Keith's pov

It took me one week to get back to normal. One week to lose the feeling of numbness. One week before I could go back to school. It was Sundaynight and I just had a talk about school wuth my mom. We decided I had been gone long enough.

Luckily Damon texted me all the homework I missed. It was a welcome distraction working on that and a relief I hadn't missed any tests.

I was in my room thinking about Damon, again. He asked me to come over this week. I said yes, of course I did. I liked him, although I was still figuring it out. I accepted I liked a boy, but I knew I would hide it from everyone.

My mom would dispise my, I was sure of it and Damon would hate me for thinking such a disgusting thoughts. But I couldn't help it and I tried everything. I learned that you can't suppress feelings, you can't control thoughts and you can't make butterflies stop.

I hated myself for it, for thinking what I thought, for being who I was and I was scared. Would this be a one time thing? Or was I really... gay? Would I always chase other guys instead of girls? And if so, would I ever find love and become happy?

I doubted it.

I think I fell asleep in the end because the mext day I woke up in my clothes at my desk. The uncomfortable position I had slept in caused my muscles to be a bit sore. Oh well I din't really care.

I pulled on some other clothes and grabbed my bag before heading to the bathroom. While I was brushing my teeth I saw the grey bags underneath my eyes. I was pale, almost wit some kind of grey areas. My bloodshot eyes stared dead back at me.

I looked like a corpse. Maybe I was becoming one. I didn't care. "Keith! Hurry up!" I shook my head and ran downstairs where my mom was baking some pancakes.

I grabbed three frrom the pile and started eating. I ate as much as I could to satisfy my mkm, knowing that I would skip lunch. I quickly drank my tea and saw I had to hurry.

"Thanks for breakfast mom." I said and gave her a kiss on the cheek before heading for the door. "Good luck!" As I opened the door something red catched my eye. It was a rose.

I grabbed it with shaky hands and opened the letter.

Dear Keith
I missed you last week
What I write you is just a sneak peek
My feelings for you are so strong and real
I hope you feel what I feel
I know I shouldn't hide longer
And I should grow stronger
To tell you the truth you need
But I'm scared you'll make my heat bleed
Yours

I was speechless. This couldn't be a joke, but who in the world would like me like that? Who would take the effort to suprise me with roses and letters. Poems that stunned and touched me. They were from the heart and I knew I had to find out who wrote this.

But first of all I had to make a run for school.

~^~

I was out of breath when I reached school and I found Damon waiting for me. He laughed. "Did you forget it was Monday?" He joked. I had no breath to talk so I shook my head.

Instead I held up the rose as an explenation. "Another message from your mysterious lover! How exciting!" "Ma-maybe to you! But I-I don't know who it could be." I said still trying to catch my breath.

He put hand on my shoulder and grinned. "I think you'll be able to find out. You recieved a rose after what, three weeks? That means your lover isn't giving up." He said.

He was right, the rose meant someone out there still had an eye on me. But who?

I shrugged. "If I only knew who it is. I mean, it's so frustrating, Damon! This person makes me feel kinda happy-ish and I don't even know who it is!"

He laughed at my desperate face. "It'll be alright. Why don't you come over this Wednesday, we could figure it out together if you haven't found out yet." I nodded and we walked to class, his hand still on my shoulder.

Damon's pov

Keith's face had been genius when he showed me the rose. He told me the message touched him, but I could tell he thought he wouldn't like the person behind it. Maybe because he already liked someone, or because he wasn't looking for someone or whatever reason he had.

It scared me. What if he knew it was me who sent him the letters and roses? What if he actually hated me right now? What nifhe masked his feelings for me and what if he planned on making my deeds public.

I almost choked in the sudden panic that came over me. Quickly I reminded myself Keith was not Matthew and I looked next to me. It was Wednesday and Keith and I were sitting in class. He was busy taking notes from what our teacher said.

