The Man Who Understands
The party was already in full swing by the time Naomi and Leena arrived. Music was blasting over their heavy-duty speakers, and most people were dancing. Instantly, Naomi dragged Leena onto the dance floor, despite her protests.
"You're here to have fun Leen, not to sit at a table," she exclaimed. Leena eventually gave in—if only because it would shut Naomi up.
So Leena danced for a few songs. But eventually, she got tired of dancing and sat at the bar—which was serving non-alcoholic beverages at this party. She ordered herself a Shirley Temple, and just sat there with it.
A few moments later, someone sat down next to her. When she went to move her arm for him or her—her glasses prevented her from making out the person—to place a drink, she knocked over her glass. The red liquid spilled all over Leena's yellow shirt, and her face turned beet red.
But then, a male voice said, "Here's a napkin to wipe yourself off with. Maybe you should take off those glasses, it's too dark in here for them." It apparently came from the person next to her.
Although she didn't want anyone to notice her black eyes, Leena saw his logic. She took off her glasses, and looked at the young man. He had sea-green eyes, and unruly blond hair. But there was something else about him that she couldn't finger…
At once, she realized what it was. His eyes, like hers, were blackened, and he also had a pair of dark glasses at his side. "Who gave you those shiners?" asked the boy, "Was it your father? Your Uncle? Your Brother?"
"Boyfriend," replied Leena.
The boy stated, "I know the hurt. My girlfriend gave me these little beauties here." He pointed to his black eyes. "I only just left her tonight, after a whole year of abuse."
"I only lasted six months," said Leena, "And I would've left long before that, only I was cuffed to a bedpost when not attended to. A week ago, I finally got a hold of the key to my shackles."
The boy exclaimed, "Wow, I was kept chained in a dungeon. The only reason I escaped was that my girlfriend had a family crisis of some sort diverting her attention, and she didn't have time to shackle me in for several nights. Finally, I found the way out."
Leena looked at his eyes. In them, she saw genuine sorrow and fear for the future. It was as if she was staring at herself in a mirror. "Anyway, what's your name?" she inquired.
"Bit…Bit Cloud," responded the boy, "And you are…"
Leena took a deep breath. "My name is Leena Toros."
Leena and Bit spent the rest of the night together. In just those few hours, she felt her fears melt away. She learned that he was seventeen, just live her, and was orphaned in a car accident when he was ten. Last year, a young woman—who was nineteen at the time—fell in love with him and took him in. But she was abusive towards him because he wouldn't reduce himself to her personal toy/sex slave. So he waited for a chance to make an escape.
"Now I'm planning to move in with my mom's older sister and her husband," finished Bit.
Leena asked, "Can I come visit you sometime?"
"Sure," replied Bit, "Just give me your number, and I'll give you a call with my plans."
* * *
After that night, Leena changed drastically. She no longer was afraid of love, and in fact ended up going steady with Bit. As time passed, both Bit and Leena saw the scars of their abuse fade away. In fact, a week after the party, Leena was able to get her cast off.
On some days, Leena would go with Bit to meet his aunt and uncle. Other times, Bit came over to Naomi's and would hang with them—and sometimes Brad was there as well. But every other day, they'd go to a movie or have a picnic in the park. And that's where they were on this day.
Leena had cooked some of her famous Tuna Casserole and turned it into sandwiches. She also made a pitcher of lemonade—with extra lemon flavor from one of those little bottles. Bit's contributions were an Ambrosia salad, and some Cream of Broccoli Soup with cheese.
"This is a great picnic Bit," stated Leena.
"Yeah," agreed Bit, "And best of all, we're together." They leaned towards each other, about to share a kiss.
"Well, well, well…look at the lovebirds," came a female voice. Bit and Leena turned around and saw Naomi there smiling. Behind her, came Brad with a picnic basket and blanket.
Leena asked, "Naomi, why are you following us?"
"Because," answered Naomi, "I worry about you. I mean, one minute you're so scared that you barely leave the house, and the next, you're going everywhere with some guy. So I want to make sure that no one decides to interrupt you two. Isn't that right Brad?"
"Right as rain," replied Brad.
Bit then inquired about the two of them joining him and Leena since they had extra food. No one could see the harm in that, so the four friends combined the two blankets.
But none of them saw the figure watching from the bushes. It kept an eye on them until they all went home. Then, it followed Leena and Naomi from the shadows.
* * *
The next day, the phone rang at Naomi's. Thinking it might be Bit, Leena picked it up and said, "Hello, Leena speaking."
But it was not Bit's voice she heard, but another more sinister one. "Hello my dear…I've finally found you. I'll be over to pick you up in an hour," he said.
Leena almost dropped the phone in fear. She began to tremble. "Harry," she replied, "Leave me alone. I'm free of you now."
Harry got pretty mad. "You'll never be free. Once you come back, I'll make you my wife. Then, there's no way you can refuse me." With that, he hung up.
Leena quickly went to Naomi's room. When she told her friend what happened, Naomi stated, "You must leave here at once. I'll drive you over to Bit's aunt and uncle's place. Maybe they'll help you."
Leena set a record time for packing the suitcase—that Naomi'd lent her. She stuffed it in the car, and got in the passenger seat. Then, they were off.
- - - -
Mega Harry bashing ahead. And more Leena and Bit romance. Umm…nothing much to say 'bout it.
