Never Be

Pet Clinic

-12 years later-
"Mom, Dad! Come quickly!" Rebecca called out to her parents. She was about to close the clinic when she saw a body run towards her with something wrapped in a blanket. As the body got closer to her, she realized that it was a boy that had cuts and bruises all over his body, and what he was carrying was an injured dog. Her parents and Rebecca ran to the boy to help. As the dog was taken from his arms, the boy fell to the ground.

"Hey...um...boy, wake up," she tried poking him.

"Honey, his just a boy, not a radioactive substance," Rebecca's father called out.

"I know dad!" she called back, "okay now to how I'm gonna get you inside. Hello? Can you please wake up? I really don't want to have to carry you. That won't end up well for both of us."
As if hearing her, he moaned out in pain, but didn't get up.

Oh great! Now I have to carry him! Rebecca thought. Without any other choice, she started carrying him inside.

Once inside, Rebecca's father helped her lay the boy down on one of the examining tables.

"Beckie? You know what to do. If you need help, mom will be on the other room with me working on the pup," dad was nervous. He only called Rebecca "Beckie" when he was nervous. Just like when she will talk non stop in an awkward situation.

Afraid she will start babbling, Rebecca just nodded. With that, her father left and she got to work. She examined his bruises and cuts on his face first. Bruises were and most cuts were minor. Then she went to his rest of his body. Most seventeen year old girls will be excited about this part, but not Rebecca. Her parents trained her to not be like other teens, so those feeling went out the door.

With those thoughts in mind, she went on to cut his shirt. Now with his chest exposed, she realized that his cuts only got worse. The biggest cut went from his top left side to near his belly button. It did not look deep so it will not require stitches, just to bandage them. When done with his cut, she went to feeling the bruises near his ribs. Every time she will tap on one, he would wince, which meant there was either a broken rib or a really bad bruise.

"Mom!" Rebecca screamed.

"What honey?" she came rushing in.

"I think he might have a broken rib or two."

"Let me check, but if he does, we might have to drive him to the hospital and call his parents," her mother explained.

After examining him, her mother said he had no broken bones, "you should stay with him. Explain to him that he needs to give you any sort of information on how he got this way. Seeing someone his age might help him calm down and open up about the situation." With that, she left the room.

Her mother was right, thirty minutes later, the boy woke up startled.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"You are in my parents clinic, pet clinic," Rebecca stood and walked up to him,"you were badly hurt, so my parents and I brought you in. If you want to see your friend, my father will bring him in in a little bit...may I ask your name?"

"Ashton, my names Ashton and you are?"

Rebecca didn't know how to answer. Of course it was an easy question, but Ashton made her feel...tingly, and that wasn't good.

Noticing he was waiting for an answer, she spoke what she was thinking,"you're hot...uh...I mean I'm Rebecca," dying of embarrassment, Rebecca just sat back down. She watched him as he tried to laugh, but winced in pain.

After minutes of awkward silence, Ashton said,"I know you might not want to talk, but I just want to say thank you."

She didn't know how to respond, so she just nodded. Without noticing, she went back to looking at him. Ashton looked at least a foot taller than her and had amazing dirty blonde, curly hair. She suddenly had a great desire to touch it.

"May I ask how old you are?" Rebecca said trying to get her mind cleared.

"I'm twenty and you?"

"I'm seventeen, but I'm not important. What happened to you? Who did this to you?"

"Don't worry love. I just need to get going so I'm of no bother," Ashton tried sitting up, but Rebecca stopped him.

"Woah there lover boy. You are not going anywhere with that cut in your chest. It's not deep but it might open even more if you keep moving. And plus, maybe from where you come from, they do things differently. But here, we get answers and put those people who do this kind of stuff behind bars."

He stopped struggling and look at her hand on his chest. Rebecca felt his heart beat harder.

"Okay love, I'll stay and answer your questions, but let me tell you something before I do. You don't want to get involved with this people. Brandon is not the person you want to mess around with," Ashton sat back down, now exposing his chest. Oh god he looked so hot! Why am I thingking this?

"Who is this Brandon? Why does he scare you so much?" Rebecca asked.

"Because, well he is not a good man okay?"

"Then why did you bother him so much for him to do this?"

"Because I'm stupid."

"You sure are," she retorted. Ashton smiled back at her as if enjoying this debate.

"I like you Rebecca," he said.

"Yeah, well that's a first."

"I'm serious," he insisted, " about everything. I just want you to be safe."

"I am. Do not worry about me," Rebecca gave his arm a squeeze. Realizing she did that, she put her hands in her pocket, "um so what's your plan? What are you going to do? Where are your parents?"

"My plans is to go back to my apartment, I'm gonna lay low and well they aren't here. Are those all your questions?"

"Where are your parents?"

"Love, I'm twenty okay?" he laughed, "my mother's probably back home reading a book or some."

"And your father?"

"That is a subject I'll have to put on hold," he got serious. From his expression, Rebecca knew he didn't have his father. She felt sympathy for him," I'm sorry I asked. I'm done."

"No it's not your fault, it's just that well that subject I can't talk about."

"Don't worry, I don't mind waiting," after those words left her mouth, Rebecca did not know what she was promising. What was she thinking? She was talking to him as if she meant to see him again. What the heck!

Could we? Rebecca thought.

Ashton smiled back,"okay then. If we are done, I'm gonna go home."

"Wait what about your friend?"

"He isn't mine. He came and got into the fight. Saved my life actually. But I can't keep him. Take care of him for me, okay?"

She just nodded. And with that, Ashton left the room and out of her life, or so she thought.