When Kelen and Leo got home, Kelen had managed to keep her balance and her
normal color had returned. She and Leo entered the kitchen where Raphael
was. "Hi," Kelen said. Raph just looked at her, barely acknowledging her
presence. Leo sighed, he could be so rude sometimes. But then when he
looked at Raph, he saw not rudeness, but jealousy. "We're having practice
in the bonus room," Leo announced. He heard Mike and Don get up from the
other room. They all headed upstairs, but Raph stayed in the kitchen.
"What?" Kelen asked. "Nothing," he growled. Then he got up and left. "How
mad is he at me?" Kelen asked Lauren as she entered the room.. "How mad do
you consider silence?" Lauren asked back. Kelen moaned. Why was he mad at
her? That was the last thing she wanted. She decided to take a shower and
get changed. She would have to ask him later.
In the bonus room, Leo and Raph were sparring. Raph was full of anger for Leo and was almost beating him. "What is wrong with you?" he asked Raph, blocking a kick. "You," Raph answered attempting another kick to his stomach. "What?" Leo asked him. "I don't want you spending so much time with Kelen. She's mine Leo! So lay off!" he demanded. "I'm not trying to take her away from you," Leo shot back, "I'm trying to help her." Raph narrowed his eyes, "With what?" "You can't be serious; you saw the way she acted last night. She was out of control!" Leo told him surprised. Raph had noticed it, but had tried hard to forget. He didn't want anything in Kelen's life to be wrong. He didn't know how to help her. All he could do was hold her. Raph and Leo continued sparring for some time. Then Leo cut practice short.
When Raph got downstairs, he saw Kelen playing basketball in the backyard. He decided this wasn't such a great sign since this is how she burned off her anger and went out back. He stood next to the court. Kelen was unaware of his presence. "You better save some of that energy for the game tomorrow," Raph told her, leaning against their side gate. Kelen turned to face the voice. She smiled when she saw Raph. "Are you speaking to me now?" she asked. He nodded and went over to her. "Can we talk for a minute?" he asked. "Sure," she said. She put the ball down and went over and sat on the brick wall lining the court. He sat down next to her. He was about to say something but she beat him to it. "Before you start let me clear something up. Yes, something is wrong. No, I'm not going to tell you or anyone else. And no, I don't have a crush on Leo, all we did was go running and I think you overreacted," she told him very bluntly. He was left with nothing to say. "Okay," he told her for lack of words. Then he thought of something. "Kel is there anything I can do to help you with the thing you're not going to tell me about?" he asked her. She gave a soft laugh. "Just do what you're doing now," she told him. "What's that?" he asked. She shrugged. "Just be there for me," she told him. She went to give him a short kiss, but he took her waist and made it longer and deeper. She pulled back very quickly. He looked a little hurt and confused. But she smiled and reassured him that she just wasn't in the mood. She turned to walk inside. Sometimes she didn't like how physical he was with her. This was the first serious relationship she had since her dad left. She kind of had a phobia about men for a while after that. But sometimes she had a hard time telling him no. She took the back door into the dining room, expecting to see a set table. But it was empty. "Hey duddette, we're going out for pizza! You wanna come?" Mike asked. She smiled at him. "I wish I could, but I have a game tomorrow and I need to go to sleep early," she told him. He pouted a little. "Please?" he begged. She shook her head. "Sorry Mike," she said. He sighed. "Fine," he said. But then he picked her up and dragged her into the kitchen. She shrieked and laughed. "I see you've decided to come, how nice," Mike said. "I can't go!" she told him in between laughs. When they got in the kitchen everyone was in there, including Raph. "Uh-oh," Mikey said, putting Kelen down. Raph started to open his mouth, but Kelen shot him a look that everyone saw and he cooled off. "Wow," Mikey said amazed. "She's got powers," he announced. Then he got down on the floor and started hailing her. Everyone laughed except Raph, who just rolled his eyes. Then they all went to pile in the car. She went up and kissed Raphael, "Have fun," she said. Then went upstairs to her room and closed the door. Raph got an idea and ran ahead to tell them he was going to stay home.
