Joey Avery appears to have everything. Happiness. Loving parents. A life all mapped out. But it's all a lie. An entire life based on a lie. First of all, she's a her, not a him, though it gets people confused all the time, since her name is typicall...
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After the events that occurred at the Fright Fest, Joey asked for time. She wouldn't look at me and though, she had let me hug her as we got back to the dorms, she won't let anyone near her. Not me, not Kyle, not Cole. Except Kayla. It's like she's scared... of us. Of men.
"Please, open the door, Joey," I beg her through Kayla's door.
It opens and I find myself in front of a girl, but not the one I want to see. "She asked for space. And time. Can't you grant her that?"
"I gave her the night. Now, let me in," I order her, trying to push the door open, but she stops me, giving me a warning look.
"Nine hours isn't enough, especially since she spent most of them crying, not thinking. Xander, she was assaulted, it isn't something that you can take lightly," she tells me.
"I know that, I am aware, but I... I just want to make sure she's fine."
"Well, she isn't, okay? And you being here isn't helping. I'm being harsh I know, but if what she needs is for you to stay away, you need to let her go."
"Let her go? I'm not going to let her go, Kayla. She just went through some shit, I'm going to be there for her, to help."
"Yes, she went through some shit," she mimics me, "shit involving men. Don't you understand! She's fucking scared of men. She already was and now it's worst. Whether you are her boyfriend, whether Kyle and Cole are her friends, she's scared, Xander," she finally calms down. "You're a guy, she's a girl, who just has been harassed, I mean, she barely allows me to sit next to her, I don't think you would be of any help. I know that you want to help, to be there for her because you care for her and I am glad you do, because she deserves to be cared for and loved, but you're powerless in this situation."
"Just tell her that... when she's ready, I'll be there," I conclude, the hurt in my voice completely obvious, but I am not trying to hide it. I am hurt, but so is Joey and I will do anything, even leave her alone, to make her feel better. She deserves so much more than what has happened to her, from her dad's violence to Bradley taking things a step too far.
***
"Get off of him, Wells," Sebastian warns me, but I don't listen.
I have so much anger in me, so much hate against the entire world. There's one thing that can calm, but she doesn't want to see me yet. I haven't talked to her for almost two weeks, and it doesn't hurt less than the first day, I still feel as empty as the day Kayla told me to give her time and space. I'm lost without her by my side. We've came across each other in the hallways, she smiled back at me, but nothing more. I've kept an eye on her from afar, and she looks better, happier than in the beginning, which gives me up, that maybe, sometime soon, she'll accept to see me.
I'm not a physical touch lover, but god, I miss her hugs and kisses. In a second, they can turn my mood from sappy to happy, I don't need anything else than her, but right now, I can't even have her. I mean, she didn't technically broke up with me, but it sure doesn't feel like we're together.
