Re: Behind These Eyes

[Hee-chan]

Jayden nodded, "Sure, sounds good."

But as Rhiannon scurried off to class, the teen turned and watched her go before turning and slowly walking the last few steps to his classroom. The next hour would go pretty quick. Psychology was an interesting topic, something Jayden intended to use in his future... whatever his career would end up being. He wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do yet, but he knew it would be something big, something difficult, and something worthwhile. That's the only way he could seem himself going. Activism. NGO. Something like that. It was the only thing that made sense anymore.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Jayden took his time. Rhiannon seemed to be genuinely interested in him. It was... kind of strange. He hadn't really had any experience with that since Audrey. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to let someone back into his life as Audrey had been. It was nerve wracking. But he would have to deal with it eventually if he didn't want to be alone for the rest of his life...

Alone...

Jayden knew the meaning of that word all too well. He figured he felt the effects of it the most when he was 12. There had been no going back since then. Jayden was the way he was and nothing was going to change that. Especially not now. Maybe he was usually quiet and laid back, but there was passion burning in him. Most people wouldn't understand it but he could care less. People could ostracize him all they wanted, they would never change him.

With a light sigh, Jayden closed his locker before turning and heading out to his car, swinging his car keys around his finger again.

[Michelle]

Restless until the final bell rang, Rhiannon made a real effort to participate in te discussion ut found it increasingly difficult to concentrate. Chewing on the inside of her cheek as second ticked away, she was one ofthe first fom the room as soon as the day ended. Relief, mingled with anxiety, washed over her as she headed to her locker. Rebeca sent her a text, laughing at her excitment but wishing her luck on what the red head was calling their "first date". Sighing, she leaned against her locker for a moment before grabbing her things and heading out the door.

Pulling her jacket on as she walked, she hefted her backpack up higher as she weaved through the throngs of stdents. Smiling, she saw Jayden ahead of her, swinging his keys in his carefree manner.

"Hey!" She called as she neared him and his sleek, sexy Mustang. Tilting her head to the side, she smiled.

[Hee-chan]

It wasn't long after he left the building that Jayden heard a familiar voice calling. Turning, he allowed a light smirk when he saw Rhiannon attempting to catch up with him. He paused a moment to wait for her before turning and walking the rest of the way to his Mustang, the beautiful thing just sitting there in the parking lot.

"So. I take it you decided to go the community service route by spending time with me." As he spoke, the glint in his eye told her he was joking... Well the little grin would have tipped her off too. The amount of looks and glances the two of them got as they approached the car amused Jayden to no end. The simplicity of the town lead to their great intrigue of the new kid... and pretty much everyone who involved themselves with him. Yeah, it was amusing. Not that anyone would really understand why, but that's no matter.

Unlocking the beautiful, two-door Mustang, Jayden gently tossed his back into the backseat before climbing in himself, waited for Rhiannon to do the same, then turned the car on. He couldn't hide the small smile that crept onto his face as the Mustang came to life. It was one of the small pleasures in life he never forgot to be thankful for, he never took for granted. It would always be beautiful to him, hearing his Mustang come to life. He wasn't sure if he could explain how, explain why, but it was and always would be beautiful.

Beautiful....

What a word.

[Michelle]

Biting her bottom lip as he grinned at her, her heart leapt in her chest, sening off fireworks in her mind. The simple gesture left her momentarily breathless. Sighing, she shrugged, acting as nonchalant as possible.

"Yeah, sue me" Winking, she hardly paid heed to the tiy little pricks that raced across her back. So she was getting odd looks. It didn't matter. The only person she could see was Jayden...and his smile.

Oh god his smile.

Following his lead by gently placing her backpack in the rear, she slid into the passangers seat and arranged herself, her purse on th floor. As the car rumbled into existence, her smile grew.

"Jayden, your Mustang is gorgeous." Rhiannon enthused, looking into his eyes for a moment before taking in every minute detail she could. Her fingers traced the sleek contours of the interior. If any car could be called a work of art, this was definitly it.

[Hee-chan]

"Jayden, your Mustang is gorgeous."