Kelen had been watching TV for about an hour. Lauren had already called to say they were going to the movies and wouldn't be home until late. Kelen was enjoying the night to herself. Having four guys around wasn't always the easiest thing. She was surprised to hear a knock on the door. She got up and opened her door. When she saw Raph leaning against the doorway, she shut it so he could only see her face and middle. She didn't feel comfortable having him in there. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Nice to see you too," he said sarcastically. "Sorry," she said, "I thought you were at the movies." He nodded. "I didn't go," he said. "Can I come in?" he asked, pushing open her door. She couldn't very well tell him no. "I've never seen your room before," he said, examining the queen size mattress on her floor. She didn't like sleeping high up. She had one of those net things hung from the ceiling. "What are you watching?" he asked, gesturing to the TV. She shrugged. "Whatever happens to be on," she said. "Then turn it off," he said. Instead she muted it and sat on her bed. He sat down very close next to her. "What's up?" she asked, sensing where this was going. He leaned in close and kissed her aggressively. For the second time that day, she pulled back. "Raph, I have a big game tomorrow, maybe some other time," she told him. He didn't listen. Instead he leaned in and kissed her again. She didn't fight him this time and let him kiss her. She wouldn't let it get too far. But Raph had other plans in mind. He ran his hand along her body and reached down for the button on her pants. She practically pushed him away. "Raph! How many times do I have to tell you to I don't want to have sex!" she yelled. This was not the response he was hoping for. "Jesus Kelen! You'd think I was trying to hurt you!" he yelled back. She got up and walked a little ways away from him. "Raph, I've told you, I'm not ready to do that yet," she was trying to calm down a bit. But this just made Raph angrier. "You say that every time!" he yelled walking over to her. She didn't respond. She didn't know what to say. Without thinking, Raph shoved her, hard. She fell to the ground and flinched in pain. Raph stared at her. What had he just done? In a second he was on his knees beside her. He held her around the waist. "I'm so sorry…Kelen please forgive me," he whispered. But she didn't respond. Raph stood her up and held her close. Still she just stood there. She could sense all the regret coming from Raph. 'He made a mistake. He didn't think.' She could tell how sorry he was. She really wasn't surprised either. In fact, she was kind of used to it. And knowing that he was sorry instead wanting to kill her like other experiences she had had, made her feel a little better. She reached up and put her arms around his neck. He pulled her a little closer. They just stood like that for a little while. Then he kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. She didn't say anything. 'How could I be so stupid?' "Kelen, please forgive me," he begged. She shrugged. He wanted to punch something. Had he just lost her? She pulled apart from him; he could tell she wanted to cry. "Raph," she needed to tell him something, "a while ago there was this guy." "A guy," he repeated. "Yeah, and he, well he really abused me. It scared me," she decided that wasn't lying, and she still hadn't told him the whole story. He held her again. "I would never try to do that. I'm so sorry," he told her again. As furious as she was, she couldn't stay mad forever. "I forgive you, but don't ever, ever let it happen again," she warned. He kissed her. "I won't," he said. She knew he meant it. "Can I make it up to you?" he asked. She had never seen him so sorry about anything. "We'll see," she said. "If I go try to sleep now, I'm still going to feel really bad," he told her. "You can stay in here for a while if you promise not to try anything," she said. "I promise," he agreed. She un-muted the TV, and they both sat down on her bed and watched what was on. After a while, Raph went to say something, but he looked down and saw Kelen was asleep. He gently woke her up. "You want me to leave?" he asked. She shook her head no. Then she got up and went into the bathroom. She came out ten minutes later in pajamas. She turned off the TV and lights. She got in bed next to Raph. He turned over and held her. He was warm against her body and she fell asleep easily. Raph watched her sleep for a while. She was so beautiful. He felt so bad. Then her words rang through his head. "This other guy…he abused me," she had said. But Kelen had told him that she hadn't had a relationship for a while. Since she was like, twelve. What other guy was talking about?
In the bonus room, Leo and Raph were sparring. Raph was full of anger for Leo and was almost beating him. "What is wrong with you?" he asked Raph, blocking a kick. "You," Raph answered attempting another kick to his stomach. "What?" Leo asked him. "I don't want you spending so much time with Kelen. She's mine Leo! So lay off!" he demanded. "I'm not trying to take her away from you," Leo shot back, "I'm trying to help her." Raph narrowed his eyes, "With what?" "You can't be serious; you saw the way she acted last night. She was out of control!" Leo told him surprised. Raph had noticed it, but had tried hard to forget. He didn't want anything in Kelen's life to be wrong. He didn't know how to help her. All he could do was hold her. Raph and Leo continued sparring for some time. Then Leo cut practice short.
When Raph got downstairs, he saw Kelen playing basketball in the backyard. He decided this wasn't such a great sign since this is how she burned off her anger and went out back. He stood next to the court. Kelen was unaware of his presence. "You better save some of that energy for the game tomorrow," Raph told her, leaning against their side gate. Kelen turned to face the voice. She smiled when she saw Raph. "Are you speaking to me now?" she asked. He nodded and went over to her. "Can we talk for a minute?" he asked. "Sure," she said. She put the ball down and went over and sat on the brick wall lining the court. He sat down next to her. He was about to say something but she beat him to it. "Before you start let me clear something up. Yes, something is wrong. No, I'm not going to tell you or anyone else. And no, I don't have a crush on Leo, all we did was go running and I think you overreacted," she told him very bluntly. He was left with nothing to say. "Okay," he told her for lack of words. Then he thought of something. "Kel is there anything I can do to help you with the thing you're not going to tell me about?" he asked her. She gave a soft laugh. "Just do what you're doing now," she told him. "What's that?" he asked. She shrugged. "Just be there for me," she told him. She went to give him a short kiss, but he took her waist and made it longer and deeper. She pulled back very quickly. He looked a little hurt and confused. But she smiled and reassured him that she just wasn't in the mood. She turned to walk inside. Sometimes she didn't like how physical he was with her. This was the first serious relationship she had since her dad left. She kind of had a phobia about men for a while after that. But sometimes she had a hard time telling him no. She took the back door into the dining room, expecting to see a set table. But it was empty. "Hey duddette, we're going out for pizza! You wanna come?" Mike asked. She smiled at him. "I wish I could, but I have a game tomorrow and I need to go to sleep early," she told him. He pouted a little. "Please?" he begged. She shook her head. "Sorry Mike," she said. He sighed. "Fine," he said. But then he picked her up and dragged her into the kitchen. She shrieked and laughed. "I see you've decided to come, how nice," Mike said. "I can't go!" she told him in between laughs. When they got in the kitchen everyone was in there, including Raph. "Uh-oh," Mikey said, putting Kelen down. Raph started to open his mouth, but Kelen shot him a look that everyone saw and he cooled off. "Wow," Mikey said amazed. "She's got powers," he announced. Then he got down on the floor and started hailing her. Everyone laughed except Raph, who just rolled his eyes. Then they all went to pile in the car. She went up and kissed Raphael, "Have fun," she said. Then went upstairs to her room and closed the door. Raph got an idea and ran ahead to tell them he was going to stay home.
