Like Hot Chocolate
Logically I know it's pathetic, the way I feel that is. I shouldn't be so codependent on someone so quickly. But the truth is without him I feel so lost in this. Somehow talking becomes ten times harder, existing becomes near impossible. He's too kind for his own good. At first not being around him was okay. I could live normally without his guidance. Except the longer I spent with him the more I just fell into step with him, letting him lead the way through everything.
Link is like a cup of hot chocolate, yeah that seems right. He's the definition of warmth. Standing on the playground without him trying to hide from the other kids is like I'm walking through a blizzard without a jacket or shoes on. I'm freezing, lost, and sacred. There's no hope to make it out and find warmth. I'm trying so hard to make it, I keep walking. The storm clears for a moment and I'm standing on thin ice. The other kids are on the edge of the lake staring at me like some kind of caged animal. Like a freak for show.
My arms are crossed over my chest and I'm breathing ragged. One of the kids yells at me, harsh words make the ice give a sickening crack. It gives way and suddenly I'm under water and I can't breathe. I'm pushing on the underside of the ice trying to get out. My heart's racing and my body is going numb from shock. Every limb feels like ice, too heavy to move anymore. So I give up and let my body go limp, close my eyes and just accept it. I can't hear the kids yelling their jeers and slurs anymore it's just white noise. But then as I feel like I'm just going to slip away into nothingness a hand grabs my arm and rips me back up to the surface.
As my burn lungs filling with crisp air my eyes fly open. Blue eyes just as blinding as the cold ice but hair as warm as campfire greet me. Gentle hands shaking me like a ragdoll, mouth moving but no sound still. Like some sort of movie scene from a silent movie. There's a hard smack that rings in my ears suddenly and the left side of my face stings. I close my eyes tight. The white noise is gone and is replaced with a voice like sticky sweet honey fresh from the hive, except the bee that is making it is extremely angry. "Rhett? Can you hear me? Breath Rhett. No obviously he's not okay! Maybe if you had stood up for him for once instead of cowering while your friends beat him to a pulp. Rhett? Crap, Hold on Rhett." There's warmth that wraps around me and suddenly I'm gliding. I open my eyes to try and figure out why I'm moving. Link's pulled me to my feet and has his arms wrapped tightly around me while, more so dragging, walking me away from the others.
"Link?" My voice is weak and my chest hurts and so does most of me. He doesn't say anything just grips tighter. We keep walking until we're inside the school. He sits me on the ground and kneels in front of me. "Link? What happened? I..." I cough suddenly causing my chest to hurt even more. His eyes lock on mine and he sighs. It occurs to me he hadn't been here this morning, he had missed the start of school. "Where were you? Why weren't you here this morning? I was worried. You never miss school!" I break off into another cough. He looks away and sweeps his hair out of his eyes. It's gotten too long again, needs to be cut. "I woke up sick, my stomach. I finally convinced mom I was okay again so she'd let me come to school." I watch as he gives a sad smile. "I got here and the teacher walked me outside and that's when I saw...I sa-" His voice cracks and he takes a shuddering breath. "You were on the ground, they were kicking you and calling you names. Rhett I'm so sorry if I had been here this morning this wouldn't have...I'm sorry." I blink as I see a tear roll down his face. Instinctively I wipe it away. "Hey it's not your fault, you were sick. 'Sides you still saved me." I smile at him and he cringes. "Rhett, you had a massive panic attack. You were hyperventilating and shaking like a leaf." His tone states that I'm being unreasonable.
Well that makes sense then. The cold, the white noise, my chest hurting. The others kicking me explains the pain everywhere else. It fits the bill. But then there had been warmth. Link's eyes like a warm summer sky, body heat blaring like a campfire, and his voice like drinking a cup of hot chocolate. Warming me from the inside out. Making the ice melt away. I give him a shy smile. "It's okay, you made me warm again. You're like a cup of hot chocolate. No matter how bad the blizzard was you warmed me right up again, Bo." He turns his wide tear filled eyes to me and gives a small watery smile. I don't know what I'm thinking when I kiss his cheek. I just know that there's a reason it's been Rhett and Link and not just Rhett for a long time now. Because without hot chocolate the snow just isn't as fun.