Jayden couldn't help it, couldn't hide the genuine smile the spread across his lips. Her words were fact. He would take care of that car for as long as he lived. He poured heart and soul into taking care of it. His fingers caressed the gear shift and the steering wheel as he pulled out of the parking lot. "It was a present from my dad for my last birthday... Well it was my golden birthday, so I guess I don't blame him."

Truth was, his parents had been trying to find something for him for months. He'd been in a sort of funk ever since Audrey died. His motorcycle wasn't doing the same thing it had before (and was now), but he had shown no interest in anything other than activism... Which was a bit risky for a 16 year old. Even as he got older, all he would really care about in his free time was sending money to and writing for various groups he had become a sort of activist for. He had such a small social life, his parents were almost beginning to wonder if he knew how to interact with other people his age anymore. He spend time on the phone, sure, but it was to NGOs or other activist groups, sometimes senators, sometimes the Senate itself. They didn't mind so much when he did that. Because when he wasn't doing that, he would lay around the house, sometimes just his room, doing nothing, thinking nothing, saying nothing. But when Jayden got the Mustang, he turned right around. He was out of the house driving, making sure the Mustang got the best care it could. No way would he ever let anything happen to it.

The drive to Jayden's house was not too long, and pretty much uneventful. He turned control of the radio over to Rhiannon after handing her his CD collection, letting her choose whatever. It really didn't matter to him. He parked in the large driveway again before grabbing his bag and climbing out He waited a moment for Rhiannon before heading inside.

"Ah, you've got to be kidding me," he muttered, looking around the house from the entryway. "Well, I guess I am going to be busy on Saturday..."
The hired help must have already come and gone. The Rivers' hired cleaning people, they always had, and the cleaners usually set up for whatever event happened to be occurring at the Rivers' home. The entire entryway, the rooms used for entertaining, and the staircase were all decked out in fall, pre-Thanksgiving decorations. A sort of "Hi I'm the CEO and here's my family and house" kind of part. Jayden's dad was a fan of entertaining the company... No matter where they went it was the same.

Jayden quickly led Rhiannon back up the stairs to his room. The most usable space would be his room. He would have just stayed downstairs in the living room to work, but the decorations would have made that rather difficult. Oh well, he had plenty of space upstairs. His room was different now from a few days ago. He had completely unpacked, his door covered in activist posters, his walls covered in posters of... well, everything. Musicians, actors, foreign and not-so-foreign cities. New York, LA, Atlanta... It was clearly Jayden's room.

"Well, welcome back to my room, I guess."

[Michelle]

Oh, that smile!

Flustered, Rhiannon looked down at her hands. Biting her bottom lip, she shyly looked up at him.

"What an amazing present. I can tell you really take care of it." Her fingertips rested on the armrest. Smiling, she accepted the cd collection and flipped through the pages. Picking out one she was familiar with, she popped it in. Leaving it softly in the background in case he wanted to talk, the girl folded her hans in her lap window. The last time she had been there...she hadn't really gotten a chance to pay attneion. Jayden lived in a beautiful neighborhood. Admiring the houses as he pulled into his driveway, she grabbed her bag, looked around once more in awe, and followed him inside.

As th4ey entered, decorations told her that there was going to be a party soon. Brow furrowed, she pondered Jayden's reaction. Well, she couldn't blame him. Parties were never really her thing. Honestly, her parents were "important" enough to merit and invite....would her family really be on the guest list? The thought intrigued her and made butterflies flutter against her rib cage.

The route they took through the house was familiar and her heart raced as they went towards his bedroom. Swallowing hard, she paused in the doorway and peered inside. Everything looked so different. No more boxes lined the walls. Smiling, she stepped inside and followed Jayden's lead.

"Hehe. Finally got around to unpacking?" She teased.

[Hee-chan]

Jayden turned to look at Rhiannon from where he was turning on his laptop and printer. He shrugged lightly. "Yeah, I figured I might as well, even if I'm only going to be here for a few months," he said lowly, forgetting that she didn't know he was planning on leaving in the first place... He was planning on leaving even when he was unpacking. Maybe now it was to New York instead of Virginia... but still.

