Forbidden [h.s.]

(9)

"tell me, what happened?"     he asked me as he sat.

"I don't know where to start,"        I said looking doing on the ice pack on my arm, feeling cold from the sensation on my skin,     "are those peas?"    I said looking at the frozen pack.

"Lola!"     he raises his voice a little, not enough to sound like a yell, but enough to startle me.

"Alright,"   he looks at me again,  "alright!"   I remove the ice pack,     "so jane and Valentina were at my place to finish some English essays and my parents weren't around, we smoked weed,"    he raises his eyebrows.
"weed?" he repeated,  "it was my first time ever!"     I raised my index up, he nodded as a sign for me to continue.
"I ended up being too high and slept and Valentina did my essay for me, woke up and she slept over, and later my parents came, they were completely hammered, don't even know how they managed to come home."    I shook my head, remembering what happened.

"so when they arrived, they knew Valentina was sleeping over, my mom told me that it was the last time I was going to bring someone over without them knowing, so it pissed me off, and I couldn't help but talk back, telling her that she's a drunk and a bitch and-"   I started crying, but holding my shit together, played it off as if there was something in my eye, but my voice was shaky enough to show.

"George warned me once about talking like shit to mom but I went on and he slapped me, and I cursed, mom after that told him to basically beat my ass, and he did,"   I said, finally bursting into tears, he moved forward in his seat, seeming hesitated.

"I just don't know why this keeps on happening, this is not the first time this ever happens you know? she'd already started beating me when she was drinking, then George knew it was allowed so he used to slap me or grab my hair, maybe spit on me or kick me from time to time on separate occasions, but this is the first time he's ever actually intended on kicking my ass."    I said crying harder.

"Please calm down, Lola, I'm really sorry that you had to go through this," he said looking like he was getting up from his chair but he prevented himself again, his hands were folded together his knuckles whitened from how hard he was squeezing his own hand.

"what's worse is that Valentina, heard everything, and hadn't I knocked hard on something next to me, she wouldn't have noticed something was off, I could've passed out from the chokehold, but she definitely saw that he was choking me when she opened the door to come to get me,"    I said then put my face in my hands.

I was sniffling hard and starting to make small crying whine sounds, It was the first time I'd cried this hard in a long time, suddenly I felt a warm hard on my left shoulder which startled me and I gasped scared, then I realized it was him when I looked at him,  "I'm sorry, I'm just still shaken from yesterday's events, I couldn't sleep all night." 

"It's okay," he said, his voice so soft, it melted my heart, "I understand, It's okay, want to join me in the kitchen? I'll cook us a meal," he said, his hand squeezing my shoulder, I smiled and he smiled, showing his teeth and dimples.

"Okay then, can never say no to food."    I shrugged then got up from my seat, his hand still on my arm, he swiped his fingers from my arm down to my elbow causing my skin to form goosebumps,   "are you still hurting here?"    his fingers then went down to my forearm, tracing the darker spot that was a lot less bruised than my neck and stomach but it still was visible.

"I-.." I stuttered, looking down at the interaction,  "I don't know, It's numb, but..." I said pausing, clearly nervous, I looked up at him, he was looking back, his green eyes looking right through me.

"I'm better,"    I let out a sigh through my words like I've been holding a breath and I didn't know I was. My heart beating fast, he smiled, my heart skipped a beat, I smiled back.
 
"come then,"    his hand fell to his side, my guts felt like a knot, kind of because I'm disappointed that I couldn't feel his touch anymore, or maybe I'm just hungry.

"I'm excited to see what you'll cook for me,"   I said, following him into the kitchen.

"I'll make us Caprese chicken! my favorite dish to cook,"     he said clapping one time, I sat on the counter on the edge of the sink, left to the stove, he took out a pan from the cabin in front of me and turned around, his face had a look of amusement,     "please, make yourself comfortable," he said.

I felt the heat creep up my face, I put my hand on the counter and was going to pull myself down, "no!" he said giggling, "I was joking, I was surprised you already felt comfortable less than an hour in the house,"  he said, walking to the stove, turning the heat, look at me to the side.

"an hour? wow, you saw me half-naked and ugly crying all in one hour?" I said, shit, he laughed

"hey, I'm not even going to admit the first part, it never happened,"   he said, ouch,    "but the second part though," he said pausing.

he looked around, grabbed the oil, grabbed a knife and opened his fridge, grabbed a tomato and an onion, and a box of cherry tomatoes, he carefully but quickly chopped them, grabbed the oil, drizzled the pot, then put the tomatoes and onions, covering the pot with the lid,         "the second part though"

"what about it, Chef Ramsey?"   I blurted, he looked straight at me right when I said it, freaked out because I was loud,  he chuckles,   "nice one, I was saying, the second part, you weren't ugly crying,"    he paused.

"you actually were very beautiful,"    he said with a serious look on his face, I blushed,    "you don't have an ugly crying face, your face flushes and you squeeze your eyes hard, you actually look like a very broken person who's been struggling for a long time, It felt like knives in my guts when you were telling me what happened,"    he said, proceeding to cook, adding more ingredients, pasta, then added the chicken then 4 slices of mozzarella cheese blocks.

"I don't want to go over there again, I'm just pissed that your mom let it happen while there was company around, and that fucking George," his voice deepened near the end, throwing his head back looking at the ceiling, he looked down again, stirring the food.

"It's okay, really, It'll be over soon,"   I said, he looked directly into my eyes.

