Into your arms

Different

Emilias Pov

Ever since I came to Leah's house I feel completely different. I feel safe with her. She made me feel safe from the moment she held me in her arms at the door. I love how she immediately took care of me. No one ever took care of me or even cared about me. She didn't even wanted to look at my naked body without my permission. I realise that this is what I should have done from the beginning. I should have told her immediately and let her help me.

I'm wearing her clothes and she just brought me into her bed. It's the first time in months that I don't feel disgusting. I like that all these clothes smell like Leah. She smells good, other than Mark. I've been so used to this disgusting smell that this almost overwhelms me. She is sitting at the edge of the bed and just that action makes me feel like she truly cares about me.

"You can get as much sleep as you need to. You are safe here. I will make sure that you are safe." She says at me. I believe her. She made me feel so safe already and I just enjoy not being alone. I feel so tired. I didn't sleep an entire night for weeks. I was always too scared or in too much pain. She is about to go and leave me to sleep but I don't want that. I want someone beside me. I don't want to sleep alone anymore.

"Leah?" I say.

"Yeah?" She turns around.

"Can you stay here with me? I don't want to be alone." I say in a quiet voice. I didn't ever ask someone that question before.

"Of course I'll stay." She immediately says and comes back. She slowly goes into bed next to me and I feel like she is insecure about what to do now. I just want some human contact that doesn't hurt me. For once I want to feel like someone doesn't want to harm me. I just want to feel safe with someone and Leah is the person to make me feel like that. I'm so glad that I chose to come here. Leah makes me feel safe and like she really cares for me.

She still is laying next to me and doesn't move. Her presence is enough to make me feel better but I still want to be closer to her. Something just pulls me to her. Something I didn't feel before. I get closer to her and slowly lay my head on her chest. I wait for her to complain or pull back but she doesn't. I put my arm over her and hold on to her. This is it. This is a whole new feeling. Leah holds back for a moment but then wraps her arm around me and gently holds me. In the moment she does that, a feeling comes to my entire body that I never felt before. I never felt like this with Mark or with anyone before. It feels so good. Despite all the pain in my entire body, I feel good. I want to stay like this forever. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I'm tired. I'm so tired and I think that I will actually be able to sleep today.

As I open my eyes again, I feel Leah's head resting against mine. I hear her breathing flat and calm. I think she is sleeping as well. I never slept so comfortable. I don't know how long I was sleeping and how long I stopped her from moving with that. Her arm is still wrapped around me which gives me this amazing feeling. For a moment I take in the scent of just her. It is a scent that immediately makes me relax. I slowly lift my head from her chest and take a look at her. She is indeed sleeping and her head is now falling to the side a bit. I just look at her and sigh. I don't want her to suffer because of me. I don't want to be a burden to her. Something stops me from taking my eyes away from her. I feel my heart beating a bit faster and my cheeks getting rosy. What is that? What is this feeling? I never felt like this. I looked at Leah many times but never like this. It's different. Maybe I'm just thankful for what she did.

She starts to move her head and I look away. I feel embarrassed for looking at her like that. She opens her eyes and automatically smiles at me but her smile fades as she sees the state of my face.

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep." She says.

"It's okay." I just say. I had a good time watching you.

"What did he do to your beautiful face?" She whispers while her eyes go over my face. I think I blushed at her words. What's wrong with me? She is just my friend.

"Don't you have training today?" I ask. I don't want to stop her from anything. I finally check the time and see that it's already afternoon. I came in the morning so this makes sense.

"No." She shakes her head and finally sits up.

"Was it okay for me to sleep on you? I didn't ask." I say full of insecurity.

"I didn't mind." She stretches her body. "You're face looks awful."

"It's been worse." I sigh.

"Worse than that?"

"Yeah." I look down.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was there and I didn't help you. I should have burst through the door." Leah says. I don't want her to think that she failed me because right now I feel like everyone other than Leah has failed me. She is the only one who is there for me.

"I'm scared." I reveal.

"Why?" Leah asks.

"I'm scared he might come here and hurt you. I know he will look for me and I fear that he might find me. He wanted to find you anyway and he knows what you look like. What if he tries to find you and hurt you? I can't let that happen." I get so scared while talking. He could easily find Leah at matches for example.

"What does he want from me?" She asks. I hear his words again but I don't want her to know about that. What he said was disgusting in many ways.

"I don't think you want to know that." I say.

"I do." She doesn't understand. How could she?

"I can't say it. I don't want to say it." I shake my head.

"He wants to kill me?" She asks. That would be too easy. He also could have just killed me but he liked to see me suffer.

"No." I pause. I don't know how to say it. "He wants you to be his new version of me." That's the best I could say.

"He wants to be together with me?"

"Yes. He wants to replace me with you. I don't want to quote what he said but everything that he did to me, he wants to do to you." I sigh. Leah looks overwhelmed and confused. She doesn't say anything.

"But I won't let that happen, Leah. I won't let him hurt you. He should rather hurt me than you." I say. I would go back there for Leah. I would even go back if that means that he would leave her alone.

"He won't hurt anyone of us or anyone else. We can stop him. You can stop him, I'll help you." Leah says. Her eyes meet mine. As her eyes look into mine, I feel something strong. I never saw her in the way I see her right now. I try to focus but something makes me so drawn to her. I don't get what is happening to me. I don't know that feeling. It's ridiculous and I don't want to feel that.

"I can't. If you want me to talk to the police, I can't." I say. I was always scared of that.

"You can take time. I will arrange security but if you decide to go to the police, I will go with you and be by your side all along. You don't have to do this alone anymore, Emilia." Leah says. I appreciate her words but I don't think I can ever do that.

I look up at her and again she stares right into my eyes. There is something between us. There is some kind of connection that is new. Leah doesn't look away like I expected her to. Her eyes are so bright and sparkling blue. I'm used to look into dark and evil eyes but hers are different. They are filled with sunshine and hope. I see her eyes slightly moving but never looking away. There is silence but not uncomfortable silence. I wish I could kiss her. What? What the hell am I thinking? I can't kiss a girl especially not Leah. She is my best friend. She doesn't want to kiss me and I would never do it. I could never do it. I won't risk losing my best friend just for one kiss. Why am I so weird? I shake my head and look away. Leah coughs a few times.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah." She just nods. This was weird. Whatever is happening to me, I want it to stop. I want this weird and unknown feeling to go away. It scares me.

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A/n: what do you think about the chapter length?