He was quiet for a moment as his electronics powered on. He knew what he wanted to ask her, but it would be rude. Especially standing in his house... His parents made a ton of money, it would be somewhat inconsiderate to ask what her parents did. Oh well. It really didn't matter anyway. And he couldn't really ask her what she wanted to do after high school. That was made pretty obvious seeing as he would be accompanying her to New York where she'd be getting art schooling.

Finally, Jayden decided on something rather stupid.
"It's not really much, but it's a place for me. Not quite as awesome as my Mustang, but it's mine."

[Michelle]

Nodding, she assumed he was talking about coming with her to New York. Contented, she took a seat on his bed and looked around. Color finally made the room feel like someone lived within it. Watching him turn all his electrionics on, she pulled out some of her books and flipped through her assignment log. Finally, after trying hard to distract herself, she looked around again.

Blinking, he glanced at him as he spoke. Was he nervous or something? Holding in a small giggle, she tossed her long hair over her shoulder and pursed her lips.

"Hey, do you mind if I ask what your parents do? Obviously, they make money. Your house is gorgeous," Rhiannon spoke without envy. She lived more than comfortablly, herself. Her house was beautiful, in it's own way.

"Really, my house is nice but this? This is spectacular. Actually, until a few months ago when Dad landed his job at Victory, we lived really modestly. But, between him and Mom's event planning, we've been doing a lot better. It's why I got a car for my 16th birthday and why they promised me a huge trip to somehwere "cool" for my 18th."

She hoped she sounded as cool and confident as she felt. Would he take her questions the wrong way?

[Hee-chan]

Something inside Jayden wanted to hide when she told him what she thought of his house. What if she was just after money? Sure, maybe her family was pretty well off, but still. There was still the possibility. He wasn't sure what exactly he got himself into, offering to go to New York with her. What if something happened to him this time? What if he put it all on the line and ended up getting seriously hurt? Jayden swallowed against his unease and sat on his desk chair, swiveling around a bit so he wasn't exactly facing her.

"Uh, sure. My dad's a CEO. My mom works at the hospital as a neurologist. We're... well enough off."

Understatement. They were loaded. Jayden lived more than comfortably. He'd been all over the world, all over the country, and always had more than enough of anything, if he asked. He didn't have to worry about money for food, clothes, gas, college. He really could have anything he wanted. The Mustang was witness to that. But he was more humble than that. He didn't show it off. He didn't let it define him. Sure, it didn't hurt anything to have what he wanted or needed at a whim, but he wasn't proud, he wasn't an airhead, and he wasn't about to take anything for granted.

He had seen too much to do that.

But he didn't give details either. He didn't say which company his dad was a CEO for. He didn't even tell her his dad's name. The international company he was a part of was literally HUGE with influences reaching everywhere. He didn't really doubt her dad was somehow involved in his dad's company. But he wasn't sure he wanted to know for sure... Or for her to know for sure...

[Michelle]

Rhiannon cocked her head to the side as he spoke. His life sounded so interesting in comparison to hers...and she didn't live a boring life. Grinning, she nodded and brushed her bangs off her forehead.

"That's really cool. I'd love to travel the world someday but I want to be able to pay for it myself, ya know? I want to be self sufficent. After 1 years of having my parents pay for everything, it'd be so nice to be able to give them a vacation. I can only hope my art becomes big enough for me to be able to take care of myself, my family and my children. I couldn't stand just sitting around all day, letting my husband bring in all the money. I prefer to not have to rely on anyone but myself." She paushed, pursing her lips.

"Sorry if I'm rambling. I just can't stand those women who use men for money. It disgusts me." Shuddering, she shook her head and grabbed her history book.

"Anyway...shall we get started on som homework? What all do you have?"

[Hee-chan]

Jayden looked over to her as she went on her little rant, but his expression remained unreadable. He wanted to trust her, he really did, but at the same time, he just couldn't. Not yet. Maybe by New York... Jayden just kept praying he could hold himself together next month, the coming December.

Getting back on the topic of schoolwork, Jayden swiveled around to where his backpack had been abandoned on the floor. "Well," he sighed, "pretty much everything... Umm, except Bio."

Not that anything would really take him that long to do anyhow... But might as well tell her he had stuff to do. When he was done, he had a few other things to do but they didn't really matter as much... In the sense of telling her. She might not want to stay and, well... Quite honestly he liked the company. He was starting to relax a little bit more around her and he liked that. He only hoped he would be smart enough to keep his secrets secret.

