All I knew at that point was that I would have to protect her. I didn't know how. I mean, I was fourteen. But, from now on Letty would be my responsibility. I couldn't let people hurt her any longer. I felt protective. It was different than the way I felt protective of Mia. Mia was my sister, it was my job to protect her. But, this was a unique feeling that I had never experienced before. It wasn't a responsibility, but I wanted to protect Letty. I never wanted anyone to lay another hand on her. After hearing what she told me, I almost felt like I was betrayed. I hadn't done my job with her. I know that I had no control over what had happened to her in the past. But, I knew that I could never let anything happen to her from this point forward. She had become a part of me. Perhaps this had happened a while back, when I saw her in the tree. Or, maybe it happened just now. I couldn't put my finger on it. So, I said the only thing left to say.
"I won't let that happen to you anymore," I said with as much maturity and seriousness as a fourteen-year-old could muster.

Letty just laughed in disbelief.

"I'm serious. I had no idea before. But I won't let anything happen to you now," I replied to her laugh, slightly downtrodden.

"That is not what I was tryin' to get at, Dominic. You wanted to know. I told you. That is where it should stop. I can take care of myself," she said with so much strength.

"How can you take care of yourself? You're too young. More shit is gonna happen if you don't do anything," I said defensively. I could not even imagine what she'd been through. And, knowing what I knew about Letty, there was a load of stuff she hadn't even mentioned. I couldn't bare to think about it. I wanted to go out and beat up everyone who had ever touched her right now. I didn't care if I won. If I could make them feel as bad as they made her feel than I had done my job.

"Dom, I know what you're thinking and don't even think about it. If I'd known it would turn into this I would have never mentioned it. Just stop, please," she begged. She looked at me with those eyes again. But, this time, it was different. Her eyes showed love. It was a look I did not recognize from her.

"Okay, fine. But, know that it's cool if you want to come here. I really don't care. I doubt my Dad would care either,"

"No, you can't say anything to him. You know, Dom, they'll put me in some orphanage or something,"

This was true. I could see her dilemma. No wonder she didn't trust me. She had a lot riding on the fact that I wouldn't say anything.

"So, why did you decide to tell me now," I asked curiously.

"I don't know, you asked. I woke up on your floor. I owed you something," she said.
"Letty, you don't own anyone anything," I said. And this was true. The world had taken enough from Letty. She didn't need to go around feeling like she had to give back anything. A girl in Letty's circumstances would gain absolutely nothing from people letting her feel guilty. I could tell she already felt a lot of guilt and shame about her past. She didn't need more.

"So, your turn," she said, looking at me with eyebrows raised.
"My turn for what?" I asked confused.

"I told you a secret. You tell me one," she insisted.

I smiled. I thought for a second. Despite that fact that my life had been unbelievably easier than Letty's I was just as closed off as she was. I didn't really have a good reason. I guess I felt like showing emotion was equal to showing weakness.

"Well…," she said after a few seconds.
"I'm thinking, geez, give me a second," I said. What would I be willing to tell her?

"I lied," I finally said.

"About what?" she asked.
"I am going to try to protect you forever," I said still smiling.

She just pushed me over and rolled her eyes. She climbed back out my window. I just laid on the bed and tried to make sense of what I'd just heard. That was sad. That had probably been the saddest thing that anyone had ever told me. I was starting to get really depressed just going over her words in my head. And then I stopped myself. This was making me too vulnerable. But, why? I guess, deep down, I knew that I really couldn't protect Letty- not right now anyway. I had seen some of the people that went in and out of her house in the past. They were big guys. I was big, but big for a fourteen-year-old. That really didn't compare. Letty was so fragile, I realized. She was somewhat short for her age and really scrawny. She could not protect herself. I knew that she was aware of this. That is precisely why she would just run away. She was clearly much better at avoiding situations or fleeing from them. This was slightly reassuring…slightly. I decided that if I just stayed in bed thinking about this all day then I would drive myself insane. I stood up and decided that I would have to start being more responsible. I would have to start keeping a much closer eye on Letty. And, most of all, I would have to start getting her to confide in me about stuff. I didn't life to talk. But, if that was what it took to never see that desperate look in her eyes again, I was willing to try for her. The next step was figuring out how I was going to do all of this. That would be the interesting part…

TBC

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AJ