Tales of the Underground: Crestfallen - 28. Official!

As I looked next to me I couldn’t help but be filled with an overwhelming sensation I had never known before. I mean I thought winning was the best feeling in the world but this…this is even better!

I heard Jayden giggle as I slowly worked things out in my mind. “Watcha thinking about?” he gently poked.

“About you.” I laughed, holding him close.

He tilted his head slightly “What about me?”

“Nothing.” I nervously sighed “I just can’t believe this is actually happening.”

I felt him shake a little on my shoulder “Neither can I. Who would’ve ever thought?”

“You still sure you’re okay with all of this?” I nervously checked, making sure I could finally fall head first.

He nodded slightly “Yes, you’re stubborn, and annoying and you refuse to ever leave me alone” he droned on “and yet I never for one second want it to stop. You don’t let me feel alone…It’s been a while since I’ve had someone to support me like this.”

“Why?” I gently nudged.

“I guess I don’t let them.” He timidly responded “Whenever I let people in…they always find a way to hurt me. At my old school…things just didn’t go well.”

“So I’ve been told.” I sighed “but I won’t let that happen, not at my school.”

“So you’ve been told.” He repeated making a face.

“What? I do my research on the people I care about.” I stubbornly defended “You weren’t curious about me when we first met?”

“A little but after you beat up that bully, one of the other kids explained who you were.” Jayden paused to think back “He said you were the brave Aidan Taylor who always sticks up to bullies. They said back in middle school you were involved in at least a fight a month…they said you can’t see something bad happen and not intervene. People look up to you Aidan…you’re a leader.”

“I don’t know about all that.” I embarrassingly shrugged “I just react, it doesn’t make me any sort of leader.”

“Well in a world this messed up I think it does.” He supported “There aren’t many people out there like you.”

His words froze my heart, and I thought back to how many times Eli must’ve heard sentence like that. I took a deep breath and our eyes met “And if I change?”

“With everything that’s happened around here in the last year…it scares you doesn’t it?” Jayden asked, snuffing out exactly what I was thinking. “Well it shouldn’t” he confidently answered, not giving me the chance to speak “I know earlier this week I was worried about it, but I shouldn’t have been. I see that now, and you should to. People can change for the worse…but not you…your nature…your soul…there’s something strong about it.” His voice grew shaky, as he spoke his mind freely “Remember when I said there’s something about you that scares me?”

“Yeah, you said it was my confidence.” I replied, trying to see where he was going with it.

He nodded his head “It’s your confidence…but in a way it’s so much more than that.” He began “It’s your ability to walk straight through hell with a smile on your face.”

I looked at him, and could barely think of how to reply “I can’t…”

“I wasn’t sure if you could at first, but after seeing your trophy room…you can.” He interrupted “You are the only thing that can get in your own way. The second you experience failure you self-destruct. No one’s ever let you fail without yelling at you for it have they?” I nodded to his question “Well I won’t yell at you.”

“You got all that from just looking at one trophy room?” I let out in slight shock.

“You’re making it sound like you more than one.” He laughed “I guess I just know you Aidan.”

“I guess so” I said returning the laugh.

A sudden knock on the door broke up our small moment. Once more Jayden went to push off of me, but I held him tightly. “You’re still here Perry?” I called out.

“It’s me”Brooke Announced opening the door, she looked at what was happening and at first went to shut the door but stopped herself. She opened her mouth but quickly shut it.

I looked over at Jayden, and he nodded as if to give me the okay. “Brooke this is my boyfriend Jayden. I don’t think you two have gotten to officially meet yet.”

“No we haven’t” she corrected how she was standing, so as if not to seem taken back “I mean kinda at your fights and stuff, but not like…Hi I’m Aidan’s sister Brooke.” She lightly stuttered, trying to work things out. “When did you two start dating?”

“Officially today.” I proudly stated “but we’ve talked about if for the past week.”

“I see” she let out, still surprised.

Jayden cleared his throat, and sat up a bit “We actually have class together.”

“We do?” Brooke asked, trying to absorb all the information.

“Yeah, geometry” he stated, starting to accidently show his shy side “I’m ugh…I took Algebra 1 already so I ugh…they had to put me a level ahead.” He finally worked through

“He’s smart is what he’s trying to say.” I declared with a big smile.

“Then why’s he dating you.” She fired back, starting to take things in stride.

“Because I’m only human.” He shrugged.

Brooke laughed a bit to herself, and leaned against the doorway “Good job Aidan, I actually kinda like this kid. Glad you made it official before he figured out he could do better.”

“It doesn’t get better than Aidan.” Jayden defended in a shaking voice “He’s something special.”

“Alright then” she sighed “On that note I’m gonna go throw up. You two love birds have fun.” And just like that she was gone.

“I like her” Jayden decided “She seems really nice.”

I shot him a weirded out look “You two didn’t talk or anything at my fights?”

“No, Henry does all the talking.” He giggled.

I couldn’t help but join in on the laughter “What else is new.”

“You’ve got good friends.” He remarked, calming down.

“We’ve got good friends.” I corrected “You’re one of us remember?”

“Yeah” he agreed “I guess I am.”

I switched on the projector, and let the TV do the talking for a while. At some point I fell asleep with Jayden in my arms, and the TV still on.

“You snore.” A gentle voice giggled as I slowly woke up.

“I do not.” I groaned “What time is it anyway?”

“2” he replied, unphased by how late it was.

“What?” I yelped, sitting up “How are you even still awake.”

“You’re not very comfortable.” He shyly laughed.