A soft beeping from his laptop drew Jayden's attention to several new messages in his email inbox. Spinning around on his chair, a light frown crossed his face as he read the first ones. They were all from his activist groups, the first couple from a group helping to advocate for gay rights, drawing attention to the many recent suicides in the national news. The next few were for Coexist and ONE. With a light sigh he minimized the window. There would be a lot to do tonight... But not now. Rhiannon was here now, not to be ignored, he was certain. So, pushing his growing anxiety aside, he spun back around with a light smile. "Sorry 'bout that."

[Michelle]

Silence lingered in the air for a few moments and Rhiannon couldn't read the expression on his face. Biting her bottom lip, she held her breath until he spoke of school work.

"Mmm. Me too."

Sighing, she pulled her books and notebooks out of her bag and arranged them next to her. Pulling a hairband out of her purse, she quickly tied her hair back into a pony to keep it out of her face. School work, while being a nuisance, never took her very long to do but she really was pleased to be spending time with Jayden. Licking her lips, she flipped open their English textbook. Scanning the bookmarked page for the information they needed to complete their homework, she looked up and opened her mouth to speak when a soft beep caught his attention.

Smiling slightly, she waved his apology away.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. Shall we start with English?"

For a brief moment, her green eyes darted up in hoped to meet his.

[Hee-chan]

"Sure," Jayden said with a light nod. Easiest homework first? He didn't mind. He didn't notice her glance as he looked down, hair falling into his face as he dug his textbook, binder, and novel out of his back. A few short paragraphs discussing concepts in the novel. Nothing difficult. Jayden, of course, wouldn't quite be following the prompt. It was too narrow, too... just awful.

Jayden rolled his desk chair closer to the bed, propping his feet up, relaxing even more. See? He could do this. He could relax more, he could be himself more, he could probably trust her more than he did now.

He flipped open his binder before glancing over at her. There was something he had silently been wondering. He really wanted to ask...
Hell, might as well. Better now than never, right?

"So..." he started, his eyes back down at the lined paper on his lap. "I was kind of wondering... What have you heard about me? Like in the halls or whatever. I mean, I really don't care what people say about me. I'm just curious." He grinned to himself, laughing at his own little joke before voicing it. "Maybe I can liven things up at the school a little more."

[Michelle]

Rhiannon watched him in silence as he grabbed his things. Rereading the prompt they had been assigned, she pursed her lips and blew a lungful of air out. Looking up in surprise as Jayden rolled closer, resting his feet on the edge of the bed. Smiling brightly, she tucked her situated herself more comfortably on his bed, tucking her legs underneath herself before grabbing her things.

When he finally spoke again, her eyes slightly widened. He wanted to know what she had heard about him? Biting the inside of her cheek, she thought back to anything she had heard in the halls.

"Honestly? I really don't get told much gossip. I'm kind of the black sheep in school, until you I suppose," grinning, she folded her arms over her chest. "But that hasn't stopped me from hearing overly loud conversations or people who just don't pay attention to their surroundings. So, as far as rumors go, everyone thinks you've been in juvy before. It's well known that you like to hold heated debates in third period which land you in the Principal's office. The general census is that your a trouble maker and no one is for sure whether you're gay or not."

A darkness passed through her eyes and she shrugged.

"To be perfectly blunt, the kids in our school are fucking morons who don't have two brain cells to rub together. They don't like the unknown and they sure as hell don't understand it. Most of the girls think you're super good looking which makes almost all the guys instantly jealous so they start saying shit in hopes of making you look bad enough that the girls return their focus to them. It's a disgusting truth, to be sure, but it's one that I've yet to be able to find a way to change."

Taking a deep breath, she sighed and covered her face with her hands.

"Sorry..." she muttered, thoroughly embarrassed.

[Hee-chan]

A dark, laughing smile crossed his face as he listened to her account of the rumors. The things people thought up... It amused him to no end.

