Lagrimas Abrasadoras

I can think back on it now and, yeah, maybe I should have taken her back to camp as soon as I found her. Maybe. It was still night, but the sky had lightened. I pulled another cigarette from my pack. Shit. If smoke didn't start coming out my ears, it would be a wonder. I glanced at her as I lit the end. The glow from the fire gave just enough light for me to catch something on her face. The smoke curled in my chest and hung there for a moment before I remembered to breath. She looked at me then. Her eyes were full of pain and the bruises had taken shape on her face. I couldn't help what I did next. Primal curiosity, I guess. I brought my hand up to touch her face. Just her cheek at first, then I opened my hand and let my fingers flare out on one side of her face as my thumb traveled to the other.

"Fucking hell." I couldn't think of anything else to say. The bruises on her face were from someone gripping her face. My blood boiled as I rotated my own jaw. That hurts like hell. I knew. The guards in juvy did the same thing. Her eyes locked on mine for just a second and I could see the fear.

"Listen. I didn't ask you to help me. I didn't want you to help me and I damn sure don't want you feeling sorry for me." She growled. Typical woman. Always assuming.

"Kill the attitude, gorgeous. I wasn't feeling sorry for you." I looked out at the water. My gut told me she needed help. My head screamed at me about the consequences. My heart is a shriveled up little piece of coal that sits there and does nothing, so it didn't have much to say. I let the smoke settle in my chest as I snuffed out half of a perfectly good cigarette. I stood up and dusted my pants off.

"C'mon. I'm taking you back to camp." The glare she gave me was enough to relight my cigarette. I looked down at her and arched an eyebrow.

"It's either get up or I carry you." She frowned. I watched her struggle to her feet. She fell twice after slapping my arm away but finally managed to get to stand up, even if she was doubled over.

"Can you stand up?" She was silent for a moment then she looked up at me, tears streaming down her face.

"No." My mind screamed out every cuss word I knew and some I just made up, as I walked over to her. She reached out and wrapped one arm around my neck as I held her waist. She looked over at the water.

"The water washed most of it off right?" She was in an extreme amount of pain and worried about her appearance. I didn't know whether to scoff or laugh at that. I glanced over her and she wasn't covered in vomit or dirt- not like when I first found her.

"Yeah. Can you walk?" I glared at her. She attempted to straighten up but doubled over in pain. Fuck. " Well that answers that question. I'm carrying you." That got her attention pretty fast.

"You will not."

"Do you want me to drag you?" I was serious. She was going back to camp, she was going to get help.

"You are a barbarian. I don't need help." Fine. She didn't need help. I took my arm away from her and let her wobble for a moment. I grabbed her when she started to fall. I may be an asshole but not that much of one.

"See? You do need help." She snorted at me. I bent over and picked her up, forcing her to wrap her arms around my neck. She wasn't as heavy as I thought she would be. I actually grinned at that. She was lighter than Courtney. Would I be killed if Courtney knew that I knew that? Probably.

She whimpered. My heart clenched at that sound. There wasn't more pathetic or pitiful sound in the entire world. I was determined to find out who did that. Whoever did it had to pay. I might be a hard ass with my share of assaults on my record- but never women. Never.

Her arms locked around my neck as she buried her head against me. I could feel the tears wet my shirt. A small branch blocked our straight shot to the camp clinic. I maneuvered her so that she sat on my knee while I got that stupid little branch out of the way. Believe me it was harder that it should have been. I picked her back up and made my way to the clinic. I can remember frowning. My knee was wet. I was pissed. She peed on me.

No.

No she didn't.

But looking back- I wish that it was pee.