Care For Me ✔️

S I X T Y - T H R E E

L I L Y

"Back again?" Bridge Boy smiled. This was now the third night I'd seen him.

  "I am." I replied, a long sigh leaving escaping my lips as I took a seat next to him on the old wooden bridge.

  "Rough day?"

  "Something like that." I hummed, it was. "You?"

  His smile faded ever so slightly, a look of sadness over taking his sharp features. "Every days a rough day." He simply stated, a distant look in his electric blues.

  "Wanna talk about it?" I asked, keeping my voice soft, trying my best to let him know there's no pressure.

  "Just family stuff." He turned his gaze to the stars, laying in the same position he had been the night before. He continued to speak, refusing eye contact as he did. "My dads not my biggest fan."

  I could tell there was more to the story, his voice was tainted with pain, a slight grimace appearing as he used the word dad. I nodded in response, unsure of what I could say — if there was anything I could say.

  "What about your siblings?" I lay down, the cold wood sending a slight chill to my skin.

  "He loves them," he quietly said, a hint of longing in his eyes. "They don't know..." He whispered, "sorry, forget I said that," he shook his head, "I'm not making much sense."

  "You are." I smiled sadly, I knew exactly what he meant — at least, I think I did.

  "It's just— I don't understand why." He frowned, his fingers fidgeting with the end of his black sweatshirt. "Why is he so different with them, what's so wrong with me?"

  "Some people don't know how to appreciate what they have, if he can't see how great you are — then, he doesn't deserve you." I replied, hoping my words comforted him, even if it was just for a moment. "I may have only known you for a short amount of time, but I can tell you're a good person."

  "You can?" He looked at me, blue meeting blue as his ocean orbs filled with nothing but hope.

  "I can," I smiled, "you let me invade your sanctuary. You made me smile, listened to my thoughts, gave me advice. You done all that without even knowing me. That's how I know you're good."

  "Thank you." He whispered, his voice somewhat strained. "Wanna tell me what happened today?" He changed the subject, not that I minded.

  I sighed, focusing my gaze back to the night sky. "Some things happened," I began, struggling to find the right words, "someone hurt me, hurt my brother — for years. Today... we had to meet with a lawyer, a stranger. I had to tell him things that I never wanted to relive and now, I'm going to have to discuss it in a court room, with more strangers, with the people who hurt me, hurt us." I could feel my eyes sting, the familiar feeling of tears threatening to fall. "I just don't think I'm strong enough to do that."

  He looked at me, his eyes telling me he understood. No judgement. No pity, nor sympathy. Just pure comprehension. "If you discuss it in the court room. It means whoever hurt you will pay, you'll get some shred of justice?" I nodded meekly. "But even getting justice won't take away the hurt they caused, right? So what's the point? Is that what you're thinking?"