But then she went on her little rant, and it was very obvious to him that she felt trapped, somewhat powerless. It seemed to him that she wanted more than anything to leave this fucking state behind. He didn't blame her. She was too... too what? Well, she was more than any city in Iowa could handle, and Jayden was sure of that. Her hands came up to cover her face, and his eyebrows came together in concern, his heart and mind conflicting again. As always. He bit his lip, briefly fighting with himself, before painting his face over with a calming expression and pulling his legs down off the bed so he could come closer, taking her wrists and gently pulling her hands away from her face.

"Hey," he muttered softly, "don't be sorry for anything."

He smiled softly, before it turned into a more wicked grin. "Juvy, they think, huh? I'll admit... That's a new one."

The rumors didn't phase him at all. The debates... He figured word would be out everywhere about them. He hadn't stayed in third hour for the whole time since the first day. And he had a feeling he never would again. The gay thing, the attractive thing... yeah they weren't new. Though he supposed... well, was fairly certain being gay here would be completely different than New York or Georgia... For anyone and everyone.

[Michelle]

Teeth clenched, tears threatened to well up in her eyes. Squeezing them shut, she took a deep breath, her shoulders rising as oxygen filled her lungs. Surprise made her eyes fly open as Jayden's hands encircled her wrists. Without so much as a struggle, she looked up and into his eyes. He was so calm, so cool...and so much of everything she could ever want and need. Swallowing hard as a wave of dizziness and passion welled up within her, she briefly closed her eyes to regain control over herself. Swallowing hard, she sighed softly and reopened her eyes.

"As if they know anything at all about you." Rhiannon's anger bubbled forth again, turning into sadness as she thought of the cruel, harsh words she so often heard.

"I will never, ever get what is wrong with someone being gay....." Closing her eyes shut, she reopened them and looked deeply into Jayden's.

"You remember my friend Rebeka, right? Well, I trust you enough to tell you that she is a lesbian and has received hell for it, all her life. Her parents disowned her and she lives with her Aunt. Thank god for that woman, she accepted Beka when no one else would...just like I did. I love her to bits, Jayden, but this fucked up world has burned her but she is too strong to let it hurt her. She is coming to New York for college as soon as she can. She, like us, doesn't belong here...."

Tears that she had managed to keep in finally spilled forth.

[Hee-chan]

The obvious emotion in her eyes brought his smile down. Now wasn't exactly the time to be joking, was it? He sighed lightly as he saw her brought down by society. She hadn't experienced what he had. She wasn't as hardened as he was... As tough as he was... Or, as he imagined, Rebeka. She was a free-thinker, but she was still vulnerable to the cruelty that was very often found... everywhere.

His expression fell with her tears. And, without thinking, without even the slightest thought that his touch may be unwanted, he slipped both of her hands into one of his, his other hand resting lightly on her cheek, his thumb wiping some tears that fell.

"Hey," he said lightly, "hey." His grey eyes searched out her blue ones, biting his pierced lip lightly. He wished he could make it all better. He wished he could take the world out and piss on it, make it behave... Just so it wouldn't hurt the girl on his bed.

"Listen," he finally said with a light sigh. "Don't pay any attention to what they say about me, ok? They don't know anything about me, and that's probably for the best. I'm nothing like anyone here... They're not used to me. And..." Jayden severely hesitated here. He wasn't exactly sure where he was going with that. "And..."

Jayden shook his head. It was really no use to try and finish that sentence. He knew it wouldn't make a difference... Or make anything bitter and that's what he was going for. Better. Not excellent, he knew making the world excellent for her was impossible, but he would settle for better.

"As for Beka..." Jayden paused again. Perhaps he was wandering into dangerous territory, but he would give it a shot. He wiped a few more tears off her face, his hand still gentle. "She's strong, Rhi. From what I can tell, she's as strong and fiery as ever. She has her aunt... And she has you." The look in his eye emphasized his words. "You, Rhiannon... You probably mean more to her than she could ever say. Yeah, we don't belong here, sure. And it's only time before we leave." The last few words were a little choked.

Time. That's all Jayden's life was. Time before he left. Move here, move there. He liked moving, it was a release. But it was a lot like running. Always running. And maybe it was time to stop.

His distant eyes returned to Rhiannon. A kind smile returned to his face, light glistening in his eyes and off his snakebites.
"I'll survive. Beka will more than survive. Everything will be fine."

With time.

Always time.

