Life

I had no life starting now I thought as I sat on my bed, wiping my eyes. My phone vibrated in my hands. I have been waiting for this moment to happen. I quietly locked myself in my closet then flipped it open.

"Hello?" I whispered.

"Renee." He paused, trying to figure out what to say. "Are you all right? I'm sorry I couldn't do anything." His voice sounded really hoarse and tired.

I let out a soft cry and said nothing else. I knew that would answer his question.

"Renee, I'm very sorry. I wish I could do something." He said after a few minutes of silence. He cleared his throat then spoke again. "Do you need anything?"

"Yes."

He paused then asked what.

"You." I whispered, putting my head between my legs.

"Renee, I wish I could…" he trailed off then there was a loud bang.

"What was that?"

"Did I ever tell you I lived with my sister? My parents died when I was ten."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Maybe I could do something…" he said. This time, I heard a sound of fast running footsteps.

"What are you doing?" I asked, confused by the sounds.

"I'm going to you house, that's what I'm doing." He answered, his voice sounding breathless.

"Are you crazy?" I whispered loudly, and then covered my mouth. "Why?"

"You said you wanted me to be there so, I'm just following your wishes."

"How are you going to get in?" I asked, reminding him what had happened earlier.

"I'll have to think about that." A sound of a car engine turning on was in the background.

"Won't your sister mind?"

"No. She knows."

I stopped breathing. "She…she knows? You told her? Why? You-I can't believe…"

"It's all right Renee. My sister's cool, all right?"

I sniffed then said yes.

"Okay, I promise I'll be in your room in less than ten minutes. Wait for me Renee." He whispered softly, making me feel calm.

"Okay. I'll be waiting."

"And I'll be hoping. Bye."

I put the phone in my pocket then crawled out of my closet, sitting on my bed again. I took the smallest pillow then hugged it against my chest. My life was ruined ever since my mother had died. I wanted her back, so badly.

I took out a journal, and then wrote in it. I had probably recorded whole life ever since she died. I wanted to remember everything that happened.

There was a loud bang on my window, making my gasp quietly. I walked up to it then looked out, opening the window.

"Renee! Open it! My fingers can't really hold much longer." Joe whispered, followed by a grunt.

"Joe!" I opened the window widely then grabbed his hand, helping him climb in.

"Joe! How did you climb up?" I asked, watching him close the window.

He grinned, trying to catch his breath. "I climbed on the tree. It took me three tries, but it was worth it."

"Thank you." I said, hugging him.

"Can you somehow give me some water? I'm tired now."

"I-I don't…okay, I-Just wait here." I told him, walking out of my room.

I walked in the kitchen quietly, hoping nobody could hear me. I opened the refrigerator, and then grabbed two cold water bottles.

"Renee."

I gasped then twirled around, looking at Mason.

He walked up to me, not as angry as before, but somehow…happy?

"Remember, you can't go out tomorrow, and you can't see that boy again." He said, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Might as well get on his good side. "Yes sir." I quickly said, then walked back to my bedroom.

"Thanks." Joe said as I handed him his water bottle.

He opened it then drank half of it in one minute. He grinned at me then set the water down on my desk.

I looked away from him saying nothing. What else could I say, thank you for coming here? I would be too embarrassed.

He went up to me then pulled me towards the bed.

"Are you all right Renee?" he asked, kissing my hand.

"No. I never will be." I replied softly, putting my head against his soft shoulders. "You've changed." I finally realized.

"Yes."

"You came."

"Yes."

"Why? Why would you do this for a girl that you've just meet a day ago?"

He pulled my chin up, so I was facing him. "I don't know Renee. I just, I just feel like I have to."

"I hate my life." I murmured, putting my head back against his shirt.

"Your life just has some problems."

"It has some problems." It was a statement, not a question.

"Try to take your mind off of it." Joe advised, trying to soothe me by brushing my hair. His expression was one of sadness.

"How did you get here?" I asked, yawning.

"Car."

I got out of his embrace to look up at him, eyes questioning. "Car?"

"My sister dropped my off a street away." His smile was huge and wicked.

"Are you going to get in trouble if you stay here too long?" I queried nervously.

"Of course not." He said, reassuring me.

"How long are you going to stay here?" I asked, sneezing.

"I don't know. Oh, and before I forget…" he took out a bottle of medicine then handed it to me.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Medicine?"

This was too good. I was still waiting for something to go wrong; I knew there was no such thin as a happily ever after ending.

He smirked. "That's my apology to you for throwing you in the pond."

"I don't drink medicine." I told him, without moving my lips.

"I guess that was for nothing then." He put the medicine on my desk then peered out the window.

"I'm sorry, did you have to go somewhere?" I asked, not really feeling sorry.

"No. I just got here two days ago, what more can I do?" he muttered, mostly to himself.

He went back to the bed, pulling me onto his lap. "By the way Renee…how old are you?"

