Chapter 5

I had finally managed to stop crying by the time I got back to my apartment. At least, until I opened the door. I was greeted with the sound of angry voices; the familiar sounds of my parents' arguing. I wasn't surprised.

I tried to sneak past them and into my bedroom, but as I crept past, I felt a strong hand grab my arm and yank me back into the living room. I cried out in pain as my father screamed my name. "Hayner, where the fuck have you been?!" he yelled, obviously drunk. I ducked away in shame. "I just… went out this morning, to… to the sandlot…" I mumbled quietly. My father shoved me away, causing me to fall back onto my ass.

"I'm sick of your shit!!" he screamed at me. As I tried to stand back up, I was simply put back in my place with a swift smack to the jaw. I cried out and grabbed my face in pain. "I'm done, Hayner. I'm done!" my father screamed, and turned around to leave the apartment. My mother simply watched nonchalantly before walking away.

I don't know how long I lay in that spot with tears running down my face and a bruise forming on my jaw. I finally forced myself to stand up and leave the apartment once again, completely disregarding my father's drunken rage. I didn't care anymore. I probably wouldn't even come back.

I wandered around the town for about a half hour before finding myself headed in the direction of the sandlot. I hadn't meant to end up here, but as I approached the lot, I saw him… and I couldn't walk away.

I stopped about fifty feet away from him, watching as he beat the hell out of a light post with his struggle bat. I just stood there, completely silent, tears welling in my eyes at the sight of his anger. As he turned around and spotted me, I saw that anger grow in his eyes – and then fade away as he saw my own sorrowed expression.

Taking a step towards me, Seifer obviously noticed the swollen bruise forming on my jaw, his expression finally softening into sympathy. "Hayner… what happened," he muttered, standing in front of me with his arms at his sides. I took several moments in finding my voice, and when it finally eked its way out, it was still cracked and broken. "My dad…" I whispered solemnly, suppressing a sob.

Seifer sighed and gently brushed his hand over the bruise, frowning. "I'm sorry…" he mumbled. "I didn't know." I hung my head and shrugged, ashamed to have admitted it. But I couldn't hold it back any longer. The sobs came on all at once, forcing their way out of my body in racking heaves.

Seifer frowned and stepped forward to wrap his arms around me, pulling me close against his chest. "Shh…" he whispered softly, running his fingers through my hair. As I sobbed into his chest, the memories from the night before flooded back to me for the first time, and I felt my anxiety slowly begin to melt away.

It took a good ten minutes, but when I finally managed to stop crying, Seifer looked down at me with a solemn gaze. He was so tall… "You okay now?" he asked quietly, his voice gentle and kind. I nodded with a sniffle and looked away. "Yeah…"

"Hey," he mumbled, brushing a lock of hair from my face. "Look at me…" Grasping my chin between his thumb and the side of his index finger, he pulled my face up to look at him, using his other hand to wipe a tear from my cheek. He stared at me for the longest time, his expression a mix of sadness and loving kindness.

As he finally leaned down towards me, I felt a rush of so many emotions, so many memories and feelings, that I felt a little dizzy. But as if on cue, Seifer caught me with one arm tight around my waist, before finally capturing my lips in his own. It was a sweet kiss, gentle and slow, my eyes fluttering shut at the feeling. His lips were so soft.

I unconsciously wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling him a bit further into the kiss. I felt his tongue brush over mine, still in a soft and innocent manner, his fingers intertwining themselves in my hair.

As we pulled away from each other just slightly, I could still feel the warmth of his mouth against mine, the softness of his lips and tongue. I gazed into his ocean blue eyes with the feeling of pure bliss, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. "Seifer… I'm sorry…" I whispered almost silently.

"Shh…" he whispered back, shaking his head and smiling. "It's okay. I'm sorry too." He paused for the longest time, just gazing into my eyes, before finally speaking up again. "Hayner… stay with me."

I nodded softly in agreement, my heart racing with excitement and happiness. And as I stood there in Seifer's arms, I knew… I knew for a fact that he'd stay with me, too.