A small smile remained on his face, his hand still on hers, his breaths came lightly. And, for the first time in a long time... he felt like everything would finally be ok.

[Michelle]

Jayden still had her hands otherwise she could have covered her face again. She was so ashamed of herself. Ashamed of her weakness, of her vulnerability in the face of the man she knew was stronger than that. She wanted, more than anything, for him to think she was strong, too. Too late for that, she told herself bitterly. Biting her bottom lip, she sucked in a lungful of air as he reached up, her thumb brushing away the tears on her cheek. Eyes flying open, she gazed at him, astonished. Jayden was a god to her at the moment. How did he know what to say and do to make her feel better?

Nodding, she listened to his words and took them to heart. He was more than right. Rebeka was a strong girl with such fiery passion that sometimes it was scary. A small smile touched her lips and she released his hold on one of her hands, allowing her to wipe away her tears.

"You are absolutely right. I just have to hold on a bit longer...just a bit longer." Wrinkling up her nose, she smiled brightly.

"Thank you, Jayden.....I really don't know what I'd ever do without you."

Before her brain could catch up to her body, she had leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. When her mind finally realized what had just happened, cold anticipation flooded her. What would he do? What would he say? Would he make her leave? Fear washed over her, making goosebumps rise on her arms and on the back of her neck. Leaning back, her eyes flickered from his face to her hands.

"Jayden...I...."

[Hee-chan]

Jayden's heart leaped into his throat as her lips met his. His breath caught and he didn't hesitate to kiss her back, his hand still on her cheek. But he felt the goosebumps on her neck as she pulled away. He let his hand fall away from her cheek, but didn't move away from her. His mind was muddled, and he didn't have time to think clearly before:

"You're not sorry."
And with that, Jayden leaned in to kiss her, more passion than ever before. It was what he wanted to do for... hell, since the first time he saw her. As he kissed her, he moved onto the bed as well, sitting next to her, closer to her than ever before. His emotions and thoughts were thrown haywire around as he acted only on instinct -- something he hardly ever did. One hand on her waist, the other on the back of her head, he kissed her longer than before. He didn't really think to back away... didn't really think that maybe this isn't really what she wanted.

But finally his mind caught up with him. His heart, again, jumped into his throat, sticking there. What the hell was he thinking? Sure, he knew Rhiannon, but not that well. And she barely knew him. And they were moving to New York. Together. In a month and a half. Surely something would go wrong. It always did. And he didn't want to hurt her... Hurt the beau--

Jayden hesitated. He didn't know if he could do this... Rhiannon... but Audrey...
She was gone. Gone! He still wasn't quite sure how all of this worked out. He knew he was supposed to be moving on from Audrey. He wanted to be moving on from Audrey. He especially didn't want Rhiannon to be bearing the blunt of his pain.

What the fuck am I doing?

[Michelle]

Rhiannon inhaled sharply, her heart beating a mile per minute. Warmth finally started to spread throughout her until he spoke.

"You're not sorry."

Her mouth popped open and before she could piece together a response or a reaction to how less-than-pissed he sounded, his lips met hers again. Her mind, slowly pulling itself back together, shattered as he moved onto the bed next to her. Homework long forgotten, one of his warm hands moved to her waist and the other remained on her head. Her body responded instinctively and her hands found places on the middle of his back and twined in his hair.

So lost in the precious moments their lips remained connected, her body responded to the passion and she wanted[ him to kiss her and to pull her close. It was only when he hesitated that she got the chance to breath. Taking in a deep gulp of air, she opened her eyes and looked at him in awe.

She longed to say something, anything, to make the moments after less awkward but she couldn't think of anything. All she knew was that she wanted him, more than ever. Rhiannon knew she needed to be with him...but did he need her, too? Hell, for that matter, did he even want her?

[Hee-chan]

Jayden kept his eyes shut tight as she moved away, but he didn't let her go far. He didn't know much... Hell, he felt so stupid... But the only thing he felt he actually knew was Rhiannon. He rested her forehead against her, his eyes still closed. He kept his hand in her hair, keeping her close to him. He knew he probably couldn't imagine the questions in her mind... But sometimes, being around her, he could hardly think clearly through his. But if he didn't do anything... Eventually she would leave. She would find someone who would want to be with her and show it. On a regular basis. Jayden didn't know if he could do that. He was so used to acting, so used to pretending, so used to... being alone.