I stifled out a quick laugh, "My birthday's in two weeks, December 16. I'm turning eighteen."

"Well, that settles it, you are a kid." He teased me. "And I'm older."

I put my arms around his neck then looked into his light brown eyes. "Then how old are you?"

"Eighteen. I'm turning nineteen in three more months." He replied, looking away.

"What's wrong?" I asked nervously.

"I feel bad." He murmured. "You're..." he trailed off, not wanting to say anything else.

"I'm what?" I unlocked my grip around his neck then got out of his lap.

"You're so innocent and…you're being…tortured." He looked at me, then away. "And all I can do is…talk to you." He murmured some words to himself then looked at me smiling. "How about you join a…club or something?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. What was he thinking? "A club?"

He grinned wickedly then kissed my forehead. "A club, after school. You won't have to spend much time at home."

"There are no clubs." I told him quietly, considering his idea a bit.

"Yes there are, or a part time job. There's cheerleading. I'd love to see you in one of those uniforms." He said, chuckling to himself.

"Cheerleading? Are you kidding? I'm not that preppy…well; I'd rather do that part time job."

"All right, what do you want to do?" he asked, opening one of my books.

"I don't know." I muttered, playing with my hair.

"Come on, what do you want to do?" Joe urged me on.

I shrugged. "A restaurant or something maybe? Or maybe this might be a bad idea."

"No bad idea Renee." Joe told me, shaking his head slightly. "Maybe we can get you a job, or get you to try out cheerleading."

My eyes widened at the thought of me jumping around in the uniforms. "No cheerleading. But what if I'm really bad at…the job."

Joe shrugged, turning a page in the book. "Maybe you can work at the place I work at too." He suggested, turning another page.

My eyes sparkled at that thought. "Yeah! Where do you work?"

He snorted, "You don't want to work at a restaurant but you're willing to work at my place?" He grinned, putting the book back in its original place.

"Yes…"

"Okay, well I work at this ice cream place…" he trailed of to look at my expression.

I licked my lips. "I like ice cream."

"I know. I guess I could get you a job there." He motioned for me to come sit on his lap again, so I did.

"Yay!" I yawned then rested between his arms. "You know what the good thing about my life is?"

"What?" he asked, although I was sure he already knew.

"You, and…I…well, there's nothing else." I yawned against his soft fabric shirt then sighed, smelling his sweet peppermint scent. "You smell really, really good."

He chuckled, letting me feel the vibrations through his hard chest. "Sweet Renee…you sound tired, are you ready to sleep?"

I shook my head. "No, I might have nightmares."

You already are living in a nightmare. My mind told me.

"Then when do you want to sleep?" he asked through my thick hair.

"I don't know." I sneezed again then looked at the door. "I hear footsteps." I whispered, urging Joe to get under my bed.

A knock on my door.

"Come in." I said calmly.

It was her. I frowned at the image in front of me then frowned at her. "What do you want?"

She wickedly grinned then closed the door. "You knew?"

I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Of course I did, I knew ever since I saw you."

"You'll never be able to do anything about this. And your little boyfriend…a charm, isn't he?"

I stuck my chin up. "What about him?"

Her dark red hair covered half of her face, but still showed her bright green eyes. "He is quite a catch." She said, not answering my question.

My eyes harden. "So?"

She looked at me then smiled. She was pretty, with fair skin and soft hair…for a devil "I'm going to make your life miserable from the day I say I do, and I'll do something about him, trust me, I will." She took a quick glance around my room then left.

I walked up to the door then locked it. I didn't want her to some in again.

"Is she gone?" a hoarse voice asked underneath the bed.

I giggled, and then looked down. "Yes." I gave him my hand, helping him get out from underneath.

"Ouch." He murmured as his head hit the wood.

I laughed then patted his head.

"Dang, that woman is evil." He murmured, putting his hand through his hair.

"Now you see how it is."

He grinned, and then laughed. "Even I'm a catch with older woman!"

I rolled my eyes at him then hurled myself on my bed. "I hate her."

"Yes, you do." he said, sitting on my bed.

"I wonder what would happen if my mom was still here." I murmured, putting my pillow on my head.

"I'd probably go out with her rather than you." Joe joked, putting a blanket over me.

"Why are you putting that over me? I'm not going to sleep." I murmured, half closing my eyes.

"Yes you are. You're very sleepy, I can tell." He whispered in my ear, voice soothing and smooth.

"What about you?" I asked; eyes closed. What could I say? I was weak.

"I'll leave." He stage whispered back.

"No…what about tomorrow? I don't want to be alone…you'd better…" I trailed off, tired.

He chuckled, and then kissed my cheek. "Don't worry Renee, darling, I'll be here tomorrow."

"You're calling me darling." I said; my voice now hoarse. It was probably my sore throat.

"Just go to sleep now Renee, before you get any more sick." He said, ignoring my comment.

"Mmm…all right." I said, slurring my last words.