Thank you for your kind reviews. Here is chapter three.
"Carter?"
She answers the door in a dark green Pen State sweatshirt and blue jeans. Her hair tied loosely on top of her head. I'm surprised at her appearance because she doesn't look that bad, considering that she was just beaten up 15 hours ago.
"Hi. I . .I" Suddenly I am shy. I feel like a love struck kid that has just walked up to his crush on the schoolyard. She gives me a smile, letting me know that it's ok that I'm here. I manage to find my words.
"I hope I didn't wake you, I just wanted to make sure that you were okay."
"No I actually just got home." She speaks slowly. "And I think I'm ok."
I nod my head and she motions at her face.
"Except for this." She adds. "I look hideous."
I lean against the doorframe and shake my head at her. I move my lips to tell her no, but nothing comes out. I'm embarrassed to tell her that she's beautiful. I've never told her that before and I'm thinking that it might not be the best time to let her know. I look past her into her apartment and she moves out of the doorway and motions her hands for me to follow her inside.
"Come" She speaks lightly.
I shut the door behind me and walk towards the couch to take a seat. I watch as Abby scurries about her apartment grabbing things and throwing them into a duffle bag. She notices me watching her and stops to take a seat on the opposite side of the couch that I'm on.
"I saw you sleeping next to me." Her words come out quickly.
I look at her blankly and I'm not quite sure what to say. I don't know why, but I feel like I've been caught because I'm not sure that I wanted her to see me there. I feel as if she has just read my diary and learned all my secrets. She continues, relieving me.
"You looked really peaceful, I didn't want to disturb you."
"I'm sorry I was sleeping when you woke up." I answer her apologetically.
"Its okay, thank you for being there."
I nod my head at her, silently communicating that I will always be there for her.
Abby quickly stands up from the couch and pads off towards her bedroom.
"I better finish packing. Brian might come home soon, he works the graveyard shift on Thursday nights."
I lean forward to rest my head in my hands. I can't believe that bastard is still out there, hanging around, living a life as if nothing happened.
"Where are you gonna go?" I shout from her den.
"Motel." She shouts back.
I get up off the couch to follow her into her room where she's collecting her clothing. I lean against the doorframe and watch her for a good amount of time. Right now I feel like I could just watch her forever. She doesn't notice that I'm right behind her as she turns around and runs right into my chest. She gasps loudly.
"Sorry! I'm sorry!" I grab her around the waist and steady her, bringing my hands up to her arms. I apologize again.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She looks into my eyes, relieved that it's just me and I swear, for a second we are sharing a moment. I move to swipe a piece of hair out of her eyes and my touch lingers a bit longer than it should.
She looks at me worried, as if she's embarrassed that I have just seen such a vulnerable side of her. Quickly, she wipes the serious look off her face and punches my chest playfully.
"Don't do that!" She says it half jokingly, and gives me what I think is a fake smile, like she's trying to hide the fact that she was scared for a minute.
She wiggles out of my grasp and announces that she should finish packing and all of the sudden a light bulb goes off in my head. I can't let Abby stay at a motel. I don't want her to be alone and I don't think that should be anyway. I have plenty of room at the mansion for her to come and stay with me. I'm shaken out of my reverie by Abbys throaty voice.
"Okay, I should go." She stands in her doorway holding two duffle bags, one on each side of her. I follow her out the front door and as she locks up I stop her.
"You shouldn't go to a motel." I blurt it out.
"Well I can't stay here, Carter."
I laugh at myself.
"No, I mean you should stay with me. I have plenty of extra bedrooms."
She looks hard at me, thinking about what I have offered and I can tell that she feels uncomfortable accepting.
"I don't want to intrude on you."
My hopeful grin turns into a frown and she notices my disappointment but I figure I'll try to convince her before I let her go off to a cold motel room by herself.
"You know you won't be intruding Abby. Come on, you can have your own bedroom, Emily can cook for you and I just bought a big screen TV. We can have movie night! Now can a motel offer you that?"
"Carter, I really sho . ." She stops what she is about to say and I feel as if I can see the inside of her brain playing a tug-of-war. It looks like the side that was pulling for her to stay with me has won.
"Okay." She looks up at me with an unsure expression, like she doesn't know if I was just offering to be nice or if I really wanted her to accept. I really wish she new that it was the ladder, but its not the right time to tell her. And although I would want Abby to stay over at my house any day of the week, I have to remember that I asked her to come because she needed a place to stay and not because I want to sleep with her.
I nod my head towards her stairs, motioning us to head out.
"Give me those." I grab the bags out of her hands, walk them down to the jeep and open the door for her.
She gives me a genuine "thank you" and I can tell that she's appreciative to have a friend like me.