If he didn't do anything, she would leave.

Jayden let a light sigh escape his lips before biting one of his piercings lightly. He knew what he had to do. It really wasn't much of a question. He just wasn't sure he could handle what her response would be. And a part of him wasn't sure he wanted to. That little part of him remaining true to Audry and hating himself for every moment he was with Rhiannon.

But... Finally...

"Please Rhiannon... Just understand that... This is going to be hard for me." His words were soft, but he knew she would be able to hear him. "Just don't... Don't..." Hurt me.

Jayden shook his head lightly. He couldn't finish that sentence.
Strength was his strength... and his weakness.
He had been strong for so long, and then so, so vulnerable when Audrey died.
He didn't want to feel that again.
Ever again.

[[Sorry, I had class xP]]

[Michelle]

Staying close, she didn't want to let him go. Swallowing against the dryness of her throat, she smiled as she rested his forehead on hers. Closing her eyes, she wanted to tell him how much he meant to her...wanted to tell him she'd never hurt him.....somehow, as they sat in silence, she knew, unquestionably, that he needed her. Licking her lips, she opened her eyes. His words were soft and held an edge to them, as if he was scared or worried.

"Jayden, I will do anything to show you I would never let you down. I want you...hell, I need you!"

Smiling, she reached up to touch his cheek.

"I will be here, always, as long as you want me. I won't go anywhere. I promise."

She spoke those last words just as softly, gently lifting his chin up with her hand until their eyes met. He had to see the truth in her words and if the brilliance in her eyes did nothing to convince him, little else would.

[Hee-chan]

Her words beat true within him. He believed them... He wanted to believe them... And part of him didn't. He was setting himself to get totally screwed. Again. He didn't want to be alone anymore... But he didn't want to be left alone. Again.

He allowed his chin to be tilted up and he gazed into her eyes. He saw, no, he felt her truth and honesty. He felt the softness of her hands on his face. He nodded lightly.

"Ok."

It was a simple, stupid word, but it was all he could utter. His grey eyes were clear, clearer then they'd ever been. And it was then he realized just how vulnerable he really was.

[Michelle]

For whatever reason, Rhiannon didn't mind waiting. She knew it was a lot to take in and she knew he had been through a lot in his life. Hell, she would have waited a lot longer for that one simple word that finally escaped from between his lips. Smiling, she gently pulled him close and wrapped her arms around him. The silence that enveloped them was golden and warm. Sighing contentedly, she closed her eyes.

"Thank you for believing in me and for giving us a chance."

Brushing her lips against his ear, she kissed the side of his head. Simply sitting there by him, hugging him so sweetly was like something out of a dream for her. Happiness fluttered withing her and her heart accelerated that the realization of what just occurred. Closing her eyes and smiling, she felt part of her that had been unhappy for so long finally get the honeyed warmth of true, unadulterated happiness.

Whatever happens from here on out, at least we have each other. Rhiannon smiled within herself. At long last, she felt whole and complete.

[Hee-chan]

Jayden sighted lightly, contentedly, as he felt her arms around him. So she was willing to do this. She was willing to be with him... And that's all he could... All he would ask of her. He had his past, but he would try his damndest to keep them to himself. Some things he just couldn't bring up, couldn't tell her. They haunted him. But it was just something he had to keep to himself.

Snaking his arms around her as well, Jayden ran his fingers through the ends of her hair. "Rhiannon," he said softly. "Don't listen to what anyone says about me, ok?"

He offered no explanation as to why, but perhaps he didn't need to. What anyone said was stupid, for one thing. And it upset her for another. And... well...

It was just stupid, pointless, high school drama. Right? Right. And that's the story he would stick to. He was rather amused with what this school had come up with. Juvy... Hah, interesting. Gay. Eeh, he wasn't surprised. He definitely didn't look like a "normal" guy to them. Attractive... He wished they would just stop. He wasn't really interested in dating... Well, other than Rhiannon, he supposed. And that just sort of happened. His heart went and chose to like her without consulting his brain first. Oh well. No going back now.

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