I smiled at myself, he looked so cute when he was concentrated. A few strands of hair fell over his eyes and I had the urge to put them back in place. I was worried about him. He had lost weight and the bags under his eyes were big and dark.

I had to tell him, I knew it. This mystery thing was not helping him at all. Maybe telling him wouldn't either but at least he would have a choice. He could walk away and forget what I said.

"Damon?" My head snapped up and I noticed everyone was leaving the room. "The bell rang, we can leave." Keith said with an amused smile. I grinned and started packing my things.

"Where were you with your thoughts?" Keith asked on the way over to my house. I shrugged. "I can't remember." I lied. Keith nodded and we walked in silence.

Usually I would be the one who was talking, but my thoughts were elsewhere. The knot in my stomach became tighter and tighter. I was hella nervous and who could blame me? I was planning on confessing my feelings for my best friend! Again.

~^~

I was failing badly at the game we played. "You are letting me win!" Keith mumbled after I lost for the seventh time. I shrugged. "Maybe." I smirked and he laughed. Then he put the game on pause and looked at me.

"I'm serious now. What's up with you, Damon? The past two, three days you've been so... distant. Did I do something wrong?" He asked.

My cheeks flushed and I inhaled deepy before speaking. "You did nothing wrong! I'm being stupid and I don't know what I'm doing or what I supposed to do and..." I choked in my words.

"Give me a second." I said and I ran off. I knew I left Keith in the same confusion he had left me once. And it was selfish of me not to think about him right now, but I had to gather my thoughts.

If I would tell him what I felt for him, I had to do it carefully and not while rambling random words that made no sense. And if I wouldn't tell him, I would have to give him a proper excuse.

I had no idea how Keith would react on my confession, what if I ruined everything? Didn't he need me as a friend? What if I made things worse for him by pushing him away.

My head began to spin. I couldn't tell him, not now. He needed me, he needed a friend. Not the trouble I caused with my confession. I took a deep breath. Even if I had to break my own heart, I would spare him. And with that thought I walked back into my room.

"I'm soryry for storming of like that. Anna and I have been in a fight this weekend, nothing too bad I hope." I said casually. "So, how about we talk about this mystery lover of yours?" I asked and it wasn't until then that I saw Keith wasn't sitting in the chair in front of the tv, but on my bed with a piece of paper in his hand.
And he read what I wrote three weeks ago and he read what I had been reading last night. I froze in schock and turned pale. No, no, no! This was not happening!

"It was you." Keith whispered. But his voice wasn't dead or icy or full of hatred. It was full of hope and confusion, disbelief and confirmation.

His eyes met mine and I saw the tears in his eyes. Did he...

"Damon, this is not a joke, right?" He was begging, he wanted it to be true.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry." I said and let my head hang. "What? No, Damon, I-I.." "I like you." It rolled off my tongue before I could hold it back.

I held his gaze as I slowly waled closer. He must have been through hell, and I didn't see it. I of all people, should know how hard it is to discover you have feelings for  boy.

"It's okay, and I can explain everything and I'm sorry and..." I stopped mid-sentence while making my way towards him. He was crying, no sound, no sobs, just tears rolling over his cheeks.

What else could I do than cross the distance between us and hold him in my arms. He clenched himself to me and it didn't feel weird, or awkward. It was... perfect. The way he fitted in my arms with his head on my shoulder and our arms around each other.

"I like you too." He said against my shoulder. It put my heart on fire. He liked me the way I liked him. This gorgeous being had chosen me to like. I knew what he was going through. The fear, the selfhate, the disgust, the insecurities. I had felt that twice.

But this time the feeling was mutual and I felt stronger because of it. We would figure this out, I was sure of it. I could still be here for Keith, as a friend and more.

"What do we do now, Damon?" Keith sounded like he was on the edge of breaking down. "I don't know, but we'll figure it out." I said and as he looked at me I wiped away his tears and smiled.

Let me now what you guys think! Xx