387A/N: Unbeta'd, my lovely beta decided to go trapsing around Europe for the summer, so,it was either post it now, or wait ANOTHER three or four months to get it beta'd. Sorry guys.
Tyler laid on his back and wrapped an arm around me. "Alex, if I told you how much I love you…would it change your mind?" I'd never heard his voice so weak before.
I sighed deeply and snuggled into his arms, because, god I loved this guy and he felt so good against me. "Tyler, I walked in on you fucking Brad." Enough said.
I swear I think I heard Tyler sniffle. "I have no idea how that happened, I promise." I shrugged but snuggled closer, loving the feel of his grip tightening. "Hey Alex?" He asked after a few moments. "What happened, the day your parent's died?"
My heart stopped cold in my chest. "Tyler…" I gasped dramatically, slightly surprised that he would bring it up after seven months. Surprised that he had the balls to ask me that.
Tyler took a deep breath. "Alex…please, I just need to know that I know you better than anyone thought possible for us. It's selfish, but…I need to know." He sighed out, kissing the top of my head softly.
I felt my breath falter, "Fine." I croaked out, closing my eyes.
"We were driving back from the school, after finalizing that I was going to graduate this year…and my mom starting to talk about John…who was my first boyfriend. But, she was asking about him and why we never talked anymore." I tightened my eyes and buried my face in Tyler's chest. "Well, we were slowing down for a red light…and I just kind of blurted out that we were dating and we broke-up, that I was gay and proud of it…and-" I choked slightly, "-my dad's foot hit the accelerator instead of the break."
Tyler tightened his grip even more, turning me on my side of that I was laying pressed up against him. "It's okay Alex…"
I shook my head and moved my arm so that it was laying across his chest. "We sped through the light, and the front of the car got side-swiped by a silver 2006 Ford F350." I knew shit about cars, but that one was burned into my memory. "It crushed into my dad, they said he should have died instantly, but he didn't. He suffered. It sent us into the "Welcome to Crestview" sign. The impact sandwiched my mother, but she was alright." I felt my breath catch. "But the driver of the truck had lost control of the wheel. He hit the driver's side of the car head-on again. That one crushed my dad's spine and shattered half of his skull…my mother had a head jury, but she could have lived…if the car hadn't caught fire." I looked up and out of my window at the big moon. "I watched my mother burn alive, and my father's body burn. At least he didn't scream…" My voice caught in my throat.
Tyler coughed back something in his throat. "Holy fuck Alex…"
"The driver of the truck was fine though…a little scratch on the head…he was the one that pulled me out of the car." I looked up at my-my- my-Tyler. "I wanted to hate him…but, he was in his fifties…he had three grand-kids, and a black lab…his name was Harold."
We sat in silence for a few minutes before Tyler spoke again.
Tyler sighed and rolled us over quickly, so hat he was on top of me. "My mother used to beat the shit out of me." He blurted out, kissing me on the mouth lovingly.
I raised my eyebrows, totally ignoring the tears running down the sides of my face. "What the hell?" I asked with a chuckle.
Tyler smiled and kissed me again. "It's the only thing I had that no one else knew. That you could take with you as you knowing me better than any one of the planet." He nodded, flopping back onto his side so that he was facing me. "I would come home from school, and she would just go berserk, she'd beat the ever-loving shit at me. Slam me into banisters…she broke my clavicle in eighth grade." Tyler was deep in thought. "That's when she and my dad really started to hate each other. He threatened to kill her."
I raised my eyebrows. "He threatened to kill her?"
Tyler grinned and nodded. "Yeah, she hasn't touched me, other than the occasional slap since. God, my dad was my hero. I remember, after my step-dad 'died', Carlos was my everything. I wanted to be just like him." I grinned at Tyler's happy little kid smile. "And, now I can't believe I let something so fucking fake and stupid get in the way of my relationship with my dad." He shook his head.
I leaned up and kissed him lightly. "You loved him Tyler." I whispered.
Tyler shook his head, "I've never felt anything like what I do for you Alex. This, this is love." He nodded at me. "You mean everything to me."
I shook my head. "That's…mildly horrible Tyler." I sighed out, turning and wrapping an arm around him.
Tyler sighed. "But it's true." He whispered into my hair. "Every word of it."
I shrugged and leaned out of his grip enough to kiss him on the lips I knew so well. "You know, I think I would prefer the sex." I grinned at his shocked face and threw myself on top of him, pinning his arms the best I could and attacking his mouth before he could protest.
After I was fairly sure he wasn't going to protest, I took my time moving my body slowly down his, grinding into the front of his jeans lightly, slightly disappointed to find that the bulge there was faint. A further reminder that Tyler had just gotten off. With Brad.
I sat up and looked at him. "Lets go take a shower…" My voice was slightly pathetic, and I knew that Tyler knew why.
