Oleander

STRETCHING MY LEGS, I found that the sheets were damp. The sun shone pink through the curtains, just enough to make the sun burnt boy beside me glow. Leo's hair was matted to his forehead with creek water. I blinked a few times, the incident coming back to me.

Blood knocks me right out.

I smoothed my fingers over his forehead and pushed away his bangs, looking for the head wound.

Nothing.

This whole seeing what was never there thing was starting to kinda piss me off.

I rolled onto my back and sighed angrily. I'd slept the day away, and fainted in front of a crowd of cute guys. How dumb of me.

My forehead throbbed something awful. I reached up and felt a lump that was no doubt a black and blue. Knees aching, probably scraped, I curled onto my side and hugged myself.

Forgetting Leo was there, I cried a little bit because the frustration was just too much. I wanted to go home, but knew if I did I'd miss the guys. In New York, it's all the same. Trees, cows and corn. Acres of trees, acres of cows and acres of corn... You can't escape the boredom.

I feel so out of place wherever I go.

Here I'm the only girl, amongst rowdy model worthy guys who probably think I'm trash. Look at the fucking house they live in. Hell, they're stunning. They could make a living off of their fucking faces. How many people could say that for themselves?

"You alright, hun?" Leo mumbles groggily, snuggling up to me. I roll over to face him, nose to nose now. His eyes widen at my salty cheeks. "Did I scare you?" He chuckles, watching me wipe furiously at my tears.

"Why're you here?" I murmured, eyes teary.

Leo is so beautiful, so unlike any guy I've ever seen. He's wasting away his life living here, in the boonies. He'd be much more at home in New York City, or Las Vegas. Where there are a lot of people to socialize with, to charm, to get to know...

He hides his misery well.

"Wanted to be here when you woke up." He smiled, twirling a lock of my hair around his finger. "Is that a crime?"

"No, why are you here?" I asked, my frustration diluted by sadness. My hand reached out to run its fingers through his soft, messy hair.

"Here, as in, on this planet... or here, as in, in this country..." He rambled, a tired smile painting his lips.

"Dumb question." I admitted.

We spent a few quiet minutes playing with each other's hair, fingers brushing cheekbones, grazing smooth foreheads.

My heart slowed to a dull thud inside of my chest, when he cupped my cheek, and placed a soft, barely-there kiss on nose, then on my chin, then the corner of my mouth... With his thumb he brushed by bangs away, and settled his forehead against mine.

Sharing my pillow, breathing the air I let out.

I couldn't keep my eyes open. They drifted shut, overwhelmed by the exotic beauty before me.

His chest, with every exhale, shrunk away from mine. I tried filling the distance, every time, but it only pushed him closer to the edge of the mattress.

My fingers curled around a lock of Leo's hair. "Stop moving away from me."

"Oh, is that what you want?" He chuckled, lips suppressing a smile.

"I want you to shut up." I teased, before pressing our lips together. His mouth was so soft, so inviting. With a soft groan, he rolled on top of me, knees straddling my waist. I plunged both hands into his mane, gripping fistfuls.