Under the Same Sky [BOYXBOY]

Chapter 66

Samuel blinked his eyes open and immediately shut them again, wincing at the bright light that streamed through the windows. He slowly reopened them, raising his hand to shield them from the intensity of the sunlight.

His room swam into focus before him as he slowly gained his bearings. He closed his eyes with a sigh and turned only to hit something beneath the sheets. He blinked his eyes open and looked curiously at the small hump beside him.

He reached out a tentative finger and poked it, only to draw it sharply back when the thing moved. The figure stretched and emerged from the sheets, raising their head to look groggily up at him.

He let out a yelp and shot out of the bed, landing on the floor with a huge thud. His brown eyes met the startled hazel ones on the bed and a piercing pain shot through his skull.

He rubbed his head as the snippets of memory from last night tumbled into his brain. He remembered loud music, a screaming Leo, cannonballing into a pool, and lots of alcohol... the rest grew hazy from there.

Pearl blinked dazedly, as if recalling memories of her own. She grimaced and rubbed her head as a pounding headache descended on her.

'What-'

'This is a mistake,' Samuel blurted out, cutting her off. 'You're not supposed to be here.'

Pearl scowled. 'It's not like I wanted to be here. You were the one clutching my arm and begging me not to leave you.'

Samuel blinked. 'I was?'

'There was crying as well.'

The rest of the memories burst in like a flood... the ball... Jayden's engagement... Jayden kissing.... His chest grew tight.

Pearl was watching him. 'Do you remember now?'

He did. After what he saw that night outside Jayden's room, he had operated on autopilot. He remembered asking Leo to take him to the party, but the words seemed to come from another world. He remembered taking his clothes off and jumping into the pool, but the actions seemed to belong to another person. He remembered drinking and drinking to drown out the heavy feeling in his chest.

He had cried. He remembered that now. He had been sitting alone at a table as silent tears rolled down his cheeks, but he had been too drunk to notice them. Pearl had noticed him and walked up to him.

'Samuel,' she had said hesitantly. 'What's wrong?'

He had looked up at her with his tear-strewn face and asked, 'Why does everybody leave me?'

She had frowned and sat down beside him. 'What do you mean? You have lots of friends who love you and will never leave you. So many people like you. You are not alone.'

He had shaken his head stubbornly. 'Everyone says they like me, but no one stays. Alex promised to be my little brother forever, but he left me. Jayden...' The words choked in his throat. 'They all leave. Paul, Leo, Noel, and Cam claim we are friends but they will also leave. I try to be happy. If I always smile, if I always make people like me, then no one will leave.' He looked into his drink. 'But they always leave. No one ever stays.'

He had looked up at her and begged. 'Don't leave me.'

And that's how they had ended up here. The ache in Samuel's chest grew. He looked away.

'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have. Could you please... I need to be alone right now.'

Pearl huffed indignantly. She threw the covers away and stood to her feet, picking up her clothes as she walked into the bathroom. A minute later, she stepped out, fully dressed.