Array
(
[text] =>

Chapter 3

    I swallowed hard. “What’s wrong, Jerry?” My voice was just above a whisper. I lowered my eyes and found myself biting my bottom lip.

    Jerry took a step closer, nearly closing the distance between us. I could practically feel his anger boiling over onto me, but I couldn’t figure out what I had done. A long, silent moment passed between us before Jerry finally spoke. “What were you thinking?”

    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I wasn’t lying.

    Jerry suddenly had his hand gripped around the collar of my sweater, pulling me towards him. I snapped my eyes forward and felt my mouth unhinge. There wasn’t a single moment in my memory where Jerry had ever been mad at me; this was a side of him I never saw and didn’t ever want to see again. His jaw was clenched tightly, and there was something burning in his eyes that sent a chill right to the base of my spine.

    “Don’t give me that,” he spat as he shook me. “Why were you talking to him?”

    “Daniel?” I breathed fearfully.

    Jerry winced as I spoke his name. “Yes him!”

    I wracked my brain for a reason why Jerry suddenly cared who I spoke to. Nothing came to mind. “We ran into each other and I was just helping him pick up his papers,” I said truthfully. “I don’t know why you’re so mad at me.” My heart clenched as the words left my mouth. I hated the feeling that was settling like a coiling snake in the base of my stomach.

    “You touched him, Tyler!” Jerry took a deep breath, but when he spoke again, his words were even harsher. “You never touch anyone else. No one else is supposed to touch you; you’re mine!”

    I had to close my eyes to fight back the tears. I couldn’t handle Jerry being mad at me. The feeling clawed at my insides. “Please don’t be mad at me,” I whispered with emotions running rampant in my voice. “It was an accident,” I choked out.

    My mind seemed to linger on one thought: Jerry leaving. I had made Jerry so mad, he was going to leave me.

    That one thought broke the dam on my tears and set them freely down my cheeks. This was it; I was going to lose Jerry over something a tiny as accidentally brushing against someone. “Don’t leave me.” My voice trailed off as the thought of being utterly alone caused my knees to give out from under me.

    Jerry caught me, cradling me against his chest. Suddenly, his tone was soft. “I would never leave you, Tyler. You are my everything.” He nuzzled the top of my head with his nose. “Without you, I’m nothing.”

    I sobbed against his chest as my mind raced. I couldn’t believe I made Jerry so angry, and now he was pretending that everything was peachy.

    My head was spinning.

    “I just don’t want you leaving me.” He rubbed my back softly. “You can’t have anyone else, Tyler.” Jerry’s voice sounded strained. Lifting my head, I found him staring forward with his eyes wide. “If you find someone else, you won’t have a need for me anymore.” Genuine worry seeped into his voice.

    Pushing myself up, I threw my arms tightly around Jerry’s neck. “I don’t want anyone else. There is no one else.”

    Upon saying those words, I felt something tighten my gut ever so slightly more. Was I doubting myself? Did I want someone else?

    “I don’t want anyone else,” I said once more. This time it was more for myself than anything else because in the back of my mind, nagging thoughts were beginning to form. What would I be like if I didn’t have so many issues? How would my life play out?

    Would I be happy?

    Jerry lifted me as he stood. He placed me on the bed and kissed my forehead. Running a hand through his hair, he gave me a small smile. “I’m sorry, Tyler.” Sitting down beside me, he continued. “I really don’t know what came over me.”

    Blowing out a deep breath, I shifted my body on the bed and placed my head on his knee. “It’s ok.” I did my best to smile, but it fell short. It wasn’t ok, and I knew that. Seeing Jerry pissed at me over something so small really shook me up.

    “It’s not ok,” Jerry said aloud, mimicking my thoughts. He ran his fingers through my hair. Jerry fell silent for a moment, then snapped his fingers and shouted, “I’ve got it!”

    The move was so sudden that I jumped.

    “I know what always makes you feel better!” Leaning down, Jerry kissed my forehead once more before standing from my bed.

    I propped myself up, resting my chin on the top of my fist and watched him as he began rummaging through the disarray of my large desk. Trust me when I say that looking for anything on that desk was a daunting task.

