Caught in the Middle- Part 3
Jerome's P.O.V.
The three walked downstairs. Mitch went first, then Sky, Jerome lingered behind to look at his desk.
Everything seemed to be in order. He hoped Mitch or Sky didn't look at anything. Well, he wasn't that worried about Sky. Mitch on the other hand- he was used to treating Jerome's house as his own.
The Bacca shook his head and walked out to catch up to the others.
Once downstairs, he found them already sitting on the couch. Jerome sighed. What if he lost both of them tonight?
'No, don't think like that. Everything will be fine.' Â He thought to himself.
"What do you guys want to eat?" Â He asked, the question directed more at Sky than at Mitch. He knew Mitch would eat almost anything.
"I'll just have an apple if you have one." Sky said. Mitch didn't answer.
Jerome shrugged and got an apple for him anyway. It was late, and he knew for a fact he had eaten all of his food sprinting to the arena they fought in.
He walked into the living room and handed them each a fruit. Â Mitch looked up at him surprised. "Thanks..." He muttered.
Sky smiled at both of them. Jerome smiled back. It wasn't that he didn't like Mitch. He always had and he always will- but for some reason, Sky also made his heart melt like that. Both of them gave him the same butterflies. He couldn't choose. He really wanted to choose Mitch. They planned out a whole summer together after all, but it didn't feel right.
He sat down on the recliner off to the side of the room, a small sigh of nervousness escaping him. What would he even say?
"So... Why did you two even start fighting in the first place?" Sky asked hesitantly.
Mitch looked down at his lap. Jerome looked away. For the longest time, it seemed like neither of them would say anything.
Jerome looked back at Mitch the exact same moment he looked up. Gosh, they were so in sync it hurt.
"I guess... it's mostly my fault..." Jerome found himself saying.
Both of them focused on him. He felt a lump in his throat. What now? What could he say so that they both didn't hate him?
'Maybe finally talking about last summer would help'. Â He thought.
Taking in a shaky breath, he began to speak.
"I planned the trip, I confessed my feelings, and in the end I messed it all up." He took in another breath. He didn't want to get too emotional here. He didn't want them to feel sorry for him.
"I don't know what's wrong with me, I thought I would be happy with Mitch but something was off and I couldn't ignore it."
Mitch was looking down again. Sky spoke up.
"What... What exactly was last summer to you two?" he asked.
Jerome opened his mouth, but before he could say anything Mitch began to talk.
"It was what I was waiting for my entire life..." He mumbled, "It was everything I had ever wanted... up until the end."
He looked back up at Jerome. "Why did you do that? Why did you make everything perfect if you knew I wasn't who you wanted?"
The bacca looked away. Mitch kept talking.
"What kind of sick joke was that? Why am I not good enough to actually be with you?"
Jerome looked back to see Mitch staring right at him, eyes watering. It hurt seeing him like this. Seeing the most confident person he knew doubting himself.
"Mitch... Of course you're good enough. You're amazing. All those things I told you when we went away were true. It's just that my stupid heart can't decide. I really wanted to be with you. And trust me, I still do. But I don't know what's wrong with me! I love both of you and-"
He covered his mouth. That was too close.
"And Sky is just way better than me huh?"
Jerome closed his eyes. Didn't Mitch realize that Sky was in the room still?
"I can't say I blame you, of course he's better. He's nicer and doesn't die all the time. He comes in to check on you when you respawn. No wonder you'd want him over me."
Sky was staring wide-eyed at both of them, mouth open to say something that wouldn't come out.
"Mitch it's not that i'd rather be with him than you! I don't know what it is but I want to be with both of you! If that's even possible? You're both my closest friends. I love both of you but... I just can't choose! I don't know why. I thought the getaway would make me choose. But it just messed everything up!"
He could feel the tears soaking through his fur. He covered his face with his hands. He probably lost both of them. He was going to be alone.
The world was still for a moment. Jerome felt like everything was about to come crashing down, so he hoped things would stay frozen longer. He didn't dare look at them. If he did he would only be seeing them walk out the door.
But that's not what happened.
Instead he uncovered his face when he heard both of them walking towards him.
He was scared. His eyes were wide and his instinct to run was flaring up. There wasn't much a Bacca was afraid of. Â There were even less things one would run from. His heart was racing and he feared that they were both going to call him out to his face before disappearing from his life forever.
But that's not what they did. Instead, they both hugged him, and the waterworks began to flood.
Jerome didn't know how long they sat there crying. Mitch muttering apologies for the fights and Sky sniffling. Â Jerome was sobbing as well, both relived and terrified of what would come after this.
But for now, they were here. They didn't hate him. The relief outweighed the anxiety. So the three of them hugged each other, all trying to squeeze onto an armchair that could barely fit Jerome on his own. But it didn't matter.
Things were out in the open now, and so far it didn't seem like it would be too bad.