“Oh I’m sorry I didn’t…”

“It’s fine” he laughed “I was joking, I normally don’t fall asleep until like 3.”

“What how?” I questioned, surprised that anyone could willingly stay up that late.

“I just struggle to fall or stay asleep.” he shrugged. “It sucks, but I’ve learned to live with it.”

“That’s terrible” I yawned, getting to my feet “I’m gonna go to my actual bed if you want to join.”

“Sure” he shrugged, following me through the quiet house. He grabbed his bag as we passed the room and went to the bathroom to get changed. Out of habit I took off my shirt, threw on gym shorts and jumped onto my bed. As Jayden walked in I could tell he was a little surprised to see me without a shirt. “Oh sorry” I groaned, leaning up “force of habit I guess.”

“No.” he squeaked as I went to get a night shirt “I mean, if you want to sleep with your shirt off it’s okay with me.”

“Good” I laid back “because it’s hard to sleep with one on, it just gets so hot.” I saw indecision grow in his eyes as he got closer, finally he reached up and took off his own shirt, exposing the scrawny frame from within. I laughed a bit, and he reached down to put it back on “No stop” I called out “I’m not laughing at you…well I kinda am, but not at how you look. You’re beautiful, I’m just surprised you took off your shirt.”

“Maybe I get hot too” he nervously squealed

He laid down next to me, and I threw the thick covers over us “Fuck anyone who makes fun of you for how you look.” I announced “You’re beautiful.”

“You don’t mean that.” He blushed

“Every word of it.” I reassured “ Shirt on or off…I think you’re gorgeous.”

“But I’m just so scrawny.” He confessed. I sighed as I realized how he must see himself.

“So who cares?” I interjected “I think you’re perfect just the way you are.”

For the first time since meeting him I saw his self-confidence rise a little. He squirmed a bit as he got comfortable around me. “You know you’re the first person to tell me that.”

“Well prepare to hear it a bunch.” I supported “You should be okay being in your own skin. You don’t have to hide yourself from me.” He moved in closer, and placed his head on my chest “I thought I’m not comfortable?” I provoked.

“I’ll get used to it” he sighed. I turned off the lights, and once more drifted off to sleep. Sleeping with someone else was a new experience. Once I got used to having the weight of someone else on me it was actually really nice. It felt as though we were slowly getting closer with each passing minute. Our breaths aligned, and it felt like our dreams were happening in life and not in our heads.

I woke up before him, and just enjoyed holding him. There was something peaceful about just listening to him breathe as he slept. He’s my boyfriend I giggled to myself…I actually have a boyfriend. He slowly began to grow restless and his eyes slowly opened “What time is it?” he groaned.

“8 am.” I replied slowly running my hand through his hair.

“Ughhhh who gets up this early on the weekend?” he mumbled in a groggy voice

“Me” I giggled.

“That’s not fair. You can touch my head but I cant touch yours.” He observed, swatting my hand away. I held in a deep breath and tilted my head towards him. He lightly ran his hand along my hair, then down the line which separated my hair and the shaved part of my head. I winced and squirmed while he did it, but tried my best to hide it. “You really didn’t like that did you?”

“Not at all” I shrugged “but I trust you…just don’t tell anyone I let you do that.”

“We’ll work on it.” He laughed, finally waking up

“Like hell we will.” I spit back

“A week ago you wouldn’t even let me get close to you…now you’re letting me lay on you.” He declared proud of himself “We’ll work on it.”

“I’m only letting you lay on me because I feel bad for you.” I teased.

He leaned in and planted a kiss on my lips “I think it’s because I started doing that to you.”

“Jayden Sanders are you flirting with me?” I laughed, returning the kiss. As I pulled away I could tell he had had enough kisses for now.

“Something like that.” He pestered climbing out of bed “I’m gonna go get changed, I’ll be back.” I jumped out of bed, and got together much nicer clothes than I had worn the past 2 times I hung out with Jayden. He laughed a bit as he reentered the bedroom. “Where are you going? On a boat?”

“Very funny.” I pushed back “I always dress like this.” Jayden nodded, and took a seat on the bed “Why you don’t like how I dress?” I asked, adjusting the collar of my shirt.

“I don’t mind it” he quickly responded, trying not to insult me “I think it’s just lost on me…to me clothes are just well clothes. I don’t care how you dress, just how you act.”

“Oh yeah?” I poked “What if I wanna be a douchebag today.” I laughed, pushing him over.

“Then I’ll beat you up.” He joked, trying to act tough.

“You and what army?” I teased, letting him pop back up.

“Who’s that?” he quickly let out, pointing at a poster on my wall.

“Jose Aldo, he’s like my favorite fighter.” I explained looking up at the big poster.

Jayden studied the poster a little closer “Oh is he like the champion or something?”

“Yup.” I held onto the word, thinking of how to explain it “Well technically yes. He lost the belt to Conor McGregor but the UFC gave it back to him because McGregor stopped defending the belt…it’s hard to explain it all.”

Jayden looked at me with wide eyes “Then teach me.”

“I don’t think you want to go through all…”

“Teach me” he interrupted “Show me the fights and all.”

I felt a smile beginning to creep over my face “You really want to learn?”

“Yeah, you’re a fighter, and you’re becoming important to me…so I guess I don’t have much of a choice.” He worked out.

“Alright” I nodded, feeling that warmth return to my heart “Let’s go watch some fights then.”

I led Jayden back down to the theater, and broke down a ton of different UFC fights. I did my best to explain all the different rules and strategies. To my surprise he kept up with all I had to say, and even asked questions. As always he left me speechless, I just hope I can be as invested in his life as he is in mine.