More Than You Think

25

"Why did you avoid me!" His voice boomed echoing the underground tunnels. "I wasn't avoiding you! Could you listen to me!" I begged him as I try to tower myself despite his much bigger stature. "Do you have any idea how worried I was!" He continue to yell.
"Amy found out I was working for her dad! And I think she knows about you and your brothers!" I scream back at him. "I'm trying to fix everything but every damn time I think I get somewhere something happens!" My tears blurs my vision. "Fuck!" I exclaimed. Turning away from him. His fingers find my chin pulling my face toward him. I hate this vulnerability, why is it with him? Wiping my tears away he lower himself to meet my eyes the space between us was small. "What now?" His voice lowered to the point I got chills down my spine. "Stop doing this to me." I beg him. "Stop what?" The confusion in his voice, "Making me feel things." I answer him.

"Oh shit!" We hear as the door slam closed. I groan out, "Doesn't Mikey know how to knock." I complain as Raphael moved to get out of the bed. "Stay in here." He kisses me before leaving me alone surrounded by the scent of him. I lay in the covers not wanting to get up. Last night I unloaded everything, all the things that lead up to me being put in the system to what I had to do to survive. I couldn't stop myself from letting it all out. Next thing I know he scoops me up and brings me here to rest. "Hey you hungry?" His voice is low as if I'm going to break. "We're never speaking of last night ever again." I say before sitting up. He nodded his head in understanding opening the door wider for me as I enter the living room I felt his brother's eyes on me.

The school year and my last year was closing to an end. I was so scared of being here without my brother but in the end I lost my only friends, which meant I got into more trouble.
"Seriously this is the third time today you got "sent to nurse's office." Don't you think your teachers will catch on?" I shrug before hopping onto the last bed.
"You can't hide here forever." Nurse Micheal said before leaving me be. I hear a knock at the door but I ignored it, "I can see you from here." His deep voice boomed calling for my attention. He struts his way to me before taking me into his arms. His brothers make him sound so threatening but all I ever seen was how much he cared about the people he loved and his frustration when he didn't know how to help them. We lay together in the bed, "Aren't you worried about skipping class?" I question him.
"I'm not going to college. You however need to keep your grades up." He states.
I roll my eyes, "I've been getting suspended and getting As and Bs my whole school life. I'll be fine."
"Don't they look at your records or whatever Donnie is always lecturing about?" He continues.
"Yea but I have like a trust at a college I just need the grades no extra curricular actives or good behavior needed." I smirk knowing without this advantage my brother and I would never be able to go to college. Then I think about Amy and how we haven't talk let alone look at each other. I've been avoiding her and the other girls. I've been avoiding Raphael's brothers because I know that their girlfriends have been avoiding them. "Hey what's wrong?" He lifts my chin as he studies my face. "Your brothers and their girlfriends." I haven't called them my friends since the fight me and Amy had. He sighs, "Listen it's not your fault, we knew the risk. Not to mention it wasn't your job to tell about our secret." He lips softly met mine. "If you're okay enough to kiss you're okay enough to get to class." The school nurse passes us. I roll my eyes before doubling over "The cramps. They hurt so bad." I gasp out dramatically.
"Need an advil?" He gives me a baby aspirin knowing I'm not actually in pain.
"You shouldn't encourage her." Leonardo voice is heard. "Unless you know what periods feel like I wouldn't judge." Nurse Micheal has been covering me since freshman year. After I got in school detention for breaking a senior's arm. To be fair he touched me and wouldn't leave me alone. When he noticed I was protecting myself he let me slide on a lot of things. Then he noticed I would protect other girls and from there on a truce was silently made. Leonardo looked embarrassed after the word period left nurse Micheal's mouth. "Then why is my brother here?" He clearly wanted to talk to us about something. "Concern boyfriend, I don't separate couples unless there's clear signs of abuse or if the patient tells me to." He answers. With that Leonardo finally asked us, "May I please talk you two?" His eyes were focused, not on us but on a task. I nod my head in agreement. Each step he took toward us felt like something bad was gonna happen.
"We need to talk about Mikey and Donnie. I know you and you're friends are fighting and that they're suspicious about us." His voice is low despite that we're alone. The school nurse went into his office to give us privacy. "Leo, I'm sorry. I feel like if Raphael and I were honest in the first place things would have gone differently." He holds his hand up as to tell me to stop talking. "My brothers knew this would be a risk it just happens one of them got lucky." His eyes snap to Raphael. "Besides it's not like Raph was honest with you at first either." He reminded me. "My brothers and I have been through a lot this year with our dad being sick and actually interacting with people." I remember meeting their dad it was a spilt second I was helping Raphael bring him some tea. I offered to have a doctor take a look at him but Leo came out saying he has accepted his fate. Since then his health has been declining. I only seen him lying down with his eyes close and shallow breaths. "But ever since we've met you. You made us feel like there's something after." I knew what he meant and I think this is the nicest thing he has ever said to me. "So I think we need to be honest with them and finally confirm the truth and hopefully with time they can find someone else. If they reject them." I think back to Johnny and how I haven't seen him since Vanessa has been short with him. He threw himself into his work and studies. He'll call me and Angel everyday but it still sucks not actually seeing him and talking to him especially since he's hurting. "So how do we do this?" I ask him ready to help.