Sorry for taking forever to update! Please enjoy and constructive criticism would be nice
L.L.A.P
~Laces
Chpt.6
When Shayera and I returned to the apartment, Wally was talking on the phone with someone.
"Really? You'd do that?" he beamed, talking into the phone. After a pause his smile seemed to grow brighter. "That's perfect. Thank you, we'll talk later."
With that, Wally hung up the phone and looked over at Shayera and I.
"How'd the shopping go?" he questioned, and I grinned at him happily.
"It was great." I said, but that was such an understatement. I just didn't know the words to explain how absolutely wonderful it was and how Shayera was such a great person. I didn't expect to enjoy spending time with her.
"Wonderful to hear." Wally smiled, but then his eyes focused on my face. "Hey, did you also get a haircut?" he inquired and I nodded. "You look wonderful, I can see your eyes a lot more now." Wally smiled at me.
I wasn't used to being told that I looked good. It made me feel pretty happy.
"Thank you, Shayera took me to get it cut." I informed, looking up at the woman with a smile. I really did like Shayera.
"That's good to hear." Wally grinned, his eyes moving from me to Shayera.
"Who'd you just get off the phone with?" she questioned, an eyebrow raised and Wally chuckled.
"Bruce. He says that he'll come over soon with a lawyer for the court case." Wally informed. "The brooding guy can have a heart sometimes."
Before I could ask who Bruce was, Wally's attention was back on me.
"Are you hungry, Lyf?"
The question took me off guard, since I wasn't really that used to people being concerned about me. Was I hungry? Yes… I was. But I wasn't entirely sure if that was something that Wally wanted to hear.
I thought that maybe he was just asking to be nice.
"Uh…" I bit my bottom lip with some worry. I honestly didn't know how to respond.
"Lyf?" he questioned when I didn't say anything, and my heart started thudding faster in my chest.
Oh god is he getting impatient with me? I hope not. I don't know what to say. Do I say I'm hungry? Would he be okay with that? Or do I just say that I'm fine. but that would be lying. Could he tell if I'm lying? What should I do? WHAT SHOULD I DO? I thought, feeling my hands start to shake.
"Hey." Shayera was kneeling down next to me and she placed a hand on my shoulder, grounding me to the moment and taking me out of my thoughts. "Lyf, please tell Wally if you want something. Okay?" she said gently.
"But… I shouldn't want… wanting is greedy…" I whispered, remembering my mother hitting me as she shouted how wanting was bad. I wasn't supposed to want. I was supposed to accept what was given to me and like it.
"You're already a brat, but I won't let you become a spoiled brat! Be happy that I'm giving you food and stop complaining about what you don't like about it. Do you want me to punish you for being so rude?" mother's hand brushed over a knife in the kitchen, making me stiffen.
"N-no. I like this food. I promise." I nodded eagerly as I took a bite into the moldy bread, trying not to grimace at the taste.
"Lyf, wanting isn't greedy." Wally stated, tearing me out of my thoughts and walking closer to me. "especially if it's something you need, like food. So, please tell me, are you hungry?" he inquired, and I slowly nodded.
"Yes… I'm hungry." I whispered. "I'm sorry I…"
"Don't be sorry, Lyf." Shayera stated quickly, placing a warm comforting hand on my shoulder.
"I'll call in some pizza, what type of toppings do you like?" Wally inquired, giving me a warm smile, but I felt dazed.
"… toppings?" I questioned.
Wally calmly explained what toppings were to me and I nodded in comprehension, asking if I could have some mushrooms on the pizza.
This niceness was so weird for me to get used to, and I sat on Wally's couch as he called for the Pizza. Shayera sat next to me, but then she got a text message informing her that she had to go do something that required her full attention.
"I'll be back soon." She said, giving me a nice hug, then waving goodbye to Wally, who was on hold on the phone.
I continued to sit on the couch, and my eye lids started to droop as I felt a bit tired. Leaning back, I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.
"Stop!"
"Shut up!"
"Please stop!"
"Worthless brat!"
"Don't-"
"Lyf?" I felt a hand grasp my shoulder and my eyes bolted open as I struggled against the grip.
"NO! DON'T! PLEASE!" I shouted, shaking and trying to run away.
"Lyf. Lyf it's me. It's Wally." My brain caught up with my surroundings as to what was going on, and I was relieved to see Wally in front of me. However, I still felt fear swirling in the pit of my stomach and my mother's voice was echoing in my head.
"Wally." I whispered, and he smiled at me.
"Yeah Lyf. It's me. Can I hug you?" he questioned, and I nodded. Wally wrapped his arms around me while rocking a bit and I clutched onto him tightly. I trusted him. I didn't like how I trusted him because if he ever chose to betray me, then I had no clue how I'd be able to come back from it.
I just wanted Wally to hold me and keep the traces in my memory of my mother far away.
"It was just a nightmare, Lyf." Wally spoke in a gentle voice. "You're safe here. You're safe. There's no reason for you to be afraid." I listened to his voice, letting his words calm me down.
"I just want her to go away." I whispered, shaking. "I just want her to get out of my head and leave me alone. She scares me."
"It'll get better Lyf, I'll make sure of it." Wally stated, and I believed him. I believed him with every fiber of my being, which frightened me. Since when was I so trusting?
After a while of Wally hugging me, the doorbell rang.
"Pizza's here. You're still hungry, right?" Wally questioned, and I nodded.
"Great, I'll get the pizza." He smiled at me, then answered the door where he paid for the pizza.
I swiftly devoured slice after slice and Wally chuckled.
"Good?"
"Great." I smiled, swallowing the food in my mouth before I spoke, then returned to eating the pizza.
Wally ate just as fast and as much as I did, which made me happy because mother would always yell at me for being a greedy eater. At least I wasn't the only one out there who ate so fast and so much.
"Thank you for the pizza, Wally." I sighed, my stomach full and I felt like I was on cloud nine. Wally looked the same as me, smiling as he leaned back on the couch.
"No problem, Lyf. Pizza's one of my favorite foods." He grinned, then looked at me a bit more seriously.
"Speaking of which, what's your favorite food? And are there any foods that you're allergic to?" he questioned, and I shook my head.
"I'm not allergic to any foods that I know of. And… I don't really have a favorite food. I liked the ice cream." I shrugged. I never really had much of a selection of food at home. I ate stuff just trying to be full and not die of hunger. I hated the feeling of hunger.
Wally must have seen the sadder look on my face.
"Hey, I can take you out to different restaurants and stuff and we can find out what your favorite food is." He informed with a smile. "It'll be great."
"Thanks Wally." I smile at him. "That sounds like fun."
Just then Wally's phone rang and he answered it.
"Hello? Oh hey Bruce I- what? Now? I didn't know… you… uh, okay. Just give me a moment." Wally stated, then looked over at me.
"Hey Lyf, a friend of mine is going to see us in about twenty minutes with a lawyer to talk to you. Sorry I didn't give you much of a heads up." Wally frowned and muttered, "to be honest, he didn't give me much heads up either."
"It… it's okay. I mean, if it's gonna help me in the case then it's fine. I don't want to be sent back so…"
"You won't be sent back." Wally stated, his tone serious. "I promise."
I nodded. He didn't have to keep reminding me how he wasn't going to let me go back to her, but I was happy that he kept saying it. It eased my nerves and made me feel… nice. Cared for. I never really had been cared for in my life. I really liked it.
