Pieces of Us by Kassandra Lea

Author:Kassandra Lea [Lea, Kassandra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JMS Books LLC
Published: 2017-04-21T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 6

For two days, Leo lingered in his apartment, refusing to even travel downstairs to get the mail. The thought of leaving was too much to bear. Having torn open the never quite healed wound he wanted to keep the world shut out, grappling with what he had done. He let Caleb in, bared his soul, and wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about the whole ordeal. On one hand, it was nice to finally open up and let the festering pain free. But on the other, well…it was hard for him to put it into words, the way it made him feel. What if Caleb left him, decided he wasn’t able to deal with Leo’s insecurities? That was perhaps the hardest thing to deal with, the worry that Caleb would walk away.

So many others had.

They had given up on him, threw their hands up in frustration, and walked out of his life.

At precisely the time he needed them the most.

Discarded by the world.

In a fog, he puttered around his apartment, barely eating, not even getting dressed. Daytime TV became his new best friend. He stopped looking out the windows, even drew the curtains to shut out the sunlight. Lost in the gloom of his own despair Leo tried to forget the rest of the world.

But it refused to leave him alone, thoughts of Caleb sneaking their way in. He’d be watching an episode of a soap opera or a talk show, and find his thoughts had drifted to Caleb and wondering what the man was doing at that precise moment. On the second day, he experienced a crippling anxiety attack, curling up on the floor and waiting it out.

He was still lying there when someone knocked on the door. The sound made Leo tense, screwing his eyes shut.

Go away. Leave me alone.

The knocking grew impatient, turning to banging. Leo’s wishing grew harder as he held himself tighter.

“Leo, please,” came Caleb’s plea. “Leo?”

From somewhere deep within, Leo found the courage to roll over, looking at the door. Like a child he crawled to it, reaching up to undo the lock, then sinking back against the nearest piece of furniture, knees drawn up to his chest. Almost instantly, the door opened to admit Caleb, who held a bag in one hand, concern evident in his face. At the sight of Leo he kicked the door closed, ditched the bag, and went to him, crouching in front of him.

He lightly touched Leo’s arm. “Are you okay?”

Leo shook his head, feeling the familiar presence of tears.

Cleo kneeled, beckoning him. Leo didn’t need further invitation, practically launching himself at Caleb, falling into Caleb’s waiting embrace. Resting his head on Caleb’s shoulder, he cried, seeking and managing to find comfort in Caleb’s warmth. Time slipped away. It seemed like hours passed in which they remained there on the floor holding one another, but in reality, it was only minutes. Embarrassed, ashamed, and worried his outburst might drive Caleb away, Leo rocked back, using the back of his hand to wipe his face.

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