolerate us but he can't take care of us. Sure, I can take care of myself but still having me around 24/7 might annoy him. I don't want to push it."
"I understand. Are you happy that he's home?"
"Yea I guess. I'm glad that he's alive and well."
"That's always good." He nodded.
"Yea. My sisters and I are gonna go see him tomorrow. And we're gonna spend Thanksgiving with him."
"Are you guys gonna cook a lot of food or anything?"
"Probably not. Usually when my dad is home for Thanksgiving, we all just help cook a regular meal and eat together and stuff. Nothing major. What are you doing for Thanksgiving?"
"A good chunk of my family is coming over for dinner. This house is going to be packed with relatives and I'm going to try to keep my sanity." Jayden chuckled.
"Is it really that bad?"
"Yes. I have tons of little cousins, older cousins, then the cool cousins who are my age. Then I have all my aunts and uncles and my grandparents and everyone just bunches up into our house. It's fun for most of the time but then all the adults get drunk and bam – we have conflicts everywhere." Jayden chuckled.
"That sounds like that would be interesting."
"Thanksgiving and other family events are always...never boring, let's put it that way. Have you ever had a lot of your relatives together in one place before?"
"When I was younger, I did. But, now not so much. My dad's a loner and my mom kind of branched off from her family because...she doesn't want anyone prying into her business per to say. So, now, we kind of see our family when we see em."
"Is your family big?"
"Daniel, I am Mexican. Of course I have a big family. Hell, big isn't even the right adjective for it." I chuckled.
"So you're 100% Mexican?"
"Yup," Jayden said. "I'm guessing you have your foreign descendants down to a T like most of the other kids in our school."
"Yea. My mom's family is of German descent and my father's family is Irish, some British, and a bit of Polish."
"Mutt," Jayden teased. I chuckled at him. I could hear his voice drifting off more and more. He was probably falling asleep on me. I let him though. I knew he had a long day with school and work and all. As he slept quietly next to me, I felt myself grow weary in his embrace as well. I smiled as I cuddled closer to him and my eyes fluttered closed. Somehow, I could feel myself getting used to sleeping with him. Silently, I hoped that one day I would be able to sleep next to him every night.
X
I groaned as I heard my phone buzz on my nightstand. The past two days had been so busy for me and all I wanted to do was sleep. On the eve of Thanksgiving, I had helped my mom get everything together and greeted my relatives as they all started to file into my house. I endured my grandmothers and aunts pinching me cheeks and gushing about how handsome I'd gotten. My grandmother on my father's side kept asking me about girlfriends while my female cousins watched on and smiled deviously at me. They kept showing me pictures of their friends who needed dates or a boyfriend or whatever. I felt so awkward in that situation considering I had a boyfriend myself. I was lucky when one of my younger cousins tugged me off to go play Xbox with the other boys. On Thanksgiving, we all helped cook in the kitchen and we had a somewhat nice dinner. As expected, all the adults got drunk and we had fights and arguments everywhere. I was happy when they decided to leave early in the morning and my mom said I didn't have to get up to watch them go. My little cousins kept me and the other cousins my age busy so I was tired from that as well. I could only wonder who the hell was calling me. Melanie knew damn well what goes on during a Crawford Thanksgiving so that only left...Jayden.
I shot up in my bed and grabbed my phone. "Hello," I asked into the phone.
"Hey white boy," Jayden said. "Did I wake you?"
"No, no," I said. I looked at my digital clock to see that it was three in the afternoon. "What's up?"
"Uh, my dad wants to meet you...is it okay if you meet him today?" I felt my nerves start to bundle together. I mean, Jayden told me that his mother and grandmother thought I was nice but his dad sounded as if he were different than them. I know that Jayden probably took his opinion with great respect so I needed him to like me.
"Um, sure. Just give me the address for his house and I'll be over in an hour or so."
"Okay thanks. Sorry about the late notice, my dad is...yea."
"I understand," I said as I reluctantly got out of bed. "I'll be right over." After we hung up, I hopped into the shower and dressed quickly. I wasn't sure where exactly Jayden's father lived nor how far away it was so I didn't want to waste too much time. I got dressed in a blue plaid and white button up shirt from Express, jeans, and sneakers. I ran a brush through my hair and brushed my teeth three times before I headed out my room. I avoided my family so that they wouldn't ask any questions and hurried out the door.
