I shut the door behind me relishing in the silence and sense of comfort and safety.
Stripping my clothes off, I turned on the water to a slight luke warm, careful not to get her clean floor bloody.
I let the water run across my back wincing when it came across the long welt that stretched horizontally across my back. I don't know what she used to produce such a mark; all I know is that it hurt.
I sighed, this is bad. I have never been hurt this bad before, and never have had open wounds usually just bruises and scrapes but this…this needs to be binded and looked after.
What if it only gets worse from here, how long before every bit of me is covered with pain?
I sat down in the tub letting the water rinse away my pain and let my head drop onto my knee.
I could feel hot tears rush across my cheek mixing with the now tepid water on my body, as I could feel sobs rack my body.
This was too much, and now where to go and where to turn. If I leave where would I go I'm only 16, no place would put me up or hire me.
Shaking my head slightly of all the worries, I pushed them aside for now and rinsed off once more before turning the water off.
Stepping out I quickly dried myself with a dark towel and pulled my hair up to stop it from dripping on me.
Turning around in the mirror I sought to get a better look at the damage and almost gasped at the sight. I looked hideous; my skin was red and bruised in areas and the long angry red welt that crossed my back made me shudder.
I did my best to pat the disinfectant on my back before putting untextured gauze across the wound. Pulling out the rolled gauze I moved my back around to try and begin winding it around me.
No matter how I turned, it wouldn't work, it was so high up at the start and my arms wouldn't move that why, giving a frustrated grunt I sat down with a thud on the side of the bathtub.
A soft knock came at the door.
"Lena…are you okay, you sound frustrated. Please let me help, I know you don't want me to see, but you don't have to do this alone?" Her soft voice floated through the door.
I sighed and stood up pulling the towel to cover my front.
I opened the door slightly, and poked my head out, looking into Chihiro's kind brown eyes.
"I know you want to help, but I hate that I showed you to this anyway. The less you know the better and safer you will be." I said softly.
"It's good that I know, I would rather know that walk around like an ignorant child all the time. Please…you seem to be needing help anyways." She said.
Resigning my efforts I nodded tiredly and opened the door wider.
She left the door open to let the soft steam out from the shower.
I pulled on my change of pants that I brought and stood up once more.
I heard a slight gasp from Chihiro behind me when she saw my back but nothing more which I was thankful for.
I showed her how to wrap the gauze then held my arms and let her help with wrapping it.
She had just finished the upper part of my back and chest when I began feeling as if pair of eyes were looking at me. I was facing the mirror, but had lowered my eyes to examine a cat figurine that was at the base of the mirror.
I tried to shake the feeling, but finally looked up and almost jumped out of my skin.
There standing at the bathroom door was a boy, who looked to be about my age.
I gasped and spun around causing Chihiro to look up and notice whom I was staring at.
"Who the hell are you…you pervert?" I said angrily trying to keep my voice down as I stood facing him.
He seemed taken aback for a second and I had a chance to look him over.
He looked familiar, not that I had seem him before but as if he had been described to me. His hair was a blackish blue that was cut straight across a bit above his shoulders and a straight set of bangs as well which was actually quite striking for his lean face.
His face was extremely handsome, large slanting sea green eyes held me captivated as I stared at him. He seemed intrigued as well and simply stared back, that's when it hit me.
He was…the boy, the boy from her stories.
"Kohaku…." I said my eyes widening as it all became clear.
His eyes also widened at the name as he stepped forward slightly.
"How do you know my name?" He said, and I simply looked at Chihiro as an answer.
"Wow, I'm actually surprised you were able to recognize him, I must be really good with descriptions." Chihiro said smiling slightly as she finished up my back quickly.
"Well it's not too hard to figure out, it's the eyes that gave it away." I said smiling feebly as I moved to put on the extra tank top I had brought.
I picked up the still frozen peas and put it to my bruised cheek, sighing as it helped the heat and growing headache I had.
"Wait you told her about me?" Haku asked her, his deep voice sending slight shivers down my spine. I smiled subconsciously at the thrill and simply let them figure out where to go next.
"Of course, she is my best friend, she's practically a sister to me, and she is the only one that didn't seem to think I was crazy, she actually wanted to hear about it and it gave me a chance to keep remembering it and not forget it." She said matter of factly, looking at Haku stubbornly.
Haku cast his eyes over me and her, looking at us both with bewilderment and intrigue. His eyes reminded me of the old paintings of Egyptians of the pyramids, truly beautiful and defined, slanting gracefully across his face and slightly upwards.
Wow, what was I thinking, I don't even know the guy, how can I already be taken by him.
He was clad in a large white shirt and blue fabric pants that came to his knee; he had a lean build and long arms and hands.
"Wait, okay first off, why are you hurt? I mean who would do such a thing to you?" He said looking deep into my eyes.
"My mother, I don't know why, it's just how my life works, she gets drunk and if I'm not quick enough this is what happens." I said simply, no reason to sugar coat it, the cat was out of the bag.
"Yeah, but why so bad, I mean I don't remember you ever being in the bathroom this long before. Has it ever been this bad?" She asked next to Haku, I started fiddling with the peas against my face.
I felt like a new set of parents had me on the hot seat.
"No it has never been this bad, and I'm not sure why. Now that is enough of me I'd like to hear what's happening here, it would be a nice reprieve from my nights events." I said smiling at them and pouting my lips out for affect.
Chihiro smiled and led me to her bed where I sat against the headboard and she and Haku sat in front of me.