Mom got a call from work earlier asking if she could come in and do a last minute house sale or something like that. She was reluctant to leave me here alone but I promised her I would call if I needed anything, I assured her that I could be home alone for a few hours. She didn't want to believe me but she finally left me sitting on the couch a blanket thrown over me, the remote in my hand and the phone next to me. I sat in silence for a few minutes before calling my sister Melissa.
"Hey, hey, hey Shay-Shay so how's life going?" Melissa asked over the loud music playing in the background, "You're on speaker!" I can imagine her bouncing around the damn house blaring music with Derek watching and laughing when ever she falls. Just like old times.
"Not that great, don't tell dad yet but I got beat up at school. I had to go to the hospital because of a fractured rib." I spoke quietly, my sister shrieked into the phone before what I assume turning off the music in the background.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Melissa asked genuine worry lacing her every word. My sister truly cares for me, even when I don't like myself that much very often.
"Yeah the quarterback is friends with my old schools team, they asked him to shove me around and to find out why I pressed charges against coach." I stated crossing my arms, a slight pain crossed into my ribs but I quickly ignored it, I put the phone on speaker and read the text Leon just sent me.
'Hey I need your address again so I can come cook you some soup.' I read the text and smiled replying with my address.
"Are you there Shay?" Melissa asked into the phone, I smiled. Leon would be here soon and he's going to take care of me. Now I don't have to be alone today.
"Yeah sorry, I was just replying to a text my friend sent. They needed my address so they could find their way here." I chuckled fiddling with my fingers for a minute.
"Ohh, a girly friend Shay-Shay?" Melissa mocked me I shook my head realizing she couldn't see I then gave her my reply.
"No you dodobrain my very male friend, I met him at school my first day here. He is pretty much considered the school bad boy so he was able to scare James away from beating me yesterday." I defended myself. That made me think, why does Leon even care what happens to me? I mean yeah I'm grateful but hell does he even really care, or does he feel sorry for me?
"You gave a 'Bad Boy' your house address to come over willingly. You don't even trust being around me Shayton!" Drake stated, taking the phone off of speaker I replied.
"He's coming to take care of me while moms at work." I stated not making matters any better with that sentence.
"Are you stupid Shay? I mean really you are going to let a stranger, a 'bad boy' into the house while mom is gone, you don't even know him do you? Why would you trust him there alone before you would me?" Drake asked, that caught me off guard. Not once had the thought of Leon hurting me crossed my mind all day. I sighed knowing Drake had a point. Why would I trust someone I barely know over my own baby brother? I don't know why but I feel this pull to Leon for some reason. Somewhere in the back of my mind I trust him and I don't know why. He could hurt me just like the coach did he has more muscle than me.
"I don't know okay so don't be mad at me Drake. I don't know why I trust him but I do alright? He got the bullies off of me the other day and he took me to the hospital, he carried me from the school to the car. When we got to the damn hospital he carried me in and held onto me because I didn't want him to let go. I needed to be close to someone I trusted and right then he was the one protecting me from any and everything bad. He even filled out the damn forms with me in his lap; he staid with me until I almost literally had to make him leave." I spoke, I didn't want him in the waiting room all night, and what else was I supposed to do? Make him sit alone? No way.
"So you pick some guy and let him be there rather than your family, we didn't even get a call Shay!" Derek shouted, I began to shake tears welling in my eyes.
"Look okay I don't know why mom didn't call you guys. He was there for me because I trust him; he carried my beaten, bloody body and made sure I was comfortable." I stated tears falling freely down my face.
"Maybe he just feels sorry for you because you were raped." Drake spat, I couldn't take it anymore I had to stop arguing. My chest tightened, it hurt so bad I thought my heart would explode.
"I didn't tell him about it." I said loudly before speaking softly, "Look I have to go bye." I hung up the phone and just sat on the couch crying for a while. Why did all of this have to happen to me? What did I ever do wrong in life? Finally after what felt like an hour the doorbell rang, I stood slowly and made my way to the door, wiping my tears before opening it. I was met with a pair of adorable happy blue gray eyes.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Leon asked looking my body over, obviously checking to see if I'm okay.
"Come on in, I'm okay." I lied, hoping he would take the bait. He never did, I motioned for him to come inside.
"Mhm, why don't I believe that? Anyway where is the kitchen?" Leon asked once I welcomed him into my house. I realized he had two grocery bags in his hands.
"It's this way." I said walking through the living room and to the kitchen, he fallowed closely and set the bags on the counter while I took a seat at the bar stool.
"Are you sore?" Leon asked as he hunted for a cutting board, it took a second before he realized there was one right in front of him. He chuckled, "Knives?"
"In the drawer to the left of the stove," I stated watching him turn in every direction to look for what he needed. "My ribs hurt but that's probably bad from the fact of puking earlier."
"Thanks, so you say you threw up like its nothing new do you have an eating disorder?" He asked as he began chopping some vegetables, he looked up at me when ever he stopped cutting the food.
"I-I-I'm sick." I covered up the truth, I can never tell him. He wouldn't understand how and why I'm pregnant. If he found out about that I would have to tell him about the rape. That's something he doesn't ever need to know. I don't want to relive that hard time in my life.