The party was already in full swing by the time Naomi and Leena arrived. Music was blasting over their heavy-duty speakers, and most people were dancing. Instantly, Naomi dragged Leena onto the dance floor, despite her protests.
"You're here to have fun Leen, not to sit at a table," she exclaimed. Leena eventually gave in—if only because it would shut Naomi up.
So Leena danced for a few songs. But eventually, she got tired of dancing and sat at the bar—which was serving non-alcoholic beverages at this party. She ordered herself a Shirley Temple, and just sat there with it.
A few moments later, someone sat down next to her. When she went to move her arm for him or her—her glasses prevented her from making out the person—to place a drink, she knocked over her glass. The red liquid spilled all over Leena's yellow shirt, and her face turned beet red.
But then, a male voice said, "Here's a napkin to wipe yourself off with. Maybe you should take off those glasses, it's too dark in here for them." It apparently came from the person next to her.
Although she didn't want anyone to notice her black eyes, Leena saw his logic. She took off her glasses, and looked at the young man. He had sea-green eyes, and unruly blond hair. But there was something else about him that she couldn't finger…
At once, she realized what it was. His eyes, like hers, were blackened, and he also had a pair of dark glasses at his side. "Who gave you those shiners?" asked the boy, "Was it your father? Your Uncle? Your Brother?"
"Boyfriend," replied Leena.
The boy stated, "I know the hurt. My girlfriend gave me these little beauties here." He pointed to his black eyes. "I only just left her tonight, after a whole year of abuse."
"I only lasted six months," said Leena, "And I would've left long before that, only I was cuffed to a bedpost when not attended to. A week ago, I finally got a hold of the key to my shackles."
The boy exclaimed, "Wow, I was kept chained in a dungeon. The only reason I escaped was that my girlfriend had a family crisis of some sort diverting her attention, and she didn't have time to shackle me in for several nights. Finally, I found the way out."
Leena looked at his eyes. In them, she saw genuine sorrow and fear for the future. It was as if she was staring at herself in a mirror. "Anyway, what's your name?" she inquired.
"Bit…Bit Cloud," responded the boy, "And you are…"
Leena took a deep breath. "My name is Leena Toros."
Leena and Bit spent the rest of the night together. In just those few hours, she felt her fears melt away. She learned that he was seventeen, just live her, and was orphaned in a car accident when he was ten. Last year, a young woman—who was nineteen at the time—fell in love with him and took him in. But she was abusive towards him because he wouldn't reduce himself to her personal toy/sex slave. So he waited for a chance to make an escape.
"Now I'm planning to move in with my mom's older sister and her husband," finished Bit.
Leena asked, "Can I come visit you sometime?"
"Sure," replied Bit, "Just give me your number, and I'll give you a call with my plans."
* * *
After that night, Leena changed drastically. She no longer was afraid of love, and in fact ended up going steady with Bit. As time passed, both Bit and Leena saw the scars of their abuse fade away. In fact, a week after the party, Leena was able to get her cast off.
On some days, Leena would go with Bit to meet his aunt and uncle. Other times, Bit came over to Naomi's and would hang with them—and sometimes Brad was there as well. But every other day, they'd go to a movie or have a picnic in the park. And that's where they were on this day.
Leena had cooked some of her famous Tuna Casserole and turned it into sandwiches. She also made a pitcher of lemonade—with extra lemon flavor from one of those little bottles. Bit's contributions were an Ambrosia salad, and some Cream of Broccoli Soup with cheese.
"This is a great picnic Bit," stated Leena.
"Yeah," agreed Bit, "And best of all, we're together." They leaned towards each other, about to share a kiss.
"Well, well, well…look at the lovebirds," came a female voice. Bit and Leena turned around and saw Naomi there smiling. Behind her, came Brad with a picnic basket and blanket.
Leena asked, "Naomi, why are you following us?"
"Because," answered Naomi, "I worry about you. I mean, one minute you're so scared that you barely leave the house, and the next, you're going everywhere with some guy. So I want to make sure that no one decides to interrupt you two. Isn't that right Brad?"
"Right as rain," replied Brad.
Bit then inquired about the two of them joining him and Leena since they had extra food. No one could see the harm in that, so the four friends combined the two blankets.
But none of them saw the figure watching from the bushes. It kept an eye on them until they all went home. Then, it followed Leena and Naomi from the shadows.
* * *
The next day, the phone rang at Naomi's. Thinking it might be Bit, Leena picked it up and said, "Hello, Leena speaking."
But it was not Bit's voice she heard, but another more sinister one. "Hello my dear…I've finally found you. I'll be over to pick you up in an hour," he said.
Leena almost dropped the phone in fear. She began to tremble. "Harry," she replied, "Leave me alone. I'm free of you now."
Harry got pretty mad. "You'll never be free. Once you come back, I'll make you my wife. Then, there's no way you can refuse me." With that, he hung up.
Leena quickly went to Naomi's room. When she told her friend what happened, Naomi stated, "You must leave here at once. I'll drive you over to Bit's aunt and uncle's place. Maybe they'll help you."
Leena set a record time for packing the suitcase—that Naomi'd lent her. She stuffed it in the car, and got in the passenger seat. Then, they were off.
- - - -
Mega Harry bashing ahead. And more Leena and Bit romance. Umm…nothing much to say 'bout it.