Safe, Here In Your Arms

I was sitting with my back against a wall, back in a corner, our corner. Everyone knew it was here, but always just walked past as if the small little nook in the wall between the lockers was no big deal at all. But to us, it was perfect.

I sat there in the corner, with his warm body curled up against mine. He was sitting on my lap, legs tucked up against the side of the lockers, with his back against the others. He had his head nuzzled into the side of my neck and his hands placed on my chest.

I wrapped my arms around his small frame, looking down at his tired face. It had been another rough day at school for him, constantly being bullied for his size and the fact that he was gay.

I hated that I couldn’t protect him.

All I could do was hold him, like I was doing now, during our last period which was a study hall. The teacher never questioned the fact that we always left, and I think, I think she knew what was happening, and let us have our peace.

“Ryan…” I said quietly, waking him up from the light sleep he was quickly falling into.

“Mmm, wah Bren?” He mumbled out, voice barely understandable.

“I love you Ryan.” I said almost silently, not sure if I actually wanted him to hear or not.

But, he was already asleep again when I looked back down at him.

Eyes shut lightly, with his long eyelashes fanned out against his light skin. His bottom lip hung down ever so slightly, letting his light exhales land on the skin at the base of my throat. His brown hair falling into his face, tickling his nose every so often making it scrunch it up, then try to move his face away from it.

He was adorable in every way.

Just as I thought that, the final bell rang, startling Ryan awake, making him look around frantically.

“Hey, hey calm down. I’m right here.” I said soothingly, making him calm down just as I had requested.

“Is it time to go?” He mumbled, already curling back up against me.

“Yeah, it is.”

The halls filled, and then emptied just as quickly, leaving the two of us alone.

“Come on Ry, we gotta go.” I said moving to get up, making him latch onto my shirt.

“I don’t wanna go…”

He was looking up at me with his big brown eyes, pleading silently with me.

“Alright. We can stay a bit longer.” I sighed giving in, like I always do.

“Thank you Brendon.” He said quietly as he loosened his grip on my shirt, but didn’t fully let go.

“Anything for you Ryan.”

Soon enough he was asleep again, body molded against mine as I felt hot little rushes of air against my neck again, or so I thought.

“I love you too Bren…”