Not without you

Dari had packed the last of his bags. He thought to himself, "Do I want to leave here?" He thought about all of the memories stored in this town. This was where he grew up, where he came out, where he was rejected, where he was taken in. This was where he had been through everything. But even when he was a young boy he had felt that he didn't belong. The only problem was, he had a boyfriend that he would have to leave. The only reason he could even leave now, without him, is because his boyfriend, Kova, had been distracted and distant lately. Dari felt as if Kova was leaving him. They had begun to fight, and just the night before, Dari's stepdad had told him to leave before he got home the next day. So now he stood looking at his own reflection, a boy, five foot tall, with dark hair that swept over his eyes, and girlish features. His eyes were lined with black eyeliner and faint crimson eyeshadow, he wore one of his many tight-fit band tees and a pair of skin-tight white skinnies. He was thin and his nails were painted a sparkling purple. He guessed that he looked okay, but he'd never gotten along well in this small town, he wanted to go somewhere like New York, or Europe, somewhere foreign and exotic to a boy who'd never been in a city bigger than Orlando. He took one last look around his now empty room, and put his suitcases in his car. He wanted to drive to Kova's house and say goodbye personally.

He pulled up to his boyfriend's house, he knew Kova would be home, he always was. He looked in the mirror one more time, ever concious of his hair and makeup. He stepped out of the car nervously. He knew Kova was either going to be REALLY REALLY pissed, or he was going to cry. Neither outcome was what he wanted. What he truly wanted was for Kova to beg him not to go, or to go with him. In truth he loved Kova, with all his heart, but he needed to leave. He walked up to the door and knocked, Kova pulled the door open. Kova was a foot taller than Dari and had blonde hair that stuck up in all directions when he woke, but it when down to his chin when straightened and taken care of. He had bright blue eyes that could stare straight through Dari, and lips that could set his world aflame. At the moment his hair was a mess, and those lips were set in a pout, his eyes were dull and deadened by lack of sleep. "What do you need Dari?" his voice was like venom, and Dari guessed that he hadn't gotten over the fight they'd had the night before. Dari looked down. "Can I come in?" Kova stood aside and let him in. Kova sat down and gestured for Dari to sit beside him. He did, and looking at the wood flooring, again, he said, "I'm leaving town Kova. I'm probably not coming back...that is, unless you still want me to." He looked up to see Kova was pretty angry. He pointed to the door, looked up at Dari and whispered, "Just get out." Tears coming to his eyes, Dari complied. As he walked out the door he shouted over his shoulder, "You know my number if you ever remember everything we are." When he got out to his car he pulled out of the driveway and managed to get about halfway down the street when the tears were too much to handle. He pulled off to the side of the road, locking the doors, and cried until he slept.

When he woke up it was dark outside and he had a killer headache. He went to the closest drugstore and bought some ibeuprofen, he'd been saving up for this little escape for years, he had more than four thousand in the bank, and six hundred on him. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He got a text from Kova saying
"Where do you plan on going?"

He replied, "I don't know, I'll tell you when i get there."

"Have you even left town yet?"

"No I had to tie up some loose ends. I'm staying at the hotel at the edge of town and leaving at 5 tomorrow."

It was a bit of a lie but he didn't care. He didn't want Kova to know he'd spent hours crying just a minute or two away from his house. He got back into his car and drove back to said hotel. It was pretty shabby, but he only needed it to rest in. He took the ibeuprofen and lay down. He felt his phone vibrate yet again.

"What room are you in?"

"240, why?"

"Let me in."

He heard a knock at the door and saw Kova standing there, tears in his eyes, and bags by his side.

"I love you, and I'm sorry, take me with you Dari? You are my everything, and I don't know why I haven't seen that before."

Dari pulled him in and closed the door, pressing him up against it and kissing him sweetly, kissing the tears from his eyes and telling him, "I don't think I could leave without you."