How to be Emo

I brushed my fingers through Leon’s hair, pressing his lips hard against mine. I licked his bottom lip with my tongue and he let me enter. I felt him wrap his arms around my waist. The fabric of the towel brushed my body, and I deepened our very long lip-lock.

Leon finally ended the kiss. “Beth...” He rested his lips on my neck, kissing the small scars. “Please.”

I rubbed my hands up and down his arms. “My mom gets pissed.” I fingers found his wrists and I pulled away. I flipped his wrists to face me and gasped. There were cuts—small and big—and a few were new. I thought I’d be mad, wanting to kill him for hurting himself, but all I did was press my lips to wrists, hoping to heal them. I wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’m so sorry.” I kissed his neck, cheeks, forehead, eyes, nose, and lips over and over again. “I’m so sorry.”

Leon held me tight in his arms, brushing his fingers through my hair. “Don’t apologize.”

We stood there for a while, with the sound of the washer and dryer vibrating next to us.

Leon decided to break the silence. “Let’s get you dressed in my clothes.”

We walked upstairs, into his bedroom, which was at the end of the hall. He got out some of his clothes from the dresser and handed them to me.

“I should probably let you...” Leon stepped out his room as I quickly dressed.

“You can come back in now,” I said, brushing my fingers through my hair. “Your boxers are comfy.”

Leon grinned. “Really?” He hesitantly stepped closer to me, almost as if I would pounce. “I probably should have told you about the...cutting.”

“You don’t tell me about the cutting, I won’t tell you about the abuse. A win, win.” I leaned back on the balls of my heels. “Are you still going to cut, though?”

“I have no reason to.” Leon dared to step closer to me and brushed his hand over my face. “You can stay here.”

My heart was burning. Was it possible that I loved him?