Tree House

We sat together on the edge of the tree house, mere centimetres apart. I glanced over at him but quickly stared down at the ground, several feet below us. We had spent many years together in this tree house. But this time was the only time it had ever felt this awkward. We hadn’t been here in ages, though that wasn’t what lead to the feeling in the air between us.

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand and said, “I love you, you know?”

I frowned. Of course I knew this. But he shouldn’t love me. Though of course, I shouldn’t love him either. Why couldn’t I just stop this? Why couldn’t he? This is wrong, all of this is so wrong. We couldn’t be together. Yet he couldn’t understand this. He kept pushing the matter, kept trying to make it all worse. He shouldn’t have invited me here today, I shouldn’t have even came. Why did I come?

Eventually I responded, “we shouldn’t be alone here, Jeremy.” He started to protest but I interrupted him, “you have your girlfriend. Go love her. Leave me be.”

“I can’t love her, Sky. I love you, I love only you.” He grabs my face and turns it to him. I study his ocean blue eyes, a beautiful contrast to his inky black hair. My eyes fall to his lips. I want to kiss them, I want to feel them against mine, I want to feel them all over me. “I need you, Sky.”

I can barely force myself to tear away from him but I do. I stand up and move into the tree house, pacing the small area. Just a short few years ago we were young boys here. We were free and happy. Things were simple then. When did everything become so complicated for us? Is this what growing up means?

He turns back to face me, “what’s so wrong about us?”

“Everything. It’s all just-” I pause, running my hands through my hair. “Don’t you miss when we were younger?” He doesn’t reply so I continue, “Things were so easier then. We didn’t have to worry about love.” I spit the last word out with disgust.

He stands and quickly walks to me, grabbing my arms. I pause still in front of me. Every touch from him makes me want more. So much more. I want to feel his hands all over me, exploring my body. I want my hands to explore his amazing body. I can barely keep my face from showing my thoughts. I can barely keep my body from showing the excitement of having him touching me. It never was like this before. What changed?

“Skyler, I love you. I would drop Masie in a second if it meant I would have you. You make everyone else fade away.” He grabs my face with his left hand and forces me to look at him. “If you would just agree to be mine, nothing else will ever have to matter again.”

Before I can reply, his lips are on mine. Instinctively, I respond and can feel myself fading away into the bliss that his lips are bringing me. All that I can even think of are his lips against mine and his hands; one under my shirt and one making its way into my boxers.

Nothing else matters.