Once in my car, I plugged in the address Jayden texted me and was on my way. Surprisingly, his father didn't live far from me at all. He only lived a couple blocks away in a big white house. I will admit that I was surprised to see his father living in such an expensive, lavish house while his family lived in a smaller, more violent setting. But, I thought about what Jayden had told me so many times. He can tolerate them but he can't take care of them. I had to keep that in mind. I hurried up the walkway to the door in the chilly weather. I couldn't even knock before Jayden opened the door. He was wearing a plain black fitted shirt, sweat pants, and a pair of sneakers. His hair was messy and his eyes were bright with adrenaline. I raised an eyebrow at him. "Hey," he said, a bright smile coming upon his face.
"Hey," I said, shooting him a smile back. I wanted to question why he looked as if he was hyper but I didn't have time before he grabbed my hand and yanked me inside. His father's house was just as big and elegant as mine but yet there was more a bachelor pad feel about it. I wasn't sure how to explain it but the atmosphere expressed right off that a man lived alone in the house. Jayden helped me take off my coat and put it on a coat hanger before he grabbed my hand and led me into what I guessed was the living room. The carpet was a sleek black, the walls were a bright white, the furniture was checkered black and white, and it smelled new of fresh fabric. A huge television stood against a wall with a couple of game consoles below it.
"Danny," I heard Jayden's little sisters exclaim. I looked to see them running up to me. I smiled and bent down to give them hugs.
"If you two don't get off my boyfriend," I heard Jayden mutter under his breath. His sisters giggled before letting me go. They glanced back and I then noticed the man who had stood up from his seat. He was tall, taller than Jayden, with bright caramel colored eyes, deeply tanned skin, and dark wavy hair. Tattoos covered his very muscular arms and his face was hard as stone. His face was sharp like Jayden's but he looked nothing like his son. It was only when I looked at the way the man angled his eyes that I saw Jayden.
"Hello sir," I said, forcing a polite smile on my face. Jayden's father's face remained blank as he looked me over before his eyes flicked to his son.
"Dad, this is Daniel...my boyfriend," Jayden said. I glanced at him to see he was smiling proudly at his dad, his eyes shining with admiration.
"Daniel," I heard his father repeat. His accent was much stronger than Jayden's but his voice was very similar to his son's. His caramel eyes continued to scrutinize me, the sides of his mouth tightening. I began to feel a bit small under his intense gaze. I felt as if his eyes were stripping away every inch of my skin so that he could see the deepest depths of my soul. I mean, I get that parents were overprotective but I wasn't sure if this guy wanted to kill me or see if I was good choice for his son. After a while, his lips began to pull up into the same tiny smile that Jayden does. He began to walk towards me, his hand stretched outwards. I took a step forward, holding his gaze, and shook his strong hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you," the man said.
"Same to you, sir." Jayden's father smiled, his caramel eyes flicking back to my boyfriend.
"Jayden, do you mind going to get me and your friend something and taking your sisters with you?" Shit. I felt my heart speed up a bit. I've done talks alone with my old girlfriends' fathers before but none of them were as intimidating as Jayden's. This dude was scaring the living daylights out of me but I was trying to hold my ground so that I wouldn't seem like a wimp. He was probably testing me on that. I looked to Jayden to see that he was surprised by his father's request. Oh shit, was this not normal?
"Oh...okay," he said unsurely. He motioned for his sisters, who were still standing at my feet, to come with him as he walked out the room. His father waited until they were out of hearing range to speak again.
"Relax, son," he said as his smile grew. "You've already passed my test. There are not many boys who can look a man in the eye and stand their ground without a single quiver. Trust me; I work with a bunch of them." I felt my nervous breath come out and I relaxed a bit. He motioned towards the couch. "Sit, please," he said. His voice was deep, leveled, commanding. It was strange but it reminded me of Jayden's. We sat down on the couch. I put my hands in my lap and folded them. "So you're Daniel, huh," he asked as he continued to scrutinize me. I nodded, smiling sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I just didn't expect Jayden to bring home a boy like you." Meaning he didn't expect Jayden to bring home a white boy. I totally understood that factor. I don't think anyone who looked at Jayden would believe he was dating someone like more nor me dating someone like him. We were an extremely odd couple.
"I understand."
"I'm sorry. I didn't introduce myself properly. My name is Mateo or Lt. Delgado as most people call me."
"Jayden told me you were part of the Marine Corps. I didn't know that you were a lieutenant."
