"Babe, I love you, I love because of you, I live because of you. You're my one and only, I could look at you all night and never get tired, I-"
"My eyes are up here Adam!" Macy says with an arched brow and Adam sheepishly moves his eyes from her chest, his cheeks turning red. I burst out laughing at him, resting my head against dad's shoulder as he watches the TV silently.
Well, not so silently, he keeps jumping up and yelling at the TV for the players fouls. He's watching basketball.
My phone is charging in my room and I'm trying to relax before Hakeem comes to pick me up, And Adam and Macy are really proving to be more than enough entertainment for one day.
"Pass the fucking ball!" Dad yells all of a sudden, jumping up from the couch and leaving my head hanging. I glare at him and mom's head pops out of the kitchen.
"Swear jar!" She yells and dad starts pouting, walking to the jar on the table and opening it, dripping ten dollars inside. I shake my head at him and look back at my two besties, immediately feeling disgusted when I see them sucking each other's faces off.
I feel like I'm the one embarrassed even though I'm not the one performing the action.
The doorbell rings and I stand up, walking to he door and seeing dad still watching the TV with one eye while whining about his lost ten bucks.
I open the door and come face to face with the familiar Spanish monkey that has been my favorite Muslim since highschool.
"Hey stranger." I say and he rolls his eyes, smiling as he remembers. He barges in, whistling and clapping when he sees Adam and Macy having a very public PDA.
They break apart, Macy blushing while Adam just chuckles, smiling at Hakeem.
"Long time no see bro, how was Barbados?" Adam asks and him and Hakeem do a bro shake thing, something they've been doing for a long time.
"Same old, same old, how is life living with this tyrant?" He asks and pinches Macy's cheek causing her to seat at his arm and growl. He sticks out his tongue at her and they start blowing raspberries at each other.
"Well, I guess that answers my question," Hakeem says and looks at me.
"I'm sorry for your loss." He says and I laugh, smacking his arm.
"Hey!" He whined, pouting and rubbing his arm. Dad walks into the living room and pauses when he sees Hakeem.
"Hakeem!"
"George!" They both call out and start running in slow motion towards each other. I just stare, blinking in confusion as they collide, wrapping their arms tightly around themselves and fake weeping.
"I don't understand what is going on." Macy silently says and I nod in agreement.
"Hakeem, dad, stop being drama queens." I groan, walking towards the stairs as they start laughing at themselves.
I run upstairs and get my phone, almost tripping over my leg as I rush down. I really hope I don't see dad and Hakeem doing some weird stuff, I know it took me three months to get the image of them squishing their backsides together.
Very weird.
"Come on Hakeem, let's get going! I'll see you later guys." I say and tug at Hakeem's hand to pull him out of the house. He blows a kiss and makes the peace sign just before I shut the door and starts smirking at me.
I roll my eyes at him and walk towards his car, pulling the door open and throwing myself into the seat.
He enters and shuts the door, shoving the key into the ignition. "So, what is this about?" I ask and he looks at me briefly.
"Just something about hot footballers, and I guess I'm on the front." He states smugly and I roll my eyes at him, puling out my phone, scrolling through Instagram.
"So, everyone's been talking about you and that writer guy," he starts and I groan, rolling my eyes. He chuckles and glances at me again.
"Now, I've heard all the rumors,. but I really wanna hear it from you, are you two like a thing?" He asks and I scrunch up my face.
"I wish." I mutter and I'm pretty sure Hakeem's brows must've reached the roof.
"Wait, seriously? You, the girl popular for beating up guys, wishes she had a thing with a guy? Are you sure you're April Freeman?" He asks and I smack his arm.
"Okay, my doubt has been cleared, you really are still April of highschool." He winces, trying to rub his sore arm without leaving the wheel.
"So, what happened? I expected something like him to be around by the time I came and you know, getting all possessive and shit, why didn't I get the chance to throw him around like paper?" He asks with a somewhat sad tone and I eye him weirdly.
Was he really expecting to suddenly pick a fight with Austin?
"He's been nicknamed Run away Lover, I guess that should answer all your questions." I scoff and turn to look out the window, seeing a kid looking at me. He sticks his tongue out and puts his tongue to his temple and I scrunch up my face, glaring at him. His eyes widen and he starts crying, causing a small smirk to form on my face.
Serves him right.
"I see you're still bullying kids." Hakeem says amusedly and I gasp.
"He started it!" I accuse and see his mother giving me a mean stare and I just stick out my tongue at her.
"Alright, calm down you angry koala, and no, I have the looks but I surely don't have the brains, now explain in full details, if we have enough time, you can even add a sketch of the crime scene." He says and I'm tempted to hit him again.
"Never hit he driver." He warns and my hand retracts. He looks at me with a critical eye when we reach a red light and I sigh tiredly.
"Fine! He's missing, and this isn't the first time it's happening, it's the freaking third time and as much as I want to show that I hate him, I'm worried. Even his parents don't know, and he doesn't sleep for goodness sake! And when I find him I'm going to kill him because the last time I saw him, he just left even after I called his name! I'd told him that I have abandonment issues and he still left! But as much as I want all the oxygen to leave his body, I really want an explanation and for him to just be okay." I pout and look down, thinking about how he is.
