Music Shop (a.i.)

Burned

I ran not looking back. My hood scraping the burn, making it sting even more. I ran towards the music store from there I knew the way Casey walked home. I then ran down the side street and stopped in front of someone's house. I walked up to the door and knocked. A middle aged woman came to the door. "Yes?" She said. "Do you know where Casey lives?" I said. The woman nodded. "I think she's the new little brat on the street." The woman said. "Just where does she live. I'm her friend from school." I said with slight tears dripping down my face. "She lives at 256." She said. "Thank you." I said rushing over to her house. I banged on the door no one answered. I stood there my head against the door. I turned and sat on the steps. "Shit." I said. I stood back up and hit the door again. "Casey! It's Ashton please open the door!" No one came so I sat there.

Hours rolled on. My eyes began to close but shot open when I heard a click. My head shot up to see Casey standing there. "Ashton?" She said rubbing her eyes. "How long have you been out here? And how do you know where I live?" I stood up. "About 3 hours. And I asked some lady down the street." I said my head lowered. "Ashton what's wrong?" She said concerned. I lifted my head to show the burn. "Oh my god. How..." I cut her off. "My...mom did this." She took my arm and dragged me inside. No one was downstairs. "Where is everyone?" I asked. "I saw lights on." She looked at me. "My mom and dad left awhile ago before you were on my front steps and my brother is at his friends house for a sleepover." I nodded. "Can I stay here tonight?" I asked. "What?" She said. "Can I stay here tonight?" I said again. "Sure. But why?" I looked down. "My mom she..." My voice drifted off. "She gets drunk and she's bipolar. She got divorced I think she broke up with her boyfriend. All the same shit as before she dated him." I lowered my head. "Come on let's get that cleaned." She grabbed my hand and dragged me into bathroom.

I sat there as Casey put face cloth under the faucet. "This might sting." She said placing the face cloth to the burn. I winced, and grabbed her free hand and closed my eyes. "Holy shit." I mumbled. "Hold that on there for awhile." She said letting go of the cloth. "Thanks." I said. "Now do you want to tell me?" She said. I nodded. "Come to the living room." She said.

"My dad he left when I was younger. My mom took the divorce badly, she drank again. Got drunk day after day. Abused me day after day. Then she found her boyfriend, became sober for 3 years. They had a fight yesterday and she started drinking again." I said. "Yesterday I got up to her in the kitchen yelled at herself. She threw her glass at me,"- I pointed to the slight cut on my arm- "I then tried to get the glass out of her hand and she pushed me back and there was glass on the ground I stepped on it and..." I took my shoe and sock off to show the cuts on my foot. "How do those not hurt?" She asked reaching her hand out towards them. "They hurt I just don't show they hurt." I said. "Hold on I'll be right back." She got up and walked down the short hall. I sat there my eye lids feeling heavy and before I knew it, I was asleep.

*Casey's POV*

I walked into the bathroom again and grabbed the peroxide and a cotton ball. When I got back out to Ashton he sat there on the couch asleep. I stared at him smiling. He seemed so much like a kid just that got beat to many times and was finally away from all of it. I walked over to him and tried to get him lying down on the couch. So I took his head and brought it to the end of the couch, then swinging his legs on the other end. Then I walked into the kitchen staring out the window into the dark sky dotted with tiny shining stars. I sighed. I shook my head and grabbed the curtain and pulled it so I could not see the sky. "God damn it!" I yelled. I then backed into one of the chairs and tucked my head into my arms. My eyes felt heavy but I forced them not to close. I stood up and walked back out to Ashton was still asleep. I took his hand and bent down beside him and very softly, I whispered, "I love you, Ashton." And as I said that I fell asleep next to him.

I woke up to a loud bang. My eyes snapped opened. "Who the fuck is this!" My dad yelled. I stood up. My dad grabbed Ashton's wrists and snatched him up. Ashton's eyes flashed open. "Dad! Leave him alone!" I yelled ripping my dad's hands off Ashton's wrists. "He's my friend. He needed help last night." I said. "Friend?" My dad said confused. "I'm Ashton, sir." Ashton said pulling his hood over his head. My dad shook his head and walked away. "Get out of my house." Ashton walked slowly over to the door. "Do you want me to walk you home?" I asked. He shook his head. "I'm fine walking alone. Thanks though Casey." He walked out. I rushed to the door. "See you Monday?" I said. "Unless you come to the shop today!" Ashton yelled. I smiled. "I'll be there!" I yelled back. Still smiling I closed the door. "What the hell was he doing here!" Dad yelled. "He needed my help! His mom..." I stopped myself. "His mom what!" He yelled. I shook my head. "Never mind!" I yelled. "Get to your room!" He yelled. I bounded up the stairs and slamming the door to my room. "You're not allowed to see that boy again!" I heard my dad yell.