I'm A Stick Beside Him Novels & Stories

"‌I u⁠se‍d to im‌agine⁠‍ it‍, s‍ometi​me​s⁠, du​ri‌ng the w⁠‍orst of th​e pla⁠nning. W⁠⁠hat it migh‍t actually fee⁠l like‌, if we ever ma‍n‍age‌d‍ to reac‌h t‌he‌ other side of it.‍ I neve‍r once imagined‌ I​'d be stan​d​i⁠​ng here‌ w‌i‍th s⁠om​‍eone​‌ l⁠ik⁠e you‍ beside m⁠‌e when it finally happ‌e‌ne‍d." "⁠I'm gla‌d I get to be her​‌e for it."​ I leaned into him​‍, feel‍ing the s‌t‌e‍ady beat of his h⁠e‌art b⁠e‌neath my cheek.

I glanced at his hand, reliving how it'd felt just moments ago when we shook hands. “I’d rather walk beside you if that’s alright.” He didn’t flinch... didn't feel offended. Instead, his lips curved into a smile like he understood. “Sure. Side by side it is.” My heart stuttered anyway as I stepped up beside him, the warmth of his body and the subtle smell of his cologne wrapping around me. It wasn't until now that I realized he was 6ft tall, a foot taller than me. Together, we left the stern and headed for one of the bars. Though our hands didn’t touch, something about walking beside him made butterflies in my belly.

he said. The honesty in that should have comforted me. Instead, it made something crack. Because it sounded like defeat. Like he’d stopped trying to find the middle ground and settled for stepping back entirely. “You don’t have to choose one or the other,” I said. “You can just… be with me.” “I am with you.” “No,” I said, shaking my head. “You’re beside me. Not with me.” The distinction hung in the air. Sharp. Unavoidable.

“I seek what has already bound itself to me.” “And what is that?” I asked, though I knew. “You.” The word fell between us, low and certain. His gaze moved over my face with a reverence that made my carefully assembled resolve begin to crumble. “I am endeavoring to be strong,” I whispered. “Strength,” he replied, leaning nearer so that his breath stirred the loose curl at my temple, “is not found in denying one’s heart, but in standing beside it.” “And hers?” I managed faintly. His hand slid more securely around my waist, drawing me closer by inches rather than force. “You are not she.”

“Where are we?” He was still sitting beside me, behind the steering wheel one hand resting on it while his eyes glancing around the yard as though he was looking out for something or maybe someone. “The one place you’ve been dying to see," He spoke calmly "My world.” I opened my mouth to respond but before I could. “Stone!”

I said. “I know. But if it’s true.” “If it is,” I cut in, “I’ll handle it. I won’t be managed through it.” His answer came slower. “You won’t be. Not this time.” The silence felt thinner. Like glass. “I need to see you,” he said. “No. Not until you understand what you’re standing beside. Not in front of. Not behind. Besides.” A beat passed. “I’m learning.” “I know.” Another silence. “I’ll send you something,” I said.

“I know you’re strong, but you don’t have to bear this weight alone. I’m here for you, no matter what.” His words wrapped around me like a comforting blanket. I smiled, feeling the connection between us grow stronger. “Together, we’re unstoppable,” I said, trying to lift his spirits. “We’ve faced worse odds and come out on top.” Adrian’s gaze locked onto mine, a mixture of determination and fear dancing in his eyes. “But what if this time it’s different? What if…” He trailed off, shaking his head as if to dismiss the dark thoughts swirling in his mind.

That caught me a bit off guard because I look too plain by his side. "Also, there are more men and teenage boys trying to catch your attention than girls catching mine. So, I just want to send the message that I'm the lucky bastard who gets to walk beside you," he said. "Okay, now you're just lying," I scoffed. I began to walk towards the Rover again when he softly pulled me back to him. I bumped into his chest and he steadied me. He looked…serious. Or upset? I can't really tell.

Watching him play was like witnessing a symphony of power and grace, and every time, I fell for him a little bit more. Yet, the thought of not having him by my side, of him being miles away, was a prospect that gnawed at my heart. His presence had become an integral part of my world, a steady anchor in the midst of my own inner storms. I cherished every moment he walked beside me, every time he shielded me from the shadows that threatened to consume me. As I stood in the hallway, a facade of bravery wrapped around me, I offered him a smile, wanting to be his pillar of support, his source of strength. He needed to know that I believed in him, that I stood with him in this pivotal moment.

An unfamiliar sting visited my heart. “Oh-kay.” He suddenly stands and fixes his stuff. “Let’s go home now.” He walked fast. I tried to follow his pace but physically I’m a wimp. All I can do is watch his back as I try to walk fast to be beside him. I felt another sting. What should I do?