cast l.h

week eight part two

It's not too late, only 11 pm. But on a Thursday night, but by now most people are asleep. My drunken body runs up and down several halls of the female dorm building until I find her name written under the dorm number.

I knock three times loudly; glancing over my shoulder in hopes to not find a bloody angry Kyle right behind me. After what feels like minutes, my friend's face appears behind the door in confusion. Without question, she pulls me inside though and cradles me in her arms, stroking my bare back with her warm hands.

I sob into her shoulder. ¨What's wrong Izzy?" She asks nearly 5 times before I can get the words to form.

¨Ka..Ka...Kyle.¨

¨Did he hurt you,¨ She asks worriedly. Her warm hands hold both cheeks while looking into my eyes in the dim room.

I nod and begin to cry. It's my fault, I should've known something like this would happen. What was I thinking.

She pulls me into another embrace, ¨Do you want me to call the police. He deserves it.¨ I know that is what I want, for him to be punished for what he did. But it's not much of a case; even if Luya doesn't know my past.

¨I just want to go home,¨ I cry. I know she can smell the hint of alcohol on my breath.

¨You don't want to stay here? I don't mind.¨

¨Thank you, but no. I need to go home.¨

She just nods and goes to get me a shirt and shoes, both a bit too large but comforting to not be half naked. She gets my car keys from me and my cellphone. Not sure what she is doing with the phone.

We walk together, arm in arm, until we reach my truck. I apologize at least 20 times on the way back to my house, but she replies the same each time. ¨That is what friends are for.¨

On the drive home, I take possession back of my phone and notice she had texted Luke, my vision fails and all I can read is his response, I'll be waiting. It spells out, but my mind wanders within seconds.

When she helps me down from the car I see him standing only a few feet away, arms crossed with worry written in his eyes. He's only in boxer briefs and an old tshirt yet a million times more attractive than Kyle will ever be.

Luya and him nod at one another and she heads off in my truck, probably figuring I'd retrieve it later. We stand facing each other silently. I can see my breath as I try to not cry again.

I don't want to walk, I don't want him to see how weak I am and have me stumble. His previous cold aura I'd been experiencing the past week disappears though as he rushes towards me and engulfs my body in his. He picks me up like a broken little bird. In his warmth I cry, but this time in relief instead of fear.

¨It's okay, you're safe I'm here now.¨ Luke hums against my cheek, his voice smooth like satin. He carries me effortlessly all the way to his small house. I am half-asleep; exhausted from my horrible night. Luke lays me on his futon couch, ¨Like clouds,¨ I whisper.

I know he hears me but doesn't reply. He disappears and returns with water, a large tshirt, and boxers. I gulp down the tasteless liquid. Without thinking, or acting in a modest state I pull off Luya's shirt and my pants while he stands just feet away. He turns his back I assume because he's too sickened by me.

Luke's POV

I stop before I enter to room again to see her. She lays across my couch, half awake half asleep. Even in complete chaos she appears as beautiful as ever. The past few days have been hard as hell, acting as if she were a stranger.

When I walk towards her to give her water and clothes, she props herself up. She quickly inhales the water and then throws off her clothes. I want to stare and admire her as if she were art, but I don't. I turn my attention away and bite my lip.

My heart aches as I catch a glimpse of her in the window's reflection. Trails of bruises run down both sides of her neck and continue towards her breasts. At this point I know what happened. No one has to spell it out for me.

A fist sized bruise, already swollen and purple emits acknowledgement on her lower back. I leave the room again to get her ice and come back to find her snuggled in a large blanket, breathing softly. Presuming her to be asleep I begin to go back to bed, when I reach my door though a little voice murmurs, ¨Luke?¨

¨Yeah Iz?¨

¨Stay with me?¨

¨Okay,¨ I reply and walk back to join her on the couch. I sit there at first, waiting until she falls asleep, but a minute in she shuffles next to me and cradles herself against me. I pull her in and close my eyes.

Her usual flower like scent is gone and replaced by liquor and sweat. I ignore it though and try to remember how I could have been so cold to her. She won't remember this, the alcohol is the thing that wanted me to cuddle up on this couch with her, not her real conscience.

Either way, we're warm together and it feels as if our bodies were shaped to embrace. It feels safe and I fall asleep knowing full well I'm completely and inescapably wrapped around her finger.