Lust

19

Oscar walked to her and led her to the single sofa seat, he sat down and pulled her on his lap.

He half expected her to bolt or protest.

She just glared at the phone and then at Shanks, "What did you tell her" she asked in a dangerously low voice.

"As much as I'd like to take credit for that conversation, it wasn't me. It might be the cops, they were looking for you" Shanks said carefully to avoid inviting her wrath towards him.

"Were? They aren't anymore?" She asked.

He nods and then looks at Alan, "Me and Alan called Diego and asked him to handle it since he already knows almost everything-" "-Wait what why would you call him you know what- you know what he did and-" she interrupts but her voice trails off.

Oscar rubbed her arm to comfort her as she leaned against him. Talia squeezed her eyes shut, she had goosebumps all over just from the thought of Diego watching her-

She gripped the t-shirt that Oscar had put on. Her hands were turning white from her tight grip.

Shanks got up and knelt in front of her, "I will not let him get away with it." He said, Talia turned to him as he put his hand on her knee to comfort her. She smiled and nodded, "I know" she softly whispered, afraid her voice would give away the distress she was in.

"He said he would deal with it and was hoping that you would call to talk to him" Shanks said as he clenched his jaw as he remembered his conversation with Diego.

"I don't-"

"She won't" Oscar interrupts and Talia nods. She gets up and Oscar grabs her hand. "My parents will be here tomorrow morning so we need to get my stuff" she said softly and Oscar tenses up.

"I don't want you to go there ever again. That was a good place but not anymore, not for you" he said to her with a stern voice.

She internally smiled at his concern for her, it's been a while since she felt protected like this. Especially since she moved out of her parents' place. "I won't be going, Shanks will you-?" She paused and shook her head.

She sadly looks at him and he shakes her head in disagreement. "Wait stop don't even go there" Shanks speaks up and stands up straight infront of her.

"Look love you saved me from a whole lot of pain and I don't go around helping you because of that. Yes our friendship started out that way but I genuinely care for you so don't go down that road we have been there a few too many times." He said as he pulled Talia in for a hug.

She pulled him to an empty room and sat him down after shutting the door.

"Shanks this is nerve wrecking, I haven't done anything for you. All I do is take and take which isn't a sign of a good friendship. I don't want to take you for granted or abuse you in any way."

Shanks puts a hand on her forearm and pulls her to sit beside him. She shifts and lies down with her head on his lap as he strokes her hair.

"Talia you've saved my life, you have been there for me countless times. I owe you more that you do so don't for a second turn down my help. Let me help, let me take care of you. It's okay to take, you don't owe me anything and I don't owe you anything because we are friends."

He felt her tears seep through his pant and he combs his fingers through her locks after pulling her hair free of the hair tie.

"I'm sorry I'm like this, I got stressed out and-"

"You don't have to explain, I know and it's okay to feel weak sometimes." He said to her and she lets out a chuckle.

She nods and shuts her eyes for a while and fell asleep.