"Wait you've met his parents, ooh, shit just got real." He mutters and I smack him.
"Is that all you heard throughout everything that I said?" I ask and he glares at me.
"Of course not, I'm just surprised because a guy only takes a girl to meet his parents officially when he wants to get in a relationship with her, or else you're just a side chick." I smack his arm again.
"That's not helping you dimwit." I grumble and he winces as he rubs his arm.
"Look, all I'm saying is that he might be gone missing because he got jealous. Maybe he saw you hanging out with some other guy, or he really has some serious head issues that can be adjusted if you want, five bucks for every hit." He bargains with me and I find myself chuckling lightly.
"Look, you don't gotta chase him, he'll come back to you if he's meant for you, and when he does, make him suffer before you accept, it'll show just how much he wants you back." He says and I look down, pondering on it.
The car is filled with an awkward silence and when I go to reply him, "When for you get so wise?" He laughs and points to his head.
"All in due time honey, you'll get there."
I smack him again.
°•°•°|°•°•°
"You're cancelled?" Storm shouts and parks immediately, his face masked with surprise.
"What and me who the shooting was for didn't need to be informed, what it's not like I'm the cover or something." He says sarcastically and I are my brow.
Hakeem only gets sarcastic when he gets mad, and when he gets mad, it's not actually a pretty or funny sight.
"So what now? I just have to spend my whole holiday here waiting for when you're going to do another fucking shoot?" He smacks the steering and I start inching closer to the door.
"You can't seriously force me to wait here, I have to get back for the freaking celebration of red and green where people cut down trees like they're the ones planting them and have a fucking feast with my family!" He yells and I start unlocking the door slowly so he won't hear me.
"It's not fucking compulsory! Choose someone else like Jackson or something, I'm done!" He yells and scrunches his face when the person on the phone keeps ranting.
"So what if they chose me and have already given the fans the news on who's gonna be on the cover, if I'm fucking dead will you put my body on the cover too, or just my coffin?"
Oh dang!
"Don't you fucking dare! Hell me pale and dead will still be way better than Marcus going for a tan every fucking day!" He hisses and I shake my head for the poor person on the other end of the call.
"If this shoot isn't done by next week, you can consider me done. Put yourself in the cover for all I care!" He says and cuts the call, breathing hard. I manage to open the door but his head snaps to me and he bares his teeth like he does when he's really mad and I can see his veins.
"Hey buddy, just calm down. I'm not the editor okay, I'm the adorable koala that you really don't want to hurt." I laugh nervously and he closes his eyes. His hands gripping the wheel so tight, it looks like the car is going to split under him.
He starts chuckling and I make a confused face, before following him, laughing even though you could hear how nervous I am from a mile away.
"Put your fucking seatbelt on April." He says in a low voice and I shut the door quickly and fasten the seat belt, holding it tight and saying my last prayers as Hakeem starts driving full speed.
I still haven't finished my Candy Crush, if I die, I will hunt you Hakeem.
°•°|°•°
As I open the front door, thanking the good Lord that I can still walk right, I'm bombarded with everyone screaming in my face and I immediately rush outside again, breathing hard from how they screamed.
I wait for them to calm down and slowly open the door, poking my head though the small gap to see if they're with anything that could knock me out.
"Alright guys, you have to promise that you wouldn't bombard me again when I enter." I say and Kira sighs yes.
I open the door and slowly walk into the house, looking at all of them with a worried face.
"What's wrong?" I ask and Brooke looks like she's going to break apart any moment. And finally,
"Luke is back and he's at your condo, passed out." She blurts and my heart stops. I hear the ringing in my head and immediately shoot into the house, grabbing my keys and dashing last them out of the house to my car.
I open the door and throw the key into the ignition, driving off.
My mind keeps racing, what if something bad happened to him? What if he has bad news? Has he seen his parents? Is he okay?
I reach the condo withing fifteen minutes and pull to a sharp stop. I fly out of the car and start running but pause when I see him sitting on the steps with his head tucked between his knees and he's shaking.
"Austin." I breathe and he looks up, almost like he sensed me and he gasps, snuggling and cleaning his face.
Was he crying?
I run to him and wrap my arms around him, holding him close to me as he silently cries on my shoulder.
This is the second time a guy is crying on my shoulder, the first was Chase when he lost his best friend, and now, Austin.
We just sit at the steps, him breathing hard against me and me, awkwardly rubbing his back.
When he finally detaches himself from me, he looks into my eyes and I gasp at how red his eyes are and how tired he looks.
"Did you get any sleep?" I ask him and he looks down. That gesture alone is enough to let me know that he didn't sleep enough for this past two weeks.
"Come on, let's go inside." I say softly and help him stand up, I open the door and shut it behind us when he enters fully. He leans against the wall, looking lifeless when I lock it.
I look back at him and he just blinks slightly, his usually cheery face tired and bags forming under his eyes.
"Come on, let's go to my room." I say and take his hand, taking him up the stairs carefully because I can see him swaying.