"We don't have to do anything you know, I'm happy just talking." Tyler reached down and grabbed my face, holding it up and kissing my mouth softly. "I love you."
I smiled at him and whispered, "Say it again." I closed my eyes after seeing Tyler's soft grin.
"I love you." He kissed my mouth again. "I love you." Again. "I love you." He finally pulled me up and laid me beside him. "I love you." He wrapped both his arms and a leg around me, holding me tightly to him. "I love you so much."
I grinned at him and cuddled tightly to him, sticking my nose in his shoulder and breathing deeply. Wrapping my arms around him, I put my head to his chest and listened to his breathing slowly uneven as he fell asleep.
"Tyler?" I paused, making sure he was asleep. "I love you too." I whispered before closing my eyes and going to sleep.
I woke up to the earliest rays of dawn stretching across my face. Today was the day. I rolled over and watched Tyler's slightly tanned skin catch the sun. I sighed deeply. "Tyler."
Tyler's nose twitched and he shifted slightly. "Tyler!" I said louder, pushing his shoulders hard enough to push him off the edge of the small twin bed.
Tyler fell hard, sprawling roughly. "What the fuck?! Alex!"
"Get out of my house." I told him perfectly calmly, even taking care to lay back and glance at my nails.
Tyler's face was nothing but sure shock. "Al-Alex…" He whimpered, his eyes widening and a kind of pain drifting though them. "I…I love you…" He tried.
"No. I told you. It's dawn, you fucked Brad. Now get out." I nodded toward the door for emphasis, holding my hand out in a way that just reeked how little of a shit I gave.
Tyler sat up slowly, crawling slightly over to me. "But…I thought…"
I sat up slowly and looked deeply into his bright blue eyes. I moved so that we were directly on the same level. "Get. Out." I hissed, reaching up and grabbing the beautiful diamonds around my neck, and yanking. The platinum snapped and I tossed it at Tyler.
Tyler's eyes seemed to dim lightly before he stood on shaky legs and grabbed his shit and turned to leave. He paused at the door, turning back at me and sending me one last pleading glace, which I promptly shot down with a glare. "I love you Alex." He breathed lightly.
I just blinked at him before he sighed and walked out of my doorway, down my stairs and out the door. Out of my life.
As the car pulled away I rolled over and let the tears flow.
For the rest of the summer, not much had changed. All of my things from Tyler's managed to find their way to my front porch about mid-June, and about half-way through July I got a letter from Harvard telling me that while they didn't usually accept late acceptances and deposits, they appreciated the generous donation to the school.
Along with that Tyler had put his half a million in my account as he promised, ensuring my education and a well-off life afterwards, just as he promised. The note he left with the bank was simply 'Paid in Full'.
I didn't see Tyler again after that, nor Christina for a while actually. From what I heard she'd given her mother the finger and disappeared. All she told me was that Tyler was going to Spain and that she would be staying with friends. I saw John once, he stopped by my house…told me he was moving to California. The first time I'd even really thought of him in three years and the last time I was ever going to see him. He told me that he figured he owed me at least that much.
The house sold surprisingly fast, in July, and we were given until I started school to get out. I used some of the money in my account to buy Kayla a beach house in South Carolina, the money I spent on that found it's way back into my account two weeks later.
And then, in the beginning of August, Kayla came in my room and ripped the blanket off of me. "Okay, quit moping. You have a visitor." She growled, already dressed in her uniform for the office she was a secretary at for the next two weeks, then she was being transferred.
I groaned and lifted out of bed as Chris Graves entered me bedroom. "Hey Alex-baby." He grinned at me, not even faltering as my gaze remained stoic.
"Hey Chris." I responded on automatic, reaching up and ruffling my hair before resting my elbows on my knees.
He nodded and looked around my room of boxes and…boxes. "Nice place." He commented with a smirk.
I looked with him and shrugged. "It's been better." I trailed-off, letting the awkward silence fill the void.
Finally Chris sighed. "Look, Alex…I came to talk. Can we go to my house?" He sounded so desperate that I just had to sigh and give in. It really was pathetic.
Chris's house felt…tainted, like I shouldn't be there. But, that may have been because of the we were lounging on his bed together and that he had his arms wrapped tightly around me. He reminded me of my relationship with Tyler far too much for comfort.
I just sighed and cuddled closer though, the warmth felt so good to the cold chill that had covered me since May. Regardless of how I felt, his arms were just too good to resist.
"Alex…" His deep baritone started the shut down. He took a deep breath and continued. "Alex…I'm sorry." He whispered, pulling my impossibly closer.
I chuckled softly into his chest. "Why are you sorry Chris? You didn't do anything." I felt his chest heave, like there was a weight on it.
