It is all I can do to hold myself together, to keep from sobbing and falling apart at the seams.  To see the one person who has been holding me together lately like this...

I still can't believe it, that my own cousin hit him.  Hunter, my boyfriend, sits there with angry bruises already forming underneath his moss green eyes, medical tape across the bridge of his nose.  Thank goodness the nurse said that it's not broken.

I push his tousled hair back from his forehead, green eyes watching me wordlessly.  They flicker every so often from my face to Sebastian's, my fiancé, sitting on the other side of me, his fingers laced with those of my free hand. We make such an odd group, sitting here in the first aid station, me connected in some way with each of the boys beside me both physically and emotionally. The nurse asks the question once more, trying to understand, "So how did this happen again?"

Hunter looks at me, pleading eyes. I sigh and start in a shaky voice. "I found him on the floor in the arcade." I'm biting my lip willing myself not to cry so Sebastian continues telling the story we've settled on, half truths so no one gets in trouble. "He was playing the basketball game. The ball took a weird bounce when he threw it and came back to peg him in his face."

The nurse shifts her critical eyes from us to Hunter.  "Is that right?"  He nods, voice hoarse and slightly pained.  "Yes ma'am.  I guess I'm not as good a shot as I thought I was." She still seems not that convinced but none the less takes our explanations as fact. "Well you're lucky kid. It's not broken, but you'll be bruised and in pain for a bit. I suggest wearing sunglasses because you're bound to have a nasty headache." He nods as Sebastian helps me to my feet.

The nurse turns to the two of us, "Make sure he stays hydrated and give him ibuprofen if he complains about pain. Also, ice on it if necessary." I nod dumbly back at her while Sebastian murmurs back a soft of course ma'am.

These boys are nothing if not unceasingly polite when the moment requires.

All that money and good breeding.

Sebastian leads us both back out of the first aid station. I squint in the bright light, instinctively pulling on my sunglasses.  Hunter winces in pain and I dig his pair that he dropped out of my bag, handing them to him.  He slips them gingerly on his face with a soft thank you Angel.  Sebastian just wordlessly watches our interaction.

"Sebby what do we do now?"  Hunter and I look to Sebastian for guidance, feeling our ages, only 17 years old.  Bas is older, 18 now, surely he knows how to handle this situation.

Sebastian rubs his eyes, I can see a hint of exhaustion flicker briefly through those beautiful green orbs.  He removes his sunglasses from where they were perched on his head and slips them over his eyes before he speaks, trying to hide his true emotions from us.  He runs a hand quickly through his once perfectly coifed hair before checking his watch.  "Well Princess, it's almost dinner time so we should probably get you something to eat.  Clarington, you can join us if you want or you can go.  It's up to you.  Hopefully, for the two of you, Puck's threat works.  Otherwise we're fucked.  Pardon my language, Love."

In the end Hunter ends up following us wordlessly to dinner.  I pick at my food, forcing myself to eat the hamburger and french fries Sebastian buys for me.  He is even sweet enough to get me cheese to dip my fries in.  After we eat, Hunter leaves, mumbling something about his head really hurting.  I give him a soft kiss on his cheek and remind him to take some medicine, drink plenty of fluids.  He gives me a weak smile in return.  And then he is gone, heading back to the hotel.

Sebastian grabs my hand gently, kissing the back of it before he interlaces our fingers again.  "What do you say we go for a walk on the beach by the lake and watch the sunset."  I lift my own sunglasses off my face and then reach with my free hand to push Sebastian's up as well, so that I can look into his eyes once again.

Clear.

Sea green.

Full of so much love but still wary, hurt.

I give him a small smile, "Bastian, I love the beach.  And I'd love to watch the sunset with you.  To spend our last night curled up in your arms, toes in the sand, watching the sunset reflect off the lake." His smile is genuine, eyes crinkling.

In no time we've left the amusement park, exiting through the gates closest to our hotel, heading straight for the beach.  Shoes are off and in our free hands in an instant.  I love the feeling of the warm sand underneath my feet. The sound of the waves crashing.  Sebastian pulls us towards the water's edge, finding a spot of beach to sit down and watch the sunset from.

The sky is taking on a beautiful pinkish glow, reflecting wonderfully on the water.  Sebastian wraps his arms around me, whispering in my ear as he sits behind me, "Love, this is just perfect.  Can we just stay here?  Forget everything.  Be just you, just me?"

I wish.

I really wish.

Just as I am getting ready to respond a wave comes in, further up the beach than they had been, water coasting underneath our feet, our bodies.

Sebastian's and my clothes are getting soaked but all I do is giggle.  Seb grumbles behind me, great, even the lake is conspiring against me now.  I just pull him to his feet with a smile, "Sebastian, our clothes are already soaked.  So do you want play in the water with me??"  His eyes are twinkling as he hops to his feet.

We spend a decent bit of time dancing and playing in the waters of the lake.   Until the sun is down and I am shivering from the temperature change.

We're sopping wet by the time we head back to the hotel. Worries from earlier all but forgotten as we walk hand in hand through the lobby. Until I spot my cousin.

Blaine is getting some tea from the complimentary beverage area when he notices us. My breath hitches in my throat, eyes starting to tear up as I look away. Sebastian whispers in my ear, "Pretty Girl, you don't have to talk to him if you aren't ready yet." I whisper back I know as Blaine heads our way, paper cup in his hand.

His hazel eyes look remorseful.

Voice soft.

"Belle? Can we talk?"

I give a small shake of my head.

"Killer, I don't think she's ready to do that quite yet."

Blaine sighs, "Belle, I'm really sorry. I acted impulsively. I should have talked to you first."

My eyes meet his, voice steady, clear, cold. "Blaine, you really should be saying all of that to Hunter not to me. He's the one with the black eyes.  Now if you don't mind, Bas was walking me back to my room."

Blaine gives me a solemn nod as Sebastian and I walk out of the lobby.  Towards my hotel room.  We leave tomorrow.

Back to Lima.

Back to Westerville.

In a car with Thad and Hunter for hours again.  Having to hide everything from Nick and Jeff, those silly, sweet Warblers.  They will probably hate me after all of this.

I'm not looking forward to it at all.