Kelen had been watching TV for about an hour. Lauren had already called to say they were going to the movies and wouldn't be home until late. Kelen was enjoying the night to herself. Having four guys around wasn't always the easiest thing. She was surprised to hear a knock on the door. She got up and opened her door. When she saw Raph leaning against the doorway, she shut it so he could only see her face and middle. She didn't feel comfortable having him in there. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Nice to see you too," he said sarcastically. "Sorry," she said, "I thought you were at the movies." He nodded. "I didn't go," he said. "Can I come in?" he asked, pushing open her door. She couldn't very well tell him no. "I've never seen your room before," he said, examining the queen size mattress on her floor. She didn't like sleeping high up. She had one of those net things hung from the ceiling. "What are you watching?" he asked, gesturing to the TV. She shrugged. "Whatever happens to be on," she said. "Then turn it off," he said. Instead she muted it and sat on her bed. He sat down very close next to her. "What's up?" she asked, sensing where this was going. He leaned in close and kissed her aggressively. For the second time that day, she pulled back. "Raph, I have a big game tomorrow, maybe some other time," she told him. He didn't listen. Instead he leaned in and kissed her again. She didn't fight him this time and let him kiss her. She wouldn't let it get too far. But Raph had other plans in mind. He ran his hand along her body and reached down for the button on her pants. She practically pushed him away. "Raph! How many times do I have to tell you to I don't want to have sex!" she yelled. This was not the response he was hoping for. "Jesus Kelen! You'd think I was trying to hurt you!" he yelled back. She got up and walked a little ways away from him. "Raph, I've told you, I'm not ready to do that yet," she was trying to calm down a bit. But this just made Raph angrier. "You say that every time!" he yelled walking over to her. She didn't respond. She didn't know what to say. Without thinking, Raph shoved her, hard. She fell to the ground and flinched in pain. Raph stared at her. What had he just done? In a second he was on his knees beside her. He held her around the waist. "I'm so sorry…Kelen please forgive me," he whispered. But she didn't respond. Raph stood her up and held her close. Still she just stood there. She could sense all the regret coming from Raph. 'He made a mistake. He didn't think.' She could tell how sorry he was. She really wasn't surprised either. In fact, she was kind of used to it. And knowing that he was sorry instead wanting to kill her like other experiences she had had, made her feel a little better. She reached up and put her arms around his neck. He pulled her a little closer. They just stood like that for a little while. Then he kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. She didn't say anything. 'How could I be so stupid?' "Kelen, please forgive me," he begged. She shrugged. He wanted to punch something. Had he just lost her? She pulled apart from him; he could tell she wanted to cry. "Raph," she needed to tell him something, "a while ago there was this guy." "A guy," he repeated. "Yeah, and he, well he really abused me. It scared me," she decided that wasn't lying, and she still hadn't told him the whole story. He held her again. "I would never try to do that. I'm so sorry," he told her again. As furious as she was, she couldn't stay mad forever. "I forgive you, but don't ever, ever let it happen again," she warned. He kissed her. "I won't," he said. She knew he meant it. "Can I make it up to you?" he asked. She had never seen him so sorry about anything. "We'll see," she said. "If I go try to sleep now, I'm still going to feel really bad," he told her. "You can stay in here for a while if you promise not to try anything," she said. "I promise," he agreed. She un-muted the TV, and they both sat down on her bed and watched what was on. After a while, Raph went to say something, but he looked down and saw Kelen was asleep. He gently woke her up. "You want me to leave?" he asked. She shook her head no. Then she got up and went into the bathroom. She came out ten minutes later in pajamas. She turned off the TV and lights. She got in bed next to Raph. He turned over and held her. He was warm against her body and she fell asleep easily. Raph watched her sleep for a while. She was so beautiful. He felt so bad. Then her words rang through his head. "This other guy…he abused me," she had said. But Kelen had told him that she hadn't had a relationship for a while. Since she was like, twelve. What other guy was talking about?