Chapter 20

Drake held out his hand and I hesitated on weather to put mine in his. But I needed my phone.

I put my hand into his and felt his hand tighten. He then turned around and started walking as if he'd been wanting to do this all night.

We walked quite a bit taking many turns here and there. Even if I wanted to I couldn't just go back home. Not without him anyway.

Finally we stopped in front of an alley and I took off my back pack. I looked around confused at why he brought me here.

"Where did you bring me?"

It was just a plain alley near random places.

"This is where your mom found us. We pretty much lived here for a couple of years."

I kind of froze and really took in the place. I looked at every spot and piece of area I could.

They lived here.

I felt a kind of pain in my chest as I thought about how hard their lives were like.

Cold. Dark. Lonely.

I watched as Drake walked over to a part of a wall and put his hand on it like he was remembering something. His face held a sincere smile making me rethink about him.

"I don't know exactly what Jake told you but I'll tell you my side of the story. We all met at the orphanage and soon grew close. We all were taken in a few times but then returned not to long after. After a while we decided that it wasn't going to happen with us so we grew even closer."

He stopped and slid his hand down to his pocket.

"Then we got older and saw people we knew get taken in and never saw them come back. It then came to a point where Christopher had to leave due to his age. 18. He was an adult then and he didn't want to stay there any longer."

He paused again and turned to look around the ally. He laughed just a little and then continued his story.

"After some preparations we ended up leaving with him. We went far away from there and hid here to live. Christopher worked two jobs and the rest of us worked to live off of friends from school. But that only worked for so long. Some of us did other jobs here spans there but they didn't really pay us. We couldn't do much for a while. But when your mom saw us she saw the pain and took us in. We loved it in the end. We didn't think anyone would want us."

He looked at me and smiled.

"First she took us to your home, fed us, then went back to get the few things we had. It was a miracle for us."

It was now when I finally said something.

"She's the only person I know with a kind heart heart for someone like her. Even after what we've been through."

The last bit came up unexpectedly for me. It was a little too much information for me to have given out but I didn't really care in the end. At this moment Drake seemed anything but scary, annoying, or unbearable. He was just a teenage guy who went through too much early on in his life. Him and the others.

As if completely ignoring my last comment, Drake walked back up to me a little too close for comfort.

"Then even after everything that happened when meting your mom nothing more could happen to make me any happier. Then, I met you."

I winced at the cheesy can moment. It was like Jake said but it had a different feeling with Drake saying it. But was this how everyone felt?

Drake caressed my cheek again like he did the night before and I felt my cheeks warm up.

I looked down in embarrassment that I was reacting.

When I looked down I saw my phone and completely forgot my plan let alone the fact that he had it. But despite that realization another question came to me. I looked up into his now kind eyes and tried my best to ignore my raving heart.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

It actually wasn't that obvious to me at that moment. I had so much information thrown at me that my brain just stopped.

Unfortunately my heart did anything but stop or slow down. It raced in my chest making me feel awkward so close to Drake. It was the same with the others though.

Drake sighed and pulled me even closer. Our lips were only so far apart and Drake's eyes drew me in keeping me stuck there.

Then he said it. The words that I've heard before. The words that held so many meanings along with feelings.

"I love you."

I was struck frozen as I felt my face warm up. Hearing just the words them self made them seem more alive and with feeling. And this time there was no 'because we're all connected' or 'I can't control myself any longer' or any other kind of side note or excuse.

Drake took my no movement and extreme blush to his advantage and leaned in connecting our lips.

His kiss was very much like Sebastian's and Alex's as it was soft and passionate with tongue here and there slipping in when it felt like it. All the more it was deep and forceful at the same time.

I felt Drake's hands find my back and slide to my waist. He pulled me clever closer as if we weren't close enough. Against my thoughts I felt my hands find his hair and gripped it tight enough to give him a sign to go deeper.

I was enjoying this. And yet I still felt like something was off.

I remembered my phone and the whole reason for letting him take me here.

I went back to my plan and slid my hands out of his hair and down his sides landing at his waist.

Drake stopped the kiss just for a bit to smirk at me as a reaction to my sudden movement. He continued this time a little more forceful making it hard for me to breathe.

I slid my one hand near his pocket with my phone very slowly hoping he wouldn't notice.

My heart started race more and my breathing became difficult despite the way Drake was kissing me.

I was almost there.

I moved my hand a little more when I felt an odd feeling inside me.

What was I thinking? He just pretty much told me everything and then confessed and I was just going to betray him and grab my phone?

I moved my hands in a fast instant making a jolt go through Drake that even I felt. He pushed off me with his face struck red most likely from what just happened and not the kiss.

He licked his lips but didn't move.

"I didn't know you were that interested in me. Those hands of yours can't seem to control themselves."

I blushed more and looked off to the side.

"I didn't mean to do that."

I kept my voice low but I knew he heard it.

Drake came back up to me but I kept my head turned to the side unable to look at him. He grabbed my hand and put something in it. I immediately knew what it was and looked down at my phone. I looked back up at Drake and saw kindness n his eyes.

"You were trying to grab it, weren't you?"

My eyes widened as he saw right through my plan.

"Why did you give it to me if you knew I was trying to grab it?"

"Because I trust you enough to let you have it."

He walked off to where my book bag was and picked it up.

"You don't have to do that. I can walk home with it."

"I wouldn't feel right letting you do that. I brought you here with this weight on your shoulders so I'll walk home with it."

I didn't have anything to go against that. If anything my brain was focused on the fact that Drake was starting to act like Alex.

I stayed quiet and walked up to him as he slung my back pack on his own back. We started heading off home, Drake a little more in front to lead the way.

We walked in silence most of the way making things awkward. We only had street lights to guide our path and I drew close to him to make sure I wouldn't get lost. I knew he was enjoying the fact that I was close but I didn't care.

Soon we got to the house and like yesterday it was dark and late in the night. Again I was extremely tired and hoped nothing, or really no one, would be in my room.

Drake pulled out his keys and opened the door letting me in first. He followed in after me and closed the door. I waited for him to head me my back pack before going up to my room. He slid it off his shoulder and gave it to me with a sudden smile. Still we didn't say anything, only smiled at each other.

I slowly walked to my room and held my breath before opening my door and turned on my light. Luckily no one was there. I let go of that air and closed my door behind me.

I quickly got ready for bed and fell asleep with no problems at all. It came easily and I slept as if the nights events didn't even happen.