"Yes. I've been a lieutenant for the past twenty years." He smiled proudly. "I'm guessing Jayden told you that he wishes to follow in my footsteps." I nodded. "Yes, I hope for him to be a lieutenant just as I am."
"I'm sure he will be. He's a very strong young man."
"Yes. Enough about the Marines. I wish I could ask about you but I'm afraid that I think I know everything. My son talks an awful lot about you." I blushed deeply. "Look, I'm going to cut to the chase here. You look like a very nice, respectful boy, Daniel. I understand that this is your first homosexual experience and all but please try to be careful with my son. He is a very special boy who has been through a lot in his life. He deserves someone like you. He's told me about the honesty that you two have and how comfortable he feels around you. I also know about how strongly he feels about you. So, I'm asking you to take care of him for me. You've gotten him to stop his self-harm so far and I couldn't thank you more for that." The image of Jayden showing me his scars back at the library flashed through my mind and I felt my stomach twist. Back then, I had felt bad for him but I hadn't put any real thought of how serious it was. Had I really been the one to make him stop? "Just continue your good influences. You're a good guy for him."
"Thank you sir." Jayden walked back into the room holding a can of beer and two soda bottles. His green eyes looked back and forth between his father and I cautiously. I shot him a small smile to reassure him that everything was alright.
"I like this one," Mateo said as Jayden handed him the beer. Jayden smiled.
"Good, I do too." He then looked to me and winked. I blushed softly before he sat down next to me. He handed me the bottle of Coke soda before saying something to his father. I spent the rest of the day over at Mateo's house with Jayden. As the day progressed, I saw what Jayden had meant about his father whenever he described him to me. The man didn't have many words and he didn't express much emotion on his face. I think he only showed so much to me because he wanted to get a point across. Other than that, he was pretty introverted. I could tell that Jayden and his sisters loved him to death though. All of their eyes shined with admiration and love for the man – Jayden especially. He practically followed him around like a puppy and did whatever he asked without a second thought. It was cute. I remember when I used to be like that with my dad. Back when I was younger and so quick to do whatever made him happy. Back when I thought he was perfect. At least Jayden doesn't have the perfect image of his father. He knows that the man was far from perfect but he loved him anyway. I wished I would have had that relationship with my father.
Mateo took me in with open arms though, openly engaging in small talk and playing video game matches with me. I could tell that he was growing to like me more and more as the day went on. Jayden seemed to be happy about that fact. I was surprised when Mateo invited me to stay over. While a part of me wanted to decline, I just let Jayden's longing look win me over to agree. That night, we went through our usual routine of watching television, wrestling around, and talking. I liked our routine. I liked the serenity and drama-free atmosphere. I liked being with Jayden. I liked it more than I ever thought I would.
"I win," Jayden said as he pinned me down once again against his bed. He was breathing heavy since I had been putting up a good fight against him. I saw that he liked it better that way when I made an actual effort to try to win. I knew that I would never win but it was still fun to wrestle with him. I can't help to mention that it also did turn me on just a little bit...
"Shouldn't you let me win for once," I asked. "Be a nice boyfriend."
"Hmm no." I chuckled as he rested his head on my chest. "My dad likes you – really likes you," he told me.
"That's good. I mean after he almost made me shit myself with his look when I first met him, I was kind of hoping he liked me." Jayden chuckled.
"Sorry about that. He likes intimidating people." Jayden picked his head up and pecked my lips. He rolled off of me and lay beside me, staring at the ceiling. We were both still breathing hard from our playful fight so the only sound in the room was our small pants.
"Jayden," I asked after a little while.
"Yes, Daniel," he replied.
"Can I ask you something? I want you to be honest with me."
"Okay."
"Do you...do you think we'll be...I mean do you think we'll last? I know that I shouldn't be thinking this way since we're still just getting the hang of things but I just...I'm scared."
"Of what," I heard Jayden ask as he grabbed my hand. He gave it a soft squeeze, giving me a bit of reassurance.
"That something's going to tear us apart. I mean, I know we haven't been this way long but I...I don't want to lose you." Jayden propped himself up onto his elbow, his green eyes boring down at me.
"You won't," he promised. "I've waited almost four years to be with you, my dream guy. I would never throw what we have away nor would I let you go – not without a fight." He leaned down to kiss my lips. "I really care about you," he told me sincerely. "Nothing in the world can change that, okay?" I nodded and Jayden leaned down to kiss me again. We kissed for a long time, our lips moving together in a blissful sync and the genuineness of Jayden's promise lingering in the air.