There was a sky full of stars above them, and...

He was still looking at her.

-

"You didn't pick up my calls, why?" Faye was taken aback when she heard his rough voice, her eyes looking at everything but him.

Yes, she didn't pick up his calls. No, not because she couldn't, not because she didn't want to...

But because she had a valid reason. A valid reason for her to be angry at him, to be irritated with him.

"Faye, I am asking something. You. Didn't. Pick. Up. My. Calls. Why?" He demanded, his anger taking the best of him.

"Because I didn't want to." She bluntly replied before walking to her bed, her eyes too tired.

"And why didn't you want to?" He asked, rising his eyebrows, questioning her.

"Because... well, I didn't want to." Her voice didn't have any emotion. She was blunt and dry and blank.

Somewhere, it was like testing River's patience. Somewhere, it was like challenging him, pissing him off.

He glared, his eyes looking at her as he constantly tapped on the floor.

"Fine. You wanna know why I didn't pick up? Because I was pissed, because I was so so so fucking pissed at you Blake. Too pissed. I didn't reply to your messages because I was angry, I wanted to just kill you. I just never wanted to see you, I wanted to erase your existence." She bursted out, flaring with anger.

She was practically shaking, her hands on both side of her face, her voice heavy.

He gulped. Breaking his stare, he shifted his gaze on the tiled floor, trying to escape from her sight.

He didn't need to ask about the reason. He knew, he already knew the reason. The cause of her temper, the cause of her burning gaze.

"Why? Why did you fucking tell him to stay away from me, River? Ha? Answer me, why did you tell Justin to stay from me?" She was standing in front of River now, hitting his chest, anger spilling through her orbs.

He refused to say something as he felt her just inches away from him. He was silent, the words in the tip of his tongue. He didn't say anything and held her hands that were going to hit him, once again.

They stood their for minutes, River waiting for Faye to calm down so that he could tell the real reason behind him planning out all this.

No, no he wasn't too proud of himself, he didn't want to do anything with Justin. But well, let just say, Faye's and Justin's increasing intensity made him do that. Trust me, he regret it more than anything.

"Talking with you seems useless." And she let her hands fall by her side.

He stood there for some seconds, being the victim of her burning gaze. And then, he finally managed to look at her.

"I... I am sorry." And he meant it.

"I don't need your apology, Blake. Tell me the reason, the reason behind you threatening Justin." She said, the glare never leaving her face.

"I was worried alright. I was worried about you. I didn't trust that guy, I just don't. And I don't trust any guy with you. I told him to just stay a little away from you, I didn't threaten him or something. Why will I fucking even do that? I was just..." "Worried. I don't want to see you get hurt... again." And he dropped his gaze.

Accepting the truth was quite well, let just say, it hurt his ego. He felt embarrassed. It was like putting his pride on stake.

But then, once again, his pride was nothing in comparison to his care for her. He will never accept it but... but he can do anything for her, just to make her smile once again.

"I am not charity River, I am capable of taking care of myself." She spit angrily, totally ignoring the hurt look on his face.

"You're right. I shouldn't have cared for you. It's just a fucking waste of time." And he turned towards the balcony to get out of her room.

She looked at his retreating figure and a silent tear fell from her eyes.

She threw all her anger on him. She bursted out in front of him, she took out all her frustration on him, all her pressed emotions on him.

He was just about to jump on the nearby tree through which he had reached there, when, "You are leaving?" Her voice was timid and soft and somewhere it was enough for him, good enough for him to stay.

"Give me one good reason, one good reason to make me stay." His voice was soft and yah, he stopped himself from going away.

Turning around, he looked at Faye, the girl who was on the floor, the girl who was somewhere begging him to stay, the girl who was broke.

"I... I am sorry." She said as tears fell out of her eyes.

He was instantly by her side, holding her, pressing her to his chest, wiping her tears, "Why... why can't he... he like me River? Why?" She sobbed, her hands tightly wrapped around him, her head on his chest.

