Jade flinched as her bare feet touched the cold, dewy grass. She turned around and stood on her tiptoes to close her first story window. The bruises on her arms and legs started to ache. It hurt to breathe. After the beatings was the only time she could sneak away. The dried blood crusted to her chin along with under her nose started to itch; she couldn't itch it though. Dave told her not to wash anything off until he got pictures.
She walked across the grass to his window, knocking on it three times, waited five seconds, and knocked twice more. That was there secret code. When Dave heard that, he knew something had happened to his helpless friend.
The window opened less than 30 seconds later, Dave poked his head out, looking down at Jade.
His window was higher up than hers, she couldn't climb up by herself.
"... Baby no..." He murmured, leaning halfway out the window.
Times like this, Dave tried his best to comfort Jade. He treated her much like a small child who fell and scraped her knee.
He reached down and grabbed her from under the arms, and hoisted her up. How he did this without falling out the window was a miracle.
He let go when she was securely in his room, then closed and locked the window.
"It isn't as bad as last time..." The bruise under her eye started to throb.
"Jade..." He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "Jade next time come here before... I've told you that... Dirk and I won't let anything happen to you ever again OK? You can stay here until you're ready to go back... You don't even have to go back.."
She pulled away from him, taking two steps back, keeping her eyes on the floor. "I just want to sleep Dave..."
She walked around him and sat on his bed. "Just take the stupid pictures on your stupid phone so I can pretend I'm fine and go to school with 4lbs of makeup on so no one sees the bruises." She pulled knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them.
She felt small over in hell. Dave always said she didn't deserve to feel that; That her grandfather shouldn't touch her at all.
"Jade... Should I go get Dirk? Let you have a few minuets to yourself?" Jade was starting to scare him. She didn't seem herself. He already knew no one in said situation would be themselves, but Jade was acting too different.
"Don't get Dirk he shouldn't have to deal with this. YOU shouldn't have to deal with this. Just take your pictures so I can go back to feeling like an outsider and sleep until I'm dead" Dave pulled out his phone a little to fast; Jade flinched violently to the point where she almost fell off the bed.
"Jesus Christ, are you OK?" He bent over so he was at eye level with her.
"Y-yeah... I think so..." She stuttered, hugging her knees tighter. Holding her long sleeves so tight her knuckles turned white.
"I don't have to take pictures... Go wash that off. I'll get some pajamas out for you, okay?" Dave put his phone away.
"Yes please." She nodded once.
"Do you want to shower? Your shampoo and conditioner are in the medicine cabinet in the guest bathroom." He sat down next to her, and put an arm around her shoulders.
"I just want to sleep... Can you help me get this off?" She let go of her sleeves, put her feet back on the floor and flexed her cramped fingers. She didn't realize how tightly she was holding on.
"... Of course I can..." Dave grabbed her hand loosely as she stood up, then walked her to the bathroom.
He picked her up from the waist and placed her on the wide counter. Jade handed him a washcloth from next to her, that he ran warm water over.
"This-"
"Might sting. I know Dave." She put a hand on his unoccupied one.
He slowly raised the rag toward her face, and patted at the dried blood gently. Cleaning the majority off after 15 minuets.
"This shouldn't happen to you." He blurted out, after a long silence.
"Dave... Its a whatever, okay? I can do this myself you know. You should sleep, you look like you need it I can stay in the guest room tonight, I know where all the sheets and blankets are. I just have to run home and-"
"No" Dave said harshly, cutting her off. "You will do no such thing. You'll stay here, in MY room, with the door locked, and I'll go to your house." He said putting down the washcloth on the counter. "He hurt you, Jade. He keeps doing it. And hell, if this is all I can do to help so be it."
"Dave. I WANT- no NEED to do this myself. I depend on you, and I need to stop."
"Jade..." He put a hand on her thigh lightly. The other gripped the counter she was sitting on with such force, it looked as though he could break it. He almost seemed out of breath. He was looking down, gasping for air. "Don't say that. You... You don't depend on me. This is NOT your fault. Please understand that."
"Its hard to understand when its not true. It is my fault. I deserve this. He does this because I'm bad. Its punishment so I learn my lesson." She put a hand lightly on his.
"Jade, do you hear yourself? He gripped the counter tighter. " You deserve NONE of this! Don't you see? He's ABUSING you. This isn't him teaching you a lesson. He-He gets off on hitting you" Dave looked up, tears dribbling down his face. "You don't deserve it." He trailed off.
Jade grabbed Dave's face, and kissed his fore head. "Someone's tired. Why don't we both go lay down? We can watch a movie." She ran her hands down his face and neck, to his shoulders, holding them to get down.
Dave instantly put both hands on her waist, pulling her into him. "Jade Harley, I love you." He kissed her temple. "It takes so much strength to put up with what you do."
Jade stayed silent. She knew Dave felt guilty. Hell, she felt guilty being there."How are your arms..." Dave finally said, looking down at her long sleeves'.
"What do you mea-"
"Cut the shit Jade." He gingerly put a hand on her wrist.
"Dave stop... You're getting worked up..." Jade put a hand on his cheek. "I didn't do anything."
"...Promise..." Dave almost felt tears pricking at the corner of his eyes. He took his free hand and rubbed at his eyes under his shades.