"I promise it will," he said with an unknown expression in his eyes, didn't know it was anger or sympathy,     "food's ready, grab plates from this cabin,"   he pointed to the direction of the cabin to my right with his head, I opened the cabin while still sitting on the counter, grabbed two flat plates.

I slipped down on the ground, holding out the two plates while he loaded both of them, then he took both plates and walked over to the table in the middle of the kitchen,   "let's eat"

"Lord please don't let the poison get to my veins," I said as I sat, intertwining my hands as to say a prayer.

"shut the fuck up, Dolores."   he said, giggling after saying my name,    "hey! don't ever call me that, like ever."    I glared at him, he put both his hands up to his chest in a truce.

we started eating, it was in comfortable silence, he was focused on cutting the big piece of chicken breast, his dimples showing every time he chews, he sticks his fork in the torn chicken piece, takes the fork in his mouth.

"Why do you stick out your tongue like that when taking a bite?" I asked while chewing on the saucy delicious pasta, he blushes then smiles while his cheek was loaded with unchewed food.

he shrugged, swallowed, "I don't know, It's something that I grew up doing, my mother used to tell me no to do it but i guess it was already a habit that I formed so I couldn't really let go of it, so I decided to ignore that it's weird"

"it's cute,"      I said smiling, his face went back to pink again, was he nervous?  "oh, by the way, this is killer delicious, top-notch," I said, ending my phrase with a chef's hand kiss, he chuckles, clears his throat.


"I know, I'm self-taught,"   he said, proud of himself and proud that he impressed me with his apparently favorite hobby.
"Oooh, you have to teach me then, cooking, not maths, maths sucks,"   I said, sticking my fork and knife in the chicken, he laughs.

"I don't do teaching for a living, you know that right?"   he said raising an eyebrow.
"no, but I do know one thing," I said taking a bite, "teachers don't get paid enough to buy a Rolls Royce," I made a quick remark that caught him off guard, choking on the pasta, "yes," he said coughing and laughing at the same time,   "Woah Woah, don't die, Mr. Styles, I still need to know your deepest secrets first"

he coughs again and gets up to get a glass of water, he sits back down, "I thought you were being serious at the beginning of the sentence then, well, I forgot you were Lola," he said, taking another sip of water.

"I'm actually a computer hardware engineer,"     he said, I shake my head with a confused expression,    "I oversee the manufacture, installation, and testing of computer systems, servers, chips, and circuit boards,"  he proceeded.

"I still don't get it,"   I said, he gives me an 'are you serious?' look.
"and you're my top student?"  he sighs,   "I build devices, design computer networks, and develop new technologies for an electronics company," he said.

"Aaah, this sounds much easier than what you said previously, but, what does that have to do with being a math teacher?"  I asked confused as to why he was working 2 jobs.
"well, I was working in the UK when they promoted me to be an operational manager in the U.S premises, so I moved, the previous operational manager hasn't finished the Hand-over yet, usually it takes about 6 months to do it, so, out of boredom, and because I don't like to just sit there and do nothing, I saw an ad for a substitute teacher in the school blocks away from me, so I applied,"   he answered.

"That's very cool, so you're a CEO?" I asked, fascinated, he chuckles, "no, but the CEO is my manager, so, I'm one step closer," he said as he got up to remove the dishes and put them in the sink,   "come on, let's get you home,"   he said.

"already?" I whined, "I don't want to go home, I don't want to have to deal with them," I whined again.

"I know, I know, but if you're going to bend some rules with such parents you need to be subtle, and so far, you're.." he looks at the watch in his hand, "2 hours late than you usually go home," he said and I jolted from my seat.

"give me my clothes," I demanded, he nodded and disappeared for a couple of minutes, came back with my shirt and coat, I take them and place them on the table, I was about to take off my shirt when I realized he was staring at me,    "would you like to watch me strip down?"  I said sarcastically.

he then realized what was next,     "oh shit, yes, sorry, I'll wait for you in the car,"     he disappeared from the kitchen, I took off his tank top and wore my grey shirt and coat again, went outside the kitchen, threw top on the couch, left the house, closed the door behind.

I go into the car where he was in the driver's seat,     "my bag is here right?"    I asked,    "yes, I took it with me," he said, moving out of the driveway onto the road.

"I want you to take care of yourself, and don't talk shit, watch your tone with such fucked up people,"   he said while keeping his eyes on the road, a couple of seconds later he parks next to the sidewalk, I look to my right and I see my house,   "you're really close, like a 3-minute walk," I said looking back at him, he was already turned to the side, looking at me, I smiled.

"hey, I really do appreciate you listening and helping with the bruises," I said, "It's fine, you don't have to thank me," he replied almost instantly.

"No, but, this really meant more than what you think it did, I've never spoken to anyone about something like that, other than Valentina, because she actually was going through the situation with me, she even offered to have me move in with her,"    he raises his eyebrows, probably surprised that someone gives a shit about me.

"It's nice of her, but really, I'm just doing the least I can offer," he said, I smiled,  "but, still thank you,"     I said hovering over the gear shift stick, opening my arms, hugging him in the most awkward way catching him off guard, he hesitated to hug me back but he ended up wrapping both his arms around my waist, squeezing me a little, I let go.

I get out of the car, took out my bag, fishing for the keys in the side pockets, I looked one last time behind me before inserting the key into the door, he was looking at me, waiting for me to get in.

I unlocked the door and got inside, I turned around and waved at him before closing the door, then I heard the engine roar and the car sped off from behind the door.

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a/n: it's about to get more interesting, stay tuned x