They remained their for minutes, both in each other's arm, not blurting a single word. It felt like they are just in the right place, both of their figures making one. That was how close they were to each other, so close that there was no space for air to invade.

It was all soft and silent for some minutes, until,"Trust me when I say this, he don't deserve you." River muttered under his breath, making Faye look at him with red, teary eyes.

"More like I don't deserve him." She said as he wiped the strain of tears from her cheeks.

"You got alcohol?" He asked, standing up from their position on the floor and helping Faye do the same.

Faye silently nodded, "You take the blankets, am coming." And she walked out of the room, leaving River beside.

What am I gonna do with her?

Yes, he threatened Justin. He threatened Justin to get him away from her. He wanted her to be safe and yes, he don't and never will trust any guy with her.

I will never let anyone hurt her.

And thinking that, he grabbed the blankets from her closet, making his way towards the terrace.

************************************

"Yes, yes I used those pickup lines on those chicks." He laughed, taking a sip from his can, his eyes on her as she bursted out laughing.

"You are crazy, horrible. Poor girls, god..." She laughed, not a single tear visible in her eyes.

"I had an hand imprint on my cheeks for the rest of the night. And Zach, that bastard, he even hit on that girl using more of those fucked up lines." He said, laying on the blanket, a small smile visible in his features.

"And I guess, you just sat on a corner for the rest of the night?" She asked, laughing as she opened her can.

They were talking about River and Zach's summer holidays in Spain. They were talking about their lame pickup lines that they used on those Spanish girls.

"Not really. One of the strippers took a liking for me." He said, smirking.

"You are disgusting." She scrunched up her nose before gulping the content of her can. The taste of alcohol burned her tongue and it made her test buds explode.

"I hate the way alcohol makes me feel." She commented leaning on River's shoulder, putting her can aside.

"I know... I know you are not fond of it. But trust me, it helps." He said, playing with her blonde strands.

"Bluh. It burns your mouth." She said, pouting.

"Hmm. Anyways, how was your break? I didn't ask you about it."

And she turned around to face him, "I... I didn't go anywhere, alright. All thanks to my parents, I rotted all those months with Elliot and that four year old brat, Kaitlyn." She moaned, taking one more sip from the can.

"As if that fucked up cousin of yours, Elliot?" He asked, laughing and she nodded, smacking his hand in the process.

"Don't laugh. It was a living nightmare." And she turned around to place her head on his shoulder once again.

"I am sure they aren't that bad." He challenged, a smirk visible in his face.

"I looked like a bitter gourd for two weeks. They mixed green dye in my shampoo. They cut half of my dresses. They were horrible." And he laughed uncontrollably, tears coming out of his eyes.

"That sure was fun. Man, you will look smoking hot with green hair." He kept on laughing until he saw that Faye wasn't enjoying it.

She looked at him bluntly, ready to kick him where the sun don't shine.

He held up his hands in surrender, "Ain't my fault." And she stick out her tongue on him.

And the night went like that, them joking around, laughing, not a serious discussion involved in it.

"The sky is full of stars today." Faye muttered as her eyes looked up.

Yes, there really were millions of stars in the sky. Twinkling, making the whole sky light up.

"It's breathtaking..." She said, her eyes making different shapes from them.

"I know... it's beautiful." And when she turned around to look at him, she saw him staring at her.

She grinned, mirroring his expression and their hands found each other's, "That's Sumner." She said pointing to one of the stars, heat overwhelming her.

"And that's my mamma." He said, pointing to the way next to it.

He was talking about his stepmother, the woman that somewhere had given him the reason to live.

"They will always be their with us, right?" She asked, uncertainly as she stood up from her laying self, making her way towards the railing.

"Always." He said, walking up to her and pulling her closer to him, draping his arm around her.

"I miss them." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

He nodded, "At least, we are here for each other."

And the smile that Faye gave him was something that he starved for, the smile that she gave him was something that made him go weak on his knees, the smile was something that made him go crazy, the smile that somewhere plastered a grin in his own face.

************************************

©tomboy_16