Fairy Tale

Chapter 15: Cheeseburgers

Minho stood stiff and tense in front of Emily. His dark eyes were alive with anger. Emily shrunk back, wrapping her arms protectively around her body. Her head hung down in submission and fear. A noise resembling a whimper escaped her and a few tears leaked out and slid slowly down her cheeks.

"Em?" His anger melted into confusion.
Hands were placed on her arm, close to her elbows. She flinched again.

"Hey, Em...?" He asked again, "Did ...did you think I was mad at you? That I was gonna hurt you?"

Emily kept still, her learnt response was to stay still and quiet. Her head down in submission.

"They do at home, don't they. They hurt you." His voice was quiet but he said it as a statement. He knew.

Minho frowned watching her closer. He watched her shake and shrink, instinctively protecting herself when he got angry. He felt awful for making her think his anger was her fault. None of this was in anyway her fault. But it was starting to make sense; her reaction just now; the way she kept her head lowered; not ever fully answering questions about her home or family life; begging to go to Jorge instead of the doctor; It made him angry when he thought back to her veauge comments about no money, quiet clearly seeing her ruined school supplies and her caregiver parent did nothing, yet her step sister came to his house bragging about the new shoes she got.

It all came together with a snap in his brain. The scratches on her face, he noticed bruising on her arms the other day in gym, they couldn't be physically hurting her too...He had this deep desire to pull her close and protect her, keep her safe. She was kind and respectful, smart, driven and determined. Every once in a while she would drop her walls and he saw the happy goofy girl. He wanted to know her more, he was drawn to her. Even with her head down and eyes to the floor he noticed when she walked into the room. He wanted to take care of her.

"Emy...I'm not going to hurt you. I'm sorry if I scared you."

She just sniffed, her shoulders shrugged.

"I just....I can't believe I didn't see it. And I feel for her!"

"You're not the first to fall victim to her lies and twisted tales." Emily whispered.

"Em...I'm sorry. I really am. But please come back with me. We have an extra bedroom you can stay in."

Emily lifted her head, her eyes full of tears, her lashes held a few tears that sparkle in the florescent lights. A few escaped her long lashes and made a trail down her already tear stained face. Minho really wanted to wipe them away. He shoved his hands into his pockets instead.

"Why do you want to help me so badly?"

He frowned at her, "uhh... Friends...?"

"You're not afraid of what your girlfriend is gonna think or say?"

"She's not going to be for long. That ends as soon as possible."

"But .. your not afraid?" Emily whispered, her eyes had dilated. She knew Teresa would twist it into the break up being her fault.

"No."

"You're lucky." It was barely above a whisper, but Minho caught it.

He frowned. She was terrified of her step sister. The anger flashed inside him again. He couldn't believe he had dated her, he mentally smacked himself. It made him want to punch a wall, and then put this shaking girl in front of him into a safe place forever. She was too sweet and gentle to be in this world. He would do what he could to help her, to protect her.

"Come on, you need some food, and sleep. It's already past midnight. The doctor said Jorge will be good. We'll come back tomorrow. Good that?"

"You won't let me say no, will you."