Chapter one
The feeling of cool fingers playing with my hair causes me to look up as I realize it's just Maria and I relax. We're in my room,everyone is kinda, it's late and we're not really supposed to,but after everything I didn't want to be alone,which I don't blame myself for. She's here, Billy's here, and Sanya, Lex and Petra went home a long time ago. I got hurt tonight, I got cornered after I got drugged with LSD, and Chico attacked me in a back alley,put his hand down my pants, I somehow managed to fight him off,but not before he cut me a few times, roughed me up. I killed him by hitting him with a board,weapon of opportunity, and I got covered in his blood. They found me shortly after,sorta in shock, it took the guys getting me up to get me moving and the next thing I knew I was in the back seat. I haven't said much,other than to express discomfort when we hit bumps in the road,and to express consent when they got me here,home,to help with a shower to get all this blood off of me.
They did, Billy and Lex helped me with the shower while the girls got my bed made up. Once I got out of the shower,they got me changed and into bed,then the girls dressed my wounds and tucked me in. I've been laying here since, laid against Maria, Sanya has been sitting on the floor by my feet, Lex was by the middle of the bed when he was here,playing with my fingers,calming me. Billy is sitting in my desk chair,quietly watching me,worried more than he'll let on. "Fácil querido, estoy aquí Marcus. Estás a salvo ahora, no dejaré que te pase nada"she murmurs softly tracing the scar that run from my temple down the side of my cheek soothingly. We're the only ones in our group that speak Spanish,which is good for me and her when we need to make private conversations, or she wants to comfort me in her own way.
"le duele a maria. Estoy asustado"I murmur softly wincing as I feel the bruise on my back throb, there's not a part of me that doesn't hurt, and I'm scared, I'm a little shook up after tonight as I should be. I feel sick from the drugs,just wrong, I know I'm coming down from the LSD,and it sucks. "Lo sé cariño, lo sé. Solo respira, oh cariño"she murmurs as my breath hitches, I'm crying, I wouldn't do it in front of anyone else but I trust them,they'll keep me safe,they'll protect me. "Shh shh, it's alright Marcus, we're here"she murmurs as I sense Billy move and come sit on the edge of the bed,squeezing my knee. I feel Sanya play with my fingers,like Lex was doing earlier,comforting me. It's nice to not be alone during this, to have people care enough to stay with me, to take care of me when I need it. I feel her fingers playing with my curls as I start to relax. Sobs turning into hiccups into quietness,and I let her hold me,mindful of the bruise on my back. "We got you baby"I hear sanya murmur as I feel her squeeze my hand tightly,being an anchor when I need her to be.
We stay like this for awhile then I feel that all to familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach,I'm going to throw up whether I like it or not. "I think I'm going to be sick"I murmur softly as I feel a cool hand on my back, "OK, we got you"she murmurs helping me sit up as Billy gets the trash can. He gets it in front of me just in time,and I throw up as he holds me steady,and she rubs my back. It hurts,and it sucks, it makes everything hurt worse, I can't barely stand it, it's embarrassing to boot, I know it's the LSD that is making me so sick,and they know I can't help it. "I know Carino, I know"she murmurs as I finally finish up. When I do so, Billy takes it away so he can clean it, then she gives me a few small sips of water,then they help me lay down. Before I know it Billy's back,and he places the trash can by my nightstand,,just in case. "Thank you for taking of it,I'm sorry about this"I murmur softly as I see him crouch down on my level,placing a cool hand on my cheek. "Don't be love, it happens,I'm going to head out alright, the girls will be here alright"he murmurs kissing me on the forehead,being surprisingly gentle,we're more gentle with each other than we let on in public.
"Alright"I murmur softly as he get up,cards a hand through my hair then he leaves,leaving just me and the girls. "Do you mind if I check your back Carino, I think your wound is bleeding again"she murmurs softly placing a cool hand on my cheek. " I don't mind"I murmur as I let her and Sanya get me on my stomach,head turned to the side. I let them check it out,and it's still bleeding,I can tell when she takes her hands away from my back and there's blood. "Your definitely bleeding carino, I think you may need stitches in the morning,we'll go to the infirmary, I'm not going to make you go now,you're too tired, we're just going to re bandage it and you can get some sleep"she murmurs as I nod. I let her and Sanya clean it up again and re bandage it,,then they get me back on my side,and Maria crawls over me and gets behind me,while Sanya grabs a pillow and makes herself comfortable on the floor. "Get some sleep carino, we'll be right here if you need anything, do you want the lamp on or off"she asks softly playing with my curls, "on please"I murmur sleepily. "OK"she murmurs continuing her soothing motions. Before I know it I'm out like a light,in a deep sleep that I very rarely get,life on the streets has me too much on edge,even in a place where I'm safe to sleep normally,I'm usually sleeping lightly and I'm up every couple of hours. The last thoughts on my mind are that I'm finally safe, that I have people who care about me,who'll protect me at my most vulnerable, and who will never ever hurt me,something I've never had before.