"Dave... Would I lie to you?"
Yes.
"... No..." He sniffles a little. " I just want to make sure you're okay, Jade... I'm worried about you.."
"Well, I'm fine Dave... It's nothing to get worked up over..." She thought it was almost funny that the girl cover and bruises and that had psychological problems, was reassuring a 17 year old boy that everything was fine even though it wasn't.
She had hurt herself, that's why she was wearing long sleeves and pants in the middle of May. But lying to Dave when he was like this, hurt he even more. "Why don't you go to bed? You're tired, you're getting worked up." She slid off the counter, and was suddenly shorter than Dave again.
"Jade you shouldn't be-"
"I shouldn't be what? Helping you? Making sure you're okay? You need someone to take care of YOU too" She grabbed his hand and slowly pulled him out of the bathroom, and guided him to his room. "I'll stay in the guest room okay? I know where the blankets and sheets are for the bed, why don't you-"
"No. Stay in here." He pulled his hand away, and put both hands on her waist.
"Dave I..." She looked at the floor, her face flushed a dull crimson.
"Dance with me.." He muttered, taking one hand off her waist and grabbing her hand.
"...Dave I can't dance..." She said quietly, eyes glued to her bare feet.
"Well then I'll teach you..." He pulled her a little closer, they barley touched but the pull between them was there.
"D-Dave I..." She couldn't do anything but look up at him. She wasn't really even looking at HIM, she was looking at his shades.
Dave took a baby step to the left, leading Jade there as well.
"Dave I cant." She looked down, a lock of hair falling in her face.
Dave took a hand off her waist and brushed the hair out of her face, simultaneously making her look up.
"There's a way you can." Dave put his hand back on Jade's waist, then picked her up, at set her back down on his feet.
"D-Dave you don't have too do that"
"I want too..."
Dave started taking little steps this way and that. Jade leaned into him, her head leaning against his shoulder. Dave was humming a tune in Jade's ear. He was moving in step with his song.
"Dave why are up you doing this..." Jade was quieter than normal. She wouldn't admit it but this is one of the nicest thing to ever happen to her.
He treated her like a person, not a victim, not an outsider. A person. That was what she loved about him.
At school, most of his attention was directed toward her. It didn't used to be like that. At first he didn't know she existed. Then one day he came over to find out the French homework, and found her grandfather 'teaching her a lesson'. After that they were joined at the hip per say. He did anything she needed him too and more.
Dave leaned down toward Jade, they were a fraction of an inch apart.
"D-Dave I-I" She was tempted to look away, she thought she knew where this is going, and she didn't want to ruin there friendship,
There noses brushed. Oh god Dave please don't do this.
Then all the sudden the space between them was gone, and Dave's tongue was in her mouth. Not that she minded.
Eventually her tongue was in his mouth, and they were making out in the middle of his room.
Dirk knocked on the open door, and Dave looked up quite fast. Jade turned around to look at him.
"Oh goodness!" Jade tried to take a step back, forgetting Dave was holding onto her. Dave forgot how to let go.
Jade almost fell backwards, but Dave pulled her back up quickly. She hit his chest with a small thump.
"I'll leave you two alone then... Jade are you hungry?" Dirk had a smirk glued to his face.
"N-No sir." Jade was holding on to Dave like there was no tomorrow, her ear was pressed against his chest, facing the wall. She could hear his heart beating. It seemed a little faster than she thought it should have. Dave had both hands on her waist yet again.
Dirk walked off, laughing.
Jade leaned into him, her head on his chest.
Dave hugged her, as if letting go would mean she disappear from existence. Her rested his chin in the top of her head. "Jade.." He said softly.
"Yeah..?" She said equally as soft.
"Let's get you into bed, yeah? You're tired, you need some sleep" He picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his torso.
"Okay.." Her voice became child-like as her eyed grew heavy all the sudden.
Dave carried her into his bedroom, and laid her down on the bed. He sat on the edge and pulled the covers over her. "I'll go stay in the guest room tonight okay? What do you need from your house? Your glasses and phone?" He spoke as though she was a child, with a soft tone, and comforting words.
"Noo.. Stay with me..." She pulled him next to her. He complied greatly as she practically forced him to lay down. She threw the blanket over him too.
He pushed a piece of hair out of her eyes, and behind her ear. "Go to sleep Jade.."
She pulled off his shades, looking into his ruby eyes. "I'm trying... I want to wait for you to be asleep. I don't want you to go over there, and I know you won't go while I'm awake..." She spoke softly.
"Jade.." He put an arm around her waist, and pulled her close. "I'm not going anywhere.. I'm right here..." He kissed her forehead gently, and watched as her eyes fluttered closed.
"Good.." She mumbled, almost unconscious. "I love you, David Strider, with every fiber of my being... I'm so... So grateful.." She yawned.
"As I love you, Jade Harley, you're very important to me you know." He kissed her nose. "Now, go to bed silly."
"M'Kay Davey... Love you..." She drifted to sleep, slowly and then all at once.
"Love you too Jadey"
Dave soon fell asleep afterwards, turning off his alarm for the next day before hand. Jade needed a day off from school, so did he.
Trust me when I say, the next day was what not what planned it to be.
At all.
Hey Babe's. I love you all soooo much okay? You mean the world to me, don't forget that.