    Triumphantly, Jerry swung around on the heels of his feet with a large smile that finally removed the last of the darkness lingering in his eyes. In his hands he held my black, leather-bound drawing book and the metal tin that held my drawing pencils.

    I couldn’t control the smile that automatically grew on my lips. Jerry looked like how he did when we were children all over again. Back in the day, I would spend hours doodling away in that book; however, in the past few years, a pattern formed. It seemed like I only drew now when everything around me went to shit.

    Walking back over to me, Jerry sat on the edge of the bed and handed me his spoils. Leaning up, I kissed him softly on the cheek and leaned back against my headboard. In my hands, the book’s leather felt soft, probably from all the years it spent in my hands.

    Flipping the cover open, I thumbed through the used pages quickly. Once I finally found a clear page, I glanced up to find Jerry following my movements closely with his eyes.

    Just like when we were kids.

    “Well, what should I draw?” I asked, smoothing the page and opening the metal container.

    Jerry gave me a cocky grin and stood up. “Draw me.”

    I laughed. “This isn’t the Titanic, Jerry, and you are definitely not Rose.” I grinned back at him.

    “You never draw me; it’s always some nature scene or characters from your little TV teen dramas,” Jerry pouted.

    “Fine. Fine,” I said picking up out a pencil. “At least do something cute.”

    He raised an eyebrow, pondered something for a moment, then grinned his cocky grin once more. “I think I can do cute.” Without another word, Jerry pulled his t-shirt over his head and lobbed it lightly at my face.

    I shifted just in time and the shirt landed beside me. With a smile, I tossed his shirt to the ground. “You think that’s cute, Mister?”

    “Hmm, not yet.” He unfastened his short’s button, letting them fall to the ground. “I think we are getting there though.” Jerry pulled my crumpled sheet from the middle of my bed and draped it loosely around his shoulders.

    This time, I followed his fluid movements with my eyes as he climbed onto the bed, sitting on his knees and adjusting the sheet around himself so there was just enough of his perfect body showing. He stared me straight in the eyes. “Is this cute enough for you, Tyler?” Jerry’s voice was low as his eyes smoldered. There was no grin on his face, just his perfect seriousness.

    Biting the inside of my lip, I nodded, turned on the lamp that rested on my bedside table, and began drawing without hesitation. Something always changed within me when I sat down to draw. It was almost as if I could fade into a completely different world, a world completely of my own creation.

    I wasn’t exactly sure how long I spent drawing, but all the crap in my life seemed to resolve itself as I finished the final detail of the drawing. I no longer worried about Jerry’s anger toward me or the small doubt in my mind; I was content.

    Jerry smiled finally. “Finished?” he asked crawling over to me. He propped himself up on his arm. “Can I see it?”

    Suddenly, I felt shy. It didn’t matter how long Jerry and I had known each other, I still found it somewhat difficult sharing my work. I wrinkled my nose. “I hope you like it.”

    My heart picked up slightly as I turned the drawing towards Jerry. He eyed it for a moment before lifting his eyes to mine. “It’s beautiful, Tyler.” His eyes went back to the drawing and he traced a finger down the page. “You see me so perfectly.”

    I closed the book and tossed it on the bed in front of me. With a smile, I scooted down, resting my head on a pillow and wrapping an arm around Jerry. He lowered himself, resting his cheek on my chest. “That’s because you are perfect.”

    “It’s late, let’s get some rest,” Jerry mumbled.

    He was right. A quick glance at my digital alarm clock told me that it was already after ten. I couldn’t believe I spent over a little over eight hours drawing.

    Time never truly stands still.

    Yawning, I closed my eyes, not bothering to turn off my lamp. Usually I was much more of a night owl, but today was one of those that left me utterly exhausted. It didn’t take me long to drift off into a pleasant slumber, but at one point, I believe I dreamed about Daniel.

----

Woah, Jerry and Tyler have a few problems, eh?

Don't forget to tell me if you like this chapter in a comment and as always, you can vote and fan me if you would like (:

[text_hash] => e052d95a
)