Chapter 68 - Confession

Ander froze in place, it felt like someone had just poured ice water on him hearing those words coming out of Francis's mouth. His heartfelt like tiny little needles were mercilessly piercing through it over and over again. Before he realized it tears were flowing down his face.

"Why do you care about him?" he asked hoping the male would take his words back or laugh it off as some kind of joke. All he needed to hear at that moment was that he only said those things to save his life and not because he meant any of it.

"I just do," Francis replied afraid that if he told Ander his connection to Avan. Then he might put Avan's life in more danger.

"But you don't even know him," Ander tried to argue his voice shaking just kike his heart.

"I know that I just met him but some bonds don't require time. It can happen in an instant and you can say the same about my affections for this boy are exactly that. And I won't let you or anyone else hurt him if I can help it," he said breaking the little hope Ander had of everything that was happening being a joke.

Realization hit him that Francis, the ghost who he was falling in love with was threatening him for someone else.

"Would you hurt me for him? Between the two of us who would you say means more to you" he asked crossing his fingers behind his back praying that he chooses him.

Francis thought about it for a moment. He knew that he owed it to Avan to be there for him and protect him from harm. Even if that harm was Ander. "I would say Avan," he replied.

Ander stumbled back not able to stand the revelation. He felt his energy drain away from his body and his knees weakening. He didn't know what was worse of the situation he was in. Was it the fact that he was foolish enough to love a ghost or the fact that a ghost just rejected him for another human who could neither see him nor talk to him?

All he knew was that he was hurting and couldn't breathe. He looked away from Francis and wiped the tears in his eyes.

"Ander, you need to stop. You can't keep hurting people like this because someday you will get hurt too," Francis advised.

'Too late for that advise,' Ander thought and clutched his chest from the pain that he was feeling in his heart.

"This is a new year, in a new school. I would advise you to go out and make friends. That way you will learn to value people more," he said.

'The same way I valued you and you betrayed me,' he thought bitterly.

"You can even be friends with Avan if you tried," he commented.

'Why? So that he can take the rest of the things in my life. It is bad enough he took the bracelet, the only link that I had with my father but now he has snatched you away from me too,' he said in his mind, the tears that he was holding back flowed down his cheeks.

"School can be a fun experience."

"I don't know about your definition of fun but coming to this school is the worse thing that has ever happened to me. My life was perfectly fine in the palace and I wish that I never came here," he said angrily. "And most importantly I wish that you weren't in my life," he added staring Francis in the eye.

He ran away from that point not wanting to listen to anything more the ghost had to say. It hurt him to recall the things he was saying about him in defense of that boy who had done nothing but cause him problems since he left the palace but no matter how much he tried to tune his voice out he couldn't because it echoed in his ear.

It showed him what little faith Francis had in him and just how much he mattered to the ghost who had stolen his heart. He ran past his aunt but didn't stop to talk to her and headed into the building. The students stared at him as he ran past him. They made a clear way for him to pass not wanting to upset him and have themselves set on fire.

The fire prince, that is what people had started to call him because of his similarities to fire. He was good when in control bit if you cross him then he destroys everything. Similar to the saying; fire is a good servant but a bad master, he was better left alone than provoked.

Ander ran to his room and flopped down on the bed. He buried his head in his pillow and cried his heart out. He could hear rushed footsteps heading to the room, he wasn't interested in talking to Francis or anyone else so he spelled the room.

He got his bags and began to arrange his things in them. He was in no mood to stay in that place for another minute, he wanted to return to the palace and never leave again.

"Ander, open the door and let us talk," Francis said banging on the door. His heart was racing in his chest out of worry for the prince. He had no idea why he was reacting like that to what he said. He was only trying to help and never meant for his words to hurt his feelings but now he realized that he shouldn't have said those things to him.

"Ander, let me explain, please. I didn't mean any of that, you are amazing please open the door," he said but Ander ignored him and continued to pack his bags. He used his hands to wipe the tears that clouded his vision while packing. Even hearing his voice by the door made his heart hurt more.

He packed all his belongings and moved to the door, he took a deep breath before he opened the door letting Francis who was still in Avan's body inside.

"Ander, I.." he started to say but Ander raised his hand to stop him from talking.

"I am not interested in anything you have to say. Do me a favor and tell me how to free you, it's the least I can do to unite you with the boy you love so much," he said in a pained voice.

"I don't know, only you know how to do that," Francis said.

"Okay, then can you stay away from me?" Ander asked in a pleading tone. Francis opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He looked around and noticed the packed bags and felt even more guilty.

"Are you leaving," Francis asked taking hold of his hands. Having those hands hold him reminded him of the kiss that the boy had given him moments ago. He felt his blood boiling again, the audacity of Avan to kiss him without his consent enraged him.

He wanted to push him away and throw him into the pits of hell but his heart stopped him. He would only hurt himself if he did that, Francis would not let him off if he did that. He would remind him how much Avan meant to him and who knows what other bad things Francis would say to him.

"Yes, school is not what I expected and I don't want to be here anymore," he said trying to remove Avan's hands but Francis's hold was tight.

"But.."

"I told you that I didn't want to hear it and this topic is not up for discussion or for you to try and change my mind because that won't happen," he said seriously.

"You can't leave, there are so many opportunities that you will miss out on if you do. And you will regret making this choice in the future."

'Is it me or you who will miss out on the opportunity of being close with your newfound friend? If I don't stay here then you will leave too and you can't stand to part with him, can you?' he asked bitterly.

"Please don't go," Francis said hugging him. He thought of asking Annak for help to fix what he had done and left Avan's body to go and find her. Ander's trembling hands found their way to Avan's back and he hugged him back.

"What difference will it make if I stay here. I don't think that I will be able to watch your newfound affections for Avan," he said breaking down and tightening his hold on Avan. "You asked me what has been troubling me for the past few days. I don't know how to say this to you but I know that if I don't th.." he cried on his back.

"I..." Avan wanted to say something but he wasn't sure what to say.

"I have been..been ha..having problems accepting my feelings. The thing is that I lo..love you, Francis," he said getting off his chest. "So please understand that I won't be able to bear seeing you like Avan. And it's not a joke or a prank. I have fallen in love with you" he confessed. He laid his head on Avan's shoulders and closed his eyes waiting for him to say something to his confession.

Avan stood there frozen not knowing what to say to what all he had seen and heard. First, he had to kiss Ander for the dare. The kiss was only supposed to be a snap kiss as he had originally planned but for some reason after locking lips with Ander, he didn't want to stop. He found that he did enjoy kissing him.

Then Ander tried to kill him and he did think that he was going to die but then he felt something enter his body.

The body was his and so was the tongue but he wasn't the one speaking. Whoever it was said so many hurtful things to Ander, he couldn't tell if it was because of his anger that the person couldn't see that his words were hurting Ander but he felt a pang in his heart seeing him hurt. What's more, the person claimed that he 'Avan' was more important to him than Ander, he didn't know who it was that spoke but he felt a connection to the energy he had.

Lastly, the thing that shocked him the most was hearing Ander's confession. He knew that it was meant for the man who told of his body but the man was no longer there to hear it. He felt like he had accidentally heard something that wasn't for him to hear but most of all were the weird feeling in his heart from hearing that confession.