How to stitch wounds

11. Safety

Micheal POV

"Aren't you straight?" "I'm suppose to be."

How can he say that? Why would he say that? He doesn't like me. He can't.

I quickly go to class and try to ignore his response,although it seems to be the only thing I can think about. By the time school was out, I was physically and mentally drained. I didn't want to see another person.

I don't want to go home.

I thought as I walked the street to my house.

He'll be there.

And I wanted nothing more than to die if I had to set foot in that door. I immediately stopped walking. I was within view of the house. I felt tears build up in my eyes. I couldn't bare stepping into that house. Not while he's there.

I took a few steps back, my heart pounding in my chest, my breathing unsteady, my hands trembling. I covered my face, trying to wipe away the tears.

I can't. I won't!

I fell backwards as I tried to calm myself. I was no longer able to focus. My head was spinning and I couldn't breathe. I held my knees to my chest as I silently broke down in the middle of the street. The only thing that made even a lick of sense right now, was calling the number I had memorized just days ago.

I took out my phone, almost dropping it several times, and dialing the number.

Please pick up. Please please please please.

Tears were falling down my face with no end in sight, and I was becoming lightheaded from the lack of oxygen to my brain.

"Hello?"
The voice I so desperately needed to hear was on the phone and I couldn't find it in myself to form a sentence.

"Please!" I cried.
"Micheal, is that you? Are you okay? Answer me!" He yelled. I could hear a door opening and closing on the other end.
"Micheal, I need you to calm down and tell me where you are, okay?" He said calmly.

"Home." I whimpered, still unable to speak.
"Okay, I'm coming to get you. Stay where you are okay?" He asked.
"D-don't hang u-up!" I yelled.
"I-I'm not. I'm right here.

Before long I heard his car pulling up beside the street. "Micheal? Micheal, I'm here. I'm right here." He said calmly,wrapping his arms around me.
"I-I'm so-sorry!" I cried. I didn't know why. I felt like I should apologize for causing him to find me and not be able to help myself.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here now. I'm right here." He whispered, rubbing my back and trying to soothe me. It took a while for me to stop hyperventilating enough to breathe normal, but once I did, I started to calm down. I stayed buried in his arms for as long as I could before he eventually pulled me away.

"Micheal, I need you to tell me what's wrong. I need to know what happened in order to help you." He said sternly, but still the same calming voice. He gave me a sad smile while rubbing my arms and holding my hand, waiting for me to speak.

"I-I got o-overwhelmed. I didn't want t-to go h-home." I said, more tears coming down my face. Nathan nodded in response.

"Let's get in my car, okay? It's cold out here." He said softly, lifting me up and guiding me to the passenger seat. He quickly but carefully,helped me in and then got in as well. He turned on the heat and began driving to his house. Once we pulled into the driveway, we sat in silence for a little while. He then turned to me, taking off this seatbelt and holding my hand in his.

"Micheal, I need to know what happened. The reason why you couldn't go home." He looked at me with a small smile, trying to comfort me as he drew little circles on my hand with his thumb.

Can I trust him enough? Will he laugh at me and call me a liar?

"You won't tell anyone?" I ask quietly, my voice sore from crying.
"Only if I have to." He says softly.
I stared at his face for a few seconds, trying to determine if he was lying, once I thought he wasn't, I took a deep breath to calm myself.

"My dad, h-he r-raped me, and I c-cut myself and I-" I tried to decipher Nathan's emotions but he kept his face blank.
After a few minutes of silence, he let go of my hand and got out of the car.

"N-Nathan?" I called just as he opened my door. Be bent down and unbuckled my seatbelt, lingering near my face a little to long.
He cleared his throat and helped me out.

"You can stay here for as long as you want, my parents won't mind. We're going to my dads friends lake house in a couple days, I'll tell them that I want to invite you, if they say no, you can come anyway, k?" He explains with a smile.

"You don't have to do this. I'll be okay, I just needed to calm down." I try to argue but he cuts me off, not continuing the conversation further.

As we make our way inside, I'm immediately tackled by a little girl no older the 8, following a taller, slightly older man that was close to my own age.

"Rose, get off! You don't need to attack every stranger that enters the house!" Nathan scolds, making me laugh.

"I don't know who he is! He could be a bad guy!" She shouts back.

The older one finally pries the little girl off and picks her up.

"Which is why you shouldn't do that you little super hero." He says as he walks with her to another room.

"I'm sorry about that. She's only 7. She doesn't really know any better, though we've tried to teach her." Nathan says as he helps me up.

"It's okay. What's her name?" I ask with a small smile.
"Rose, she's my little sister, and the youngest of 4." Says brightly. "The older guy was my big brother. He's the oldest. His name is Jason. Then I have a little brother who is almost 14. His name is Jeremiah. He'll be starting high school next year." He explains.

"Nice family." I say, a bit of sadness in my tone.
"Well yeah, but when you're with the 24-7, not so much." He says as we walk to the living area.

"Hey, we are delightful, you're the problem." Jason laughs as he tickles Rose who was having a fit of giggles.
"Now introduce your boyfriend." He says sarcastically.
"Ha ha, very funny!" Nathan retorts.

Oh yeah, so funny. Totally not freaking out after you said that.
I thought to myself.

"Well it's obviously true. He's blushing like crazy!" Jason laughs as he tries to hug me.

I quickly step out of his way, flinching at his attempt.
"Uh, I wasn't gonna kill you." He laughs uneasily.
"S-sorry." I mumbled, trying to calm my now racing heart.
"It's cool, my bad bro." He says with a smile.

"This is Micheal. He's had a bit of a day so I said he could stay over."Nathan explained.

"Is that why you ran out of the house so suddenly?" He asked.
"Yeah, right in the middle of mononopoly!" Rose yelled as well.
"I'm sorry." I mumbled again, feeling even worse now.

"He's just mad he couldn't win." Nathan teased. "No, you're just mad cause you were loosing," Jason argued.
"Fine whatever, I'm gonna set up my room for Micheal, enjoy you tickle fest." He said as he showed me up the stairs while both Rose and Jason were sticking their tongues out at us.

When we were finally away from his siblings, Nathan pulled out the pullout mattress and got the extra bed sheets and comforter down.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do all this." I say with a small smile.
"Of course I did. I care about you." He says as he gets spare pajamas from the closet and hands them to me.

"Sorry I ruined your monopoly game." I sighed.
"Nah, he's right. I didn't want to loose." Nathan chuckles causing me to laugh as well.

"I'll let you get settled in." He sighs, shutting the door as he leaves.