He strokes my wrist, then pulls my hand away, eyes softening. “Would you do it again?”
I don’t think twice before I nod. “Would you?”
“Always,” he whispers. He grabs my top, dragging me towards him, our noses nudging against one another. I’m about to kiss him again when a series of dings and vibrations come from my phone, snapping us out of whatever haze we were in.
“Sounds important,” Teddy says, pulling away.
My stomach roils as I pull out my phone, knowing exactly who it’ll be, seeing as the only other person who texts me is currently under me.
Shane
Guess where I am?
The pub
Guess where you’re not?
You’ve been lying to me, little mouse. Where are you? You better not be with Theo. You know it’s not safe for you to do that
I stare at the messages. He’s wrong. He has to be. I’ve been seeing Teddy for over a year now and nothing bad has happened. I’ve been good … I’m in control when I’m with him. I shut my eyes and throw my phone to the ground.
“What happened?” Teddy shifts underneath me.
I don’t know what to say; there’s so many secrets inside of me, any one of them could end this. Tears sting my eyes, and my lip wobbles. I open my mouth to talk, but my throat burns so badly that nothing comes out.
“Hey.” He wraps his arms around me again. “Who was it?”
I bury myself into his neck, and he starts gently rocking back and forth, making me melt into him. “It was my mum. I-I don’t want to go home,” I croak out the lie.
He strokes my hair. “You don’t have to go home, Bay. You can stay at mine, Ma and Da won’t mind.”
I gaze at him longingly. I’ve never felt more safe than when I’m with Teddy. Warning lights go off in my mind telling me this is a bad idea, but selfishly I whisper, “yes.” I want him to take me away from it all.
Teddy kisses my forehead. “You’ll be alright now. I’ll make sure of it.”
THEO - EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD
A knockon the door sends my heart leaping into my throat.
“Boys, come on, it’s eleven,” Ma shouts. “Get your lazy butts out of bed or I’m coming in.”
I suck in a breath and look down at Bailey sprawled across my bare chest, then at the empty air mattress on the floor by my bed. “Bay, get up,” I whisper, nudging his arm. His body jerks just as there’s another knock on the door, and he quickly scrambles out of my bed, running to the bathroom in his briefs.
“Are you up?” Ma calls out again.
“Yes, we’re up,” I bark.
“Good boy.”
I hear her walk away from the door, but I still shout after her, “Not a boy!”
Bailey comes out of the bathroom a few minutes later, freshly showered, skin all pink from the heat of it. I look down to the little towel wrapped around his hips.
His cheeks turn from pink to red, brows creasing. “Not now.”
After we’re both dressed, Bailey sits on the beanbag. He’s on his phone with his knees drawn up to his chin, fingers covered by sleeves that are too long. Too long, because that’smyjumper. My stomach flutters seeing him wearing it. I like the way he looks in my clothes …
My words rush out of me before I can stop them. “I think I want to tell my parents.”
