Only One I Call Home

Chapter 3 - "There is never a time or place for true love..."

I sighed. “Its not big and famous or anything. It’s just something I saw somewhere and ever since I haven’t forgotten it.”

“That’s fine.” He told me quietly.

I smiled sadly and closed my eyes, remembering the exact words I’d seen scrawled on the back end of a street. “’A dark veil has fallen upon my eyes, shading the light in the far distance. I’m lost in the surrounding darkness, which hugs me like a cold, wet blanket. I shiver in loneliness. I shed a tear of pain. My screams are silent and my body paralysed. I am abandoned.’”

He didn’t say anything for a whole minute. He just stared into my eyes, reading them and studying them intently. Finally he let out his breath, grabbed my hand and shook his head.

“I am so sorry you feel that way.” He whispered.

I shook my head. “I’m used to it.”

He looked pissed off at that answer. “You shouldn’t have to be.”

I smiled, slowly. “Thank you for caring.”

He laughed. “If I don’t, who will?”

“No one.” I breathed. “Absolutely no one.”

He was still clasping my hand tightly. “I’ve only known you for a few hours and this is the closest I’ve ever felt to anyone.”

I nodded and smiled. “Yeah, me too.”

“What time is curfew?” He whispered.

I shrugged. “In another hour or so.”

He frowned. “Are we allowed outside after dark?”

I shook my head.

He bit his lip and dropped my hands. “What do you do?”

“Usually we just go back to our rooms. But we live on opposite sides of the fence so that sucks.” I told him.

He breathed out heavily. “Well, we’ll work something out.”

I shook my head. “No, don’t worry. I’ll just go back to bed. I’ll be fine. I’ve survived many times before.”

He chuckled. “But I haven’t.”

I rolled my eyes. “What are you afraid of?”

He leant in closer. “Ringo in bed number eight, have you seen that guy?”

I laughed, his breath was warm on my neck and it raised goose bumps. “I know, but he’s quite a nice guy when you get to know him.”

He shook his head and sighed. “Well can we hang out here a little longer?”

I shrugged, brushed the hair from my face and smiled up at him.

“It’s cool, you want to go to bed.” He said before standing up. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the gate.”

He clasped my hand in his and the two of us walked out of the cafeteria and towards the dorm rooms. There was a huge fence that separated the boys and girls and at the front of it there was a gate where we each would have to go our separate ways.

He looked down at me and smiled small. “Well, I guess this is goodnight.”

I sighed and nodded once. “Yep, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He grinned. “Awesome, see you then.”

Then he walked through his gate and I walked through mine and I couldn’t see him anymore. When I reached my room I lay down on the bed. Bianca was on the top bunk, humming to some song that she used to listen to when she was a kid.