"It's my fault this entire thing happened." His voice strained. "I told Tyler to go and ask you about that stupid deal in the first place. See, I had a thing for you since my ninth and you seventh years." I felt my breath slightly catch. "And, I didn't have the balls to say anything…so when Tyler needed a relationship, I told him about you so that maybe we could get closer. But, I was an asshole and I was fucking around with chicks. You were terrified of me and didn't pay me half a mind."
I listened patiently, still not aware of how this was his fault. "I didn't even think you would take it though, or that you were into guys." He paused and his words turned slightly bitter. "Next thing I know, you're fucking making out in the courtyard and getting off on my couch. But…after a while…I thought you would be okay. He was getting over that fucking prick and that he was going to care about you like you deserve. Hell, I kissed you and almost lost my life." He chuckled slightly.
"But, Brad wasn't giving up. He started hitting on him again just before school ended. Tyler never even wavered from you…but I knew it was only a matter of time. Even though you were in love…Tyler was going to eventually cheat again. And…I had to protect you."
"Chris, I'm not really seeing how anything is your fault. Kind of just sounds like shitty circumstances." I interpreted his speech.
He tightened his hold on me. "This is the kicker Alex. I just wanted to protect you. So, when Tina and Brad came up to me with the plan…I had to do it."
My blood ran a little cold.
"I had to help, to show you what kind of a man Tyler is. I just…I love you." He reached over and tried to kiss me. "Alex you just-"
"What did you do Chris?" I asked coldly, all the possibilities running through my head at warp speed.
Chris shook his head and held me tighter has I pulled and pushed to get away. "Please understand Alex…"
I pushed out from under him and looked him straight in the eye. "What did you do Chris!" I near shouted, growing frantic.
He was shaking as he opened his mouth. "Alex…Tina gave me a pill." Oh my god. "I slipped in in Tyler's drink." I felt my stomach constrict. "And then I pushed him upstairs…Brad followed and…seduced him…" He breathed.
My grip faltered and I fell away from Chris.
"Alex, I swear, I never meant to hurt you…I just…I love you so much…" Chris breathed, trying to crawl after me.
I shook my head slowly. "I was happy Chris…" My voice was just as airy. I was so happy with him. We were perfect." I crawled off the bed and stood shakily. "And, I lost that over a date rape drug?" My voice was escalating with each word. "I…I threw what could possibly be the love of my life out of it because of your jealousy? Your selfishness?!"
Chris was crying and shaking violently. "No! Alex please understand!"
"I do understand!" I screamed. "You need to understand! Us?" I made motions between us. "Is non-existent! There is no us! And now?" I walked backwards until I hit his bedroom door. "There never will be."
My voice and veins were cold has I dug in my pocket for my phone and called Kayla.
I never saw Chris again after that. Or Brad. From what I heard though, they got together. Don't ask. I have connections.
That said a couple weeks later Kayla and I were at the bus station, her old Buick with a U-haul and all her possessions on the back, both of us loading the bottom of the bus with the two suit cases of my own possessions.
Afterward, we just kind of stared at each other. She coughed awkwardly. "Well…you'll do well you know." She nodded at me, smiling in a rather forced way.
I didn't even bother to grin back. "Thanks Kay." I told her lightly, stepping foreword and wrapping her tightly in my arms. "Thank you." I whispered with more conviction.
When we pulled back the intercom announced my bus's passenger loading. I stepped back further. "Well…I guess this is it." I blinked, sending a half smile.
She smiled again. "Yeah." We looked at each other for another moment or so. She coughed and took another step back. "Good luck."
I nodded and took another step toward my bus loading. "Yeah, you too." I nodded at her, sending her another smile and turned around. I felt her eyes as I loaded the bus and found a seat next to the window. I watched her until she finally turned and slowly walked away, the last little bit of my life in New York. New state, new state of mind. An idea suddenly dawned on me. I could be a completely new person.
I closed my eyes as the bus pulled away a few minutes later and we were on our way to Massachusetts. I felt my hand move to fiddle with the necklace, only to find it gone. Three months and I still wasn't used to it's absence.
"Hello there." I startled out of my stupor by an angelic low tenor, and when I opened my eyes it was even more startling. This man before me had deep auburn hair, nicely tanned skin and deep blue-green eyes. "This seat taken?" He motioned to the spot next to me with the instrument case in his hand.
I smiled up at him from under my hair, which had gone from that lovely scarlet to a bright bleached blond about three days ago. "Go for it." I moved my bag to my lap and watched him sit gracefully, moving his instrument to his lap.
"Hi, I'm Aaron." He smiled, holding out his hand, which I found to be incredibly soft.
I smiled back, even bigger. "Alexander, call me Xander."
This new life thing could work.
A/N: So, the last chapter is probably the worst one, and the ending is awkward, but remember! This isn't the end. lol. The sequal, Drastic Propositions Lead to Lasting Repercussions has been posted today.