"Well then I guess I get to attempt to make you better." Leon said smiling at me, my stomach churned and I got the feeling of my chest swelling. I needed to get to the bathroom. I ran for it, up the stairs. When I got there I stupidly left the door open, Leon made his entrance known after a few seconds. He held my hair back while I emptied my breakfast into the porcelain bowl. When I was able to sit up a little bit made me stand, he flushed the toilette and handed me my toothbrush. I brushed my teeth while he searched the bathroom. "Where are the towels?"
"The cupboard to your right," I stated he thanked me quietly and grabbed a bright green towel out of the cabinet. I watched as he filled the bathtub up with water and put some vanilla bath melts into the water.
"Get undressed." He stated with his back to me, my breath caught in my throat. He couldn't, wouldn't not here in my own home no he can't! I backed against the wall, tears welling in my eyes. He must have noticed because he walked up to my shaking form. "Trip calm down, I want you to go take a bath while I finish the soup, relax and let your body unwind. I'll come get you when it's done, I promise." With that said he walked from the room.
I watched from the same spot he left me, I couldn't take my eyes off of where he stood. Those eyes, watching over me looking at me, they make me feel safe. He wouldn't hurt me like the coach did. 'He's strait stupid, stupid brain. I'm strait.' I thought.
I stripped from my shirt as quickly as my ribs would allow, I couldn't help but wince when I pulled the shirt up too high, I undid my pants and wraps before climbing into the almost perfect water. I laid back and let my muscles relax in the warm water. My eyes slipped shut, I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew I woke up in chilly water and someone was knocking on the bathroom door. I assured Leon that I'm still alive before climbing out of the tub.
I towel dried myself off with my green towel and wrapped it around my waist before I headed to my bedroom. I slipped boxers on under some pajama bottoms; I realized I was missing my wraps. I made my way to the bathroom once more. I tried at least six times to wrap these damn things around my ribs but I failed every time. I heard Leon chuckle from the doorway of the bathroom. I whirled around, my hands on my hips my eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, yeah laugh it up while you can." I whined looking at him, a pout on my lips. "Will you help me please?"
"Yeah I will help, only because you are pouting at me though." Leon spoke softly; he walked up behind me slowly. He took the towel from around my neck and ran it slowly all over my back, our eyes caught in the mirror. I lost my breath looking into his eyes again; those eyes pulled me in again. He kept eye contact while he gently rubbed the cotton fabric over my shoulders and sides. I didn't even notice when he wound an arm around each of my sides and used the towel on my chest. I didn't realize that I leaned back into his arms. He smiled at me those perfect teeth showing. I love that smile. Wait what? What the fuck! I screamed at myself in my head, he brought the towel to the back of my head and dried the hair slowly. He playfully pushed my head forward, a smile on his face. My head shot back up, I gave him a playful scolding look. My arms crossed over my chest, he laughed full heartedly. I couldn't help but to bust out in a full smile of my own a small chuckle leaving my lips. That's all it took for my ribs to hurt again. All smiles were lost when I winced.
"Are you okay? I'm so sorry." Leon said worriedly scanning my face for any kind of answer.
"Yeah just sore, wrap me up will ya'?" I asked turning around to face him. He nodded and grabbed the roll of medical wrap and began doctoring me up. He got me wrapped with out any problems, he took his time.
"Are you sure it's not too tight?" Leon asked me one final time before putting the larger, brace type wrap around me before clipping it gently. The part that caught onto my attention is how easy he was treating me. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." I spoke assuring him that it felt okay. I caught myself looking at him play with his lip rings. In no way do I like men so there is no way I can find Leon cute. Yeah I'll admit he is not a bad looking guy. He has nice cheekbones and bright gray-blue eyes, perfect pink lips that I want nothing more than to feel against my own. 'No! I'm not gay! If anything I hate men what HE did to me.' I was snapped from my internal battle by Leon placing his hands gently on my ribs. He took a step back and looked at his work.
"Are you hungry? The soup should be cool enough to eat." Leon spoke softly looking back into my eyes once more.
"Yeah my tank is on empty." I said smiling as we walked from the bathroom to the kitchen, at the table I saw a large pot sitting in the middle two bowls around it. "Damn are you feeding a hundred people Leon?" He looked over at me a smile on his perfect pierced lips.
"No but you will need some soup for a few days right?" Leon asked as he gripped the bowls and filled them one by one; he placed them side by side and held out a chair for me. I smiled and thanked him before sitting; he tucked me in before sitting beside me.
"What is this, it tastes really good." I commented after taking a taste of the soup. I looked at him with my brown raised.
"Corn chowder, I decided to make it because I figured the bacon and vegetables would fill you up and chicken soup is so boring. My mom taught me how to make it." Leon spoke quietly playing with his soup using his spoon.
"She must be an amazing cook." I spoke taking in some more of the creamy goodness. I probably would have groaned if I had no control over my own actions.
"She was," Leon spoke quietly looking over at me; I raised a questioning brown once more "She died two years ago from cancer." He said answering my silent question. Suddenly my problems didn't seam so important at the time. I want to help him and am willing to forget my problems temporarily. He looked so sad; I placed my hand on his forearm and rubbed softly.
"I'm sorry she passed." I said quietly, he looked into my worried eyes, his own were filled with tears. He nodded and turned back to his food to resume eating.
"As am I." I nearly jumped from my seat when I heard a new voice enter the conversation.