We reach my room and I take him to the bed, he sits down first, before pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it to the side. I see the sweat slowly trickling down his body and he places his elbows on his knees, hiding his face in his palm.
"Austin, come on, let's go to bed." I say with a shaky voice and touch his hand. He looks up, blinking as he stares at me. He tugs at my arm, pulling me closer to him in the bed. He lays on the bed, placing my hand on his chest, tingles tickling my fingers.
He stares at me, his lips parting slightly, he tugs me closer to him, until I'm just inches away. His lips brush my nose and he tugs them up into a smile. He pulls away to look me in the eye once again and he frowns.
"Please don't leave." He begs and my heart finally crushes for him. I stare into his eyes, my hand reaching to brush my thumb against his jaw and I smile.
"I promise."
He sighs and closes his eyes, relaxing and rubbing his hand against my back.
"Good dreams Austin."
°•°•°•°|°•°•°•°
Somehow in the afternoon, I end up taking off my shirt when I feel myself getting drenched in sweat. Austin's body is so hot it serves as a personal heater and it was getting me all sweaty.
When I try to put some distance between us, he just tugs me closer, his eyes flying open like he was never asleep.
"Austin you're hot, and you're making me sweaty." I say and he slightly tugs his lips up, before they drop from exhaustion.
"But you're so warm, and I'm feeling really cold but sweaty." His hoarse and really deep voice reaches my ears and sends shivers down my body.
"Are you sick Austin?" I ask and press my hand to his neck and forehead but he seems normal, not burning up.
"I'm just tired, please hold me so I can sleep." He says and I nod, resting my head on his shoulder and starting at his jaw. His hands find their way into my hair and I sigh as he massages my scalp.
My eyes gradually close and I let myself fall into the pits of sleep.
°•°|°•°
I feel Austin detach his body from mine and sit up in the bed. I open my eyes and stare as he holds his head in his hand, shaking his head before he stands up and walks into the bathroom.
I sit up, waiting for him to come back out while slapping my face lightly. When he comes outside, his hair and face is wet, the water dripping down his neck to his chest. He stares at me, his eyes raking over my body. When they meet mine again, I'm struck by the intensity of the blue. Every trace of red is gone and is replaced by the striking blue that I could get lost in.
"Hey." He says and I immediately snap out of the trance, glaring at him. His face drops when he sees my glare and I almost feel bad for him but I keep the glare on.
"Mind explaining why you disappeared that afternoon when you saw me and Devin at the candle store?" I ask and cross my arms, fixing my face firmly in him.
He sighs and sits at the foot of the bed, holding his head in his hands again. "Do you want me to be honest with you?" He asks, looking at me. I nod and wait for his answer, my heart thudding hard against my chest.
"I was jealous, I saw you with him that day when I'm the only other guy that's not dating your friends that I know you hang around, and I- I couldn't handle that." He says and I frown.
Why would he be-
"Why would you be jealous of him, Austin? And that is no excuse to leave like that. I told I have issues about abandonment, and it feels like you could do it to me over and over again, and it won't take you a second to leave me. I feel like you don't care Austin." I say and he looks up at me with pain in his eyes.
"I don't mean to do it April."
"But you still do it, it doesn't matter if you don't want to do it, it only matters if you don't do it, Austin, I care about you, but I feel like I'm making a huge mistake letting you back in my life." I say and his eyes water, turning bloodshot again.
"No April, you have to understand." He tries again but I shake my head.
"There's nothing to understand Austin, you can't stay." I say and he shakes his head, pleading with me silently.
"No April, please, I'm only leaving because, I-" He pauses and I wait for him to continue but he keeps his mouth shut. I shake my head and throw my legs over the bed, standing on my feet to walk out but he grabs my hand and pulls me to him.
"April please." I snatch my hand from him and shake my head.
"Don't April me, Austin, I have a really fragile heart, and I really don't want it to get damaged, just please, if you don't have a reason, let me be." I move back until I'm at the door and turn around, feeling my eyes welling up.
"I leave because I don't want you to leave me first like she did, I don't want to lose another person that I love." He yells and I stop in my tracks, turning around to face him slowly.
"What?" I ask in a shaky voice and he looks up at me, his blues striking me.
"I leave because I'm afraid I'll get even more broken than I was when she died, when she left me, so I leave before anyone has the chance to hurt me anymore, but it kills me to leave you April, it kills me to see the hurt in your eyes everytime." He cries and stands up, reaching for me.
"I hate seeing you cry April, and I absolutely hate being the cause for your pain. Sometimes, I wish you never knew me because you're better off without me, but I need you April, I need you." He says and brushes his thumb against my cheeks, wiping off the tears that I didn't even realize were trailing down my face.
He leans in, staring into my eyes. His hands wipe away the tears as he holds my face in both his large hands. His fingers grip the hair at my nape.
"I need you more than you can imagine April." He breathes against my face and I blink, feeling the goosebumps spreading across the skin of my body. My face tingles and my fingers itch to touch him, to pull him to me. My lips part and I feel my eyes stinging as the water pricks them.
"Show me." I say and he bites his lip, his eyes flickering between mine and my lips, lingering there before he looks back to my eyes.
"Fuck it." He says and crashes his lips to meet mine.