On Purpose

~14~

"I have been waiting!!" Isabelle yelled at me on the phone. I had just gotten home and started my shower before she called.
"I was gonna call you last night."
"And this morning, and take me to our date."
God, she's so annoying.
"Didn't you have to work today?"
No response.
"Isabelle!" I shout for her to answer me.
"Shh." She shushes me.
"What's going on?"
"My sister's boyfriend is here."
I wait for her to speak again.
"Can I come over your dad's place with you?"
"I don't live with my dad."
Another pause.
"Please, can I go somewhere else?"
Fear filled me. What was going on?
"Why?"
"Her boyfriend is the reason why she doesn't like men."
Now that didn't make sense to me at all.
"What? Then why is she with him?"
"I can't tell you. I'm not supposed to be here when he's here."
Or what?
"Okay, I'll be there in five."

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I wait outside for Isabelle who didn't waste five minutes to come outside. She tugged on a backpack and bounced while she whiled. Like a kid.
"Hey." She said when she tossed her backpack in the backseat.
"Can we talk about what's going on?"
She looks at me with a look that could not be read. One thing I could read, was fear, she was utterly terrified, but had this child-like attitude to cover it up.
"Miss. Purpose, what's going on?"
Something didn't sit right with me, all I know is it had something to do with her sister's boyfriend.
"Can you drive? I'll tell you then."
She gives me a reassuring smile which made me gun the engine again and pull off.
"Okay, I did my part. Your turn." I said, stealing a glance at her.
"My sister's been dating this guy. He hits her, but I know when it happens because she brings me Macy-my niece." She passed. "He doesn't do anything to me, but I just hate being in the same house as them." Then she cracks a smile, "I can hear them-"
I shake my head. "Ahh"
She laughs at me.
"I don't wanna hear about your sister and her boyfriend doing that."
She doesn't say anything.
"So, why did you look so scared?"
"Oh, I thought I left my charger, but..."
As I glance over, she reaches into her back pocket and pulls it out. It's a pink charger, or at least that's what I think it is. The way she holds it up, it looks like a strange snake, with its thin, coiled wire dangling from her fingers.
"I thought he-" "Beats me?" She finished for me. The thought of a man hitting Isabelle made me grip the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles turned white.
"Hey, Dip-Noodle."
Even though she talked, I don't look at her.
"Thank you. I'm glad I met you. I'd get hit by a thousand doors if it means I can still be friends with you."
Her words made me loosen my grip on the wheel. I don't remember hearing someone say something that nice to me. Not even Jessie when she was my girlfriend, and she was the romantic one between us.
I look at Isabelle and reach out to grab her hand. She lets me.
Like how she did on the back porch of my dad's house, she intertwined our fingers and smiled.
I used my other hand to drive her to the only place I knew she'd at least feel safe at. With me.