Reaching You

I traced my hand gently over Skyler’s cheek but I instantly stopped after realizing how creepy that was because he was sleeping. I mean, I know he’s my boyfriend and I should be allowed to do that, but it was still creepy.

He stirred against my shoulder before sighing and cuddle into my side, his arms wrapping around mine. I typed down a few more things on the laptop before shutting it and turning off the TV.

“How long was I asleep?” Skyler mumbled against my arm. Unfortunately, I was having a huge headache so I was going to be a bit irritable. I haven’t smoked anything for two days and now I was feeling mild effects of withdrawal. I hope it’s not as bad as what men say women are like when they’re on their period.

“Not long, just about an hour,” I said. I hugged him close to me and nuzzled his hair. He smelled like soap. Just a light scent of it; at least he doesn’t bathe in Axe.

I was just happy that Skyler was still with me. Normally people don’t stay with others who have baggage like that. Well, perhaps that’s why we complement each other so well. Because we both have these problems. Because we both care about the other.

“I don’t think I’m going to tell my dad about us,” I told him, sighing. “It just seems like too much, you know?”

“What brings this up?” He asked, tilting his head in a questioning way.

“It’s just… you’ve told your mom and she took it pretty well and… I just don’t think my dad would take it so well.”

Besides, I couldn’t handle more disapproval from my father than I already had from him. I just figured I should wait until I’m over the addiction. So it could be years before I told him.

Skyler looked so worried as he faced me. Perhaps he was sad for me that I didn’t have such a good relationship with my parent. Even with his dad overseas, he still has a fairly close relationship with him and his mom still seems pretty happy. Even though Skyler says that sometimes he catches her just staring out the windows with this sad look on her face.

I know it’s selfish of me, but I don’t want Skyler going a long distance away from me.

“Maybe sometime while we’re in college then, or when you get a job so you can support yourself,” Skyler suggested.

I kissed his cheek before chuckling. “You make it sound so simple.”

“Simplicity makes it more encouraging,” he giggled. “I’ll be there with you, of course.”

But perhaps… what I’m the most scared of… is that Dad won’t care at all.

*~*~*~*~*

“Amanda!” Skyler squealed, hugging the girl in front of us tightly. She and Laine were still going out and Skyler actually really seemed okay with that. I would probably understand if he was still a bit upset about it because he liked him for so long. Though, saying I wouldn’t be a little jealous would be a lie.

Either way, Amanda had asked us to go shopping with her for apartment furniture.

Laine wasn’t going to college. He figured he would work and pay for the apartment while Amanda worked part time and went to school.

I still held a bit of resentment towards Laine because he hurt Skyler so bad, but I sucked it up and went shopping with the both of them for their… love nest.

I clasped our hands together, holding Skyler’s hand. He held it back, squeezing a bit and then smiling at me with a warm expression. It’s times like these that I feel like he’s really happy.

I would kiss him but I don’t much like doing something of that degree in public. I know people take kissing pretty lightly nowadays, but I still feel like I should save that for when we’re alone. Perhaps I’m old fashioned… Maybe it’s because we haven’t been together for that long or maybe because his friends were here too.

Besides, we’re here to shop, not to assert our relationship on the rest of the world.

I pointed out some shelves to Skyler that we could use in our dorm. “For your unnecessary collection of video games?” He asked, laughing.

“Only a little,” I told him, scowling before breaking into a smile. I looked around, suddenly noticing the absence of Amanda and Laine.

Skyler looked around, noticing that they were no longer standing with us anymore. He dragged me through the aisles, looking for his lost friends.

Then he stopped short of the corner aisle of the office supplies. I looked over his shoulder to see Amanda against the wall and Laine’s hands all over her. Their eyes closed as their mouths met again and again. His hands went up to her chest, groping whatever he could get a hold of.

I grit my teeth before grabbing Skyler and pulling him a few aisles away. All I could hope was that this wasn’t a huge shock to him.

I turned him to face me. He blinked up at me. “Are you okay?” I asked concernedly.

“Yeah, it’s just… in a store?” He said. Personally, I thought more than that fact was disturbing him.

“And you’re sure that’s all that’s bothering you about that?”

He looked away for a second and something inside me hit a panic button. What if he liked Laine still and just didn’t notice until he saw him making out with Amanda. Then he chuckled.

“Yes, I’m sure,” he said with a vote of confidence. “It makes me mad that they’d ditch us to go make out though.”

“I guess they weren’t taking this as seriously as we thought,” I sighed, shaking my head.

“I don’t want to be one of those couples that do that in public. It’s kind of gross,” he said, shuddering.

I laughed. “That’s what I was thinking when we got here.” Then I hugged him, smiling, happy just to have him near me. We don’t have to be basically fucking against a wall to feel like we belong to each other.