Chapter 7

Jeremy ended up wandering to Wickery Bridge. He just couldn't handle being around the toxic environment at his house. It was just too much for him. It had nothing to do with being mad at Tyler. He could never be mad at Tyler. Tyler meant too much him, which made the betrayal at dinner even worse. Jeremy had come to accept Damon as a friend. But saying that he shouldn't be with Tyler? That crossed the line. Jeremy was tired of always being treated like a child. He wasn't a little kid anymore. He lost his parents and Aunt Jenna. Childhood had been over for a long time.

The wind roared in the background, picking up while the trees swayed in the wind. He looked up at the sky to see that it was all drenched in blue without even a hint of white.

He shrugged his shoulders. The idea might have been outdated, but Jeremy always appreciated nature. There was something about the simplicity of it. Nothing else seemed to matter.

Tyler popped back into his head. The smile finally returned to Jeremy's face. That was something to hold onto. Jeremy would never forget Tyler. He couldn't. The tears returned to his face after thinking about the dinner for a second time.

"Jeremy?" called out a voice.

Jeremy whipped his body around to see who it was. "What are you doing here Tyler?"

His face drooped a little. "Please don't jump off Wickery Bridge Jer. You mean too much to me. You deserve more than for your obituary to say that you committed suicide."

Jeremy's jaw lowered, expelling a gasp. "I'm not here to kill myself. I just needed to get away for a bit. Please don't tell me the others are coming…"

Tyler sighed at his boyfriend. "No. They aren't. They just know that I'm looking for you. They don't know anything else. I would never betray you."

He furrowed an eyebrow. "How did you know that I would be here?"

Laughter fell from his mouth. "I guess you didn't realize that there was more to your boyfriend than being a dumb jock? Well surprise! I actually paid attention when you told me that you like to come here to clear your head."

Jeremy swallowed the burning feeling in his throat. "I never thought you were dumb."

Beads of sweat trickled down your face. "I just want you to know I thought the dinner was bullshit too. Nothing can keep me from you. I will never stop fighting for Jer. You have to know that."

He bobbed his head. "Yeah. I know that. I just needed to hear you say that out loud."

A smile twisted across his face. "Now will you please get off the bridge and give your sexy boyfriend a kiss?"

Jeremy didn't even bother to roll his eyes. Tyler was the only person who he'd let be cocky. Tyler was his everything.

He shuffled off the bridge, getting closer to Tyler. A few moments later Jeremy was standing on the grass by the side of the road.

Tyler pulled Jeremy in for a kiss. His tongue massaged his boyfriend's mouth. He wrapped both of his hands on each side of Jeremy's face.

Something slashed through the air. They pulled back from each other.

The man's mouth widened, revealing fangs. "What do we have here? Two victims I guess."

Jeremy's heart pounded inside his chest. He wondered if Tyler could hear him.

Tyler stepped in front of Jeremy, as if to protect him. He craned his head to his boyfriend. "Run, Jer!"

"Fuck that!" Jeremy whipped something out from his pocket. He lunged over to the vampire, driving the wooden stake through the vampire's heart. The vampire's body made a loud thump when he hit the ground.

Tyler grabbed Jeremy's hand, giving it a squeeze. "Come on let's get out of here."

Jeremy stared Tyler down. "I don't want to go back home. I hate them. I hate all of them."

Tyler expelled a long breath. "Of course. Let's go back to my place. You can stay the night and the next day, and the next-if you want."

He flexed a grin. "Sounds like a plan."

Jeremy followed Tyler back to his car. They got in the car in an instant.

Before Jeremy knew it, a clunky sound scraped the air after Tyler started the ignition. The smile remained present on Jeremy's face. He was with Tyler. Some stupid run in with a vampire didn't matter. He'd be fine. And if he weren't, Tyler would be there to help him.