The Lake | BxB

-8- Unlikely Saviour

Romeo regained his senses but only saw complete darkness, he could hear vague voices around him yet couldn't determine who's they were or what they were saying, his eyes were tight shut at that moment.

Suddenly something soft and damp touched his head making his brown eyes shoot open in shock. He was lay down on some kind of mattress, the roof looked a bit like his own back at his family's cabin but slightly different. The wet thing on his head was a cloth doused in cold water that was being firmly pressed onto his forehead.

"You're awake" a soft voice spoke out, it was Gabriel.

Romeo sat up in irritation glancing around the room, it was a bedroom. He must be in the Summer families cabin. "No shit" Romeo muttered feeling his head gingerly, it had stopped bleeding now but he noticed lots of bloody tissues on the bedside table. "How long was I out for?" He snapped hostility lacing his words.

Shrinking back slightly Gabriel took a second to respond. "A few hours, I just found you in the woods. I don't know what happened" he explained. "I swear it wasn't me!" He added hastily.

"Obviously, no way you could do this to me" Romeo pointed out. The room he was in was actually quite nice, it smelt of lavender and was very neatly arranged.

"I- I didn't think taking you back to your cabin was a good idea, so I brought you here" Gabriel told him reaching out with the damp cloth again. Romeo didn't fight it and allowed the brunette to softly dab it on his head. It stung slightly but Romeo was used to pain.

He thought for a moment about thanking Gabriel but stopped himself, he wasn't weak like that. That type of behaviour would only let people take advantage of him more. If he thanked the boy he'd then want a favour, then another. And it'd add up.

"Why did you help me?" Romeo questioned, he'd been nothing but unpleasant to this boy and his family, if he was in Gabriel's shoes he'd have probably left the boy lying there. It intrigued Romeo as to why the brunette had actually brought him back here and was helping him so much.

"I couldn't just leave you there" Gabriel whispered back timidly. Romeo nodded feeling slightly embarrassed about that. He'd been so weak he'd collapsed on the forest floor and had to be saved by someone else, maybe he was as pathetic as his parents made him out to be.

Before Romeo had anymore time to ruminate on those thoughts someone else pushed the door open, Gabriel's sister walked in nonchalantly glancing at Romeo then switching her gaze to Gabriel.

"How's the twat doing?" She asked loudly clearly pretending to have not noticed Romeo was awake.

"Laila!" Gabriel exclaimed turning to face her indignantly.

"What!? That's what he is, no?" Laila replied raising her hands.

"Look what the cat dragged in" Romeo commented not even passing Laila a second glance.

"We quite literally had to drag you back here" Laila retorted making Romeo's face heat up in embarrassment. He couldn't believe he'd let this happen.

"Yeah well, I didn't ask you too" Romeo pointed out rudely.

"It's called being a decent human being. You wouldn't know" Laila answered coldly. "Let me know if you need anything Gabriel" she then added to her little brother before strolling back out of the room. Romeo rolled his eyes with a heavy sigh as she slammed the door shut. He couldn't stand that girl.

"How are you feeling?" Gabriel asked ignoring the argument between the squabbling pair and instead focusing on Romeo's well-being.

"Dizzy as fuck" Romeo commented bluntly.

"I'll grab you some water, one second" Gabriel offered standing up. Romeo was about to protest but kept quiet, it would probably be a good idea to have something to drink that wasn't beer.

After a few minutes Gabriel returned holding a plastic cup filled with ice cold water. Romeo took it taking a few sips and immediately feeling more relieved. He needed that.

"Does your family know you got hurt?" Gabriel asked calmly, his voice quiet.

"No" Romeo answered roughly taking another sip of his water, talking about his shitty parents was the last thing he needed right now.

"You're an only child, aren't you?" Gabriel continued curiously.

"Mhm" Romeo hummed back not really listening to what the brunette had to say.

"Should I go get them?" Gabriel offered a small smile flickering onto his face.

"No. They'll be drunk" Romeo immediately snapped. Gabriel's face dropped but he nodded his head. "Never be around my parents, they're always drunk" Romeo added. He really didn't want Gabriel getting the wrong idea and coming round to his cabin to try hang out. They weren't friends, he didn't even really like the brunette.

"You don't deserve that" Gabriel replied shyly.

Romeo scoffed at this glancing out of the window at the still blue lake. "You don't know me" He told Gabriel tightly. Gabriel stared gently at him nodding his head.

"My parents don't really drink. Well, they drink coffee all the time. That's cause my mom owns a cafe back home, it's connected to our house. We basically live next door to it, my dads a therapist and has his office inside our house so people are coming and going quite a lot" Gabriel explained his own family situation.

Romeo let out a yawn not really giving a crap about Gabriel's story. "I don't trust therapists. They're snakes" Romeo answered stonily.

"I find it hard to trust people like that too sometimes, especially when they're smarter than me" Gabriel confessed sheepishly. "I prefer my own company a lot of the time, just drawing in the quiet"

They shared at least one similarity then, Romeo also preferred his own company to other peoples, he only socialised when he needed something like a blunt. That way he didn't have to pay for it, then of course there was the guys he'd hook up with. Though Romeo didn't really see that as socialisation.

The bedroom door then squeaked open for a second time and a nice looking woman walked in, she was wearing an apron. Had light brunette hair and a warm smile on her face. This must be Gabriel's mom.

"Hello sweetie, how are you feeling?" She asked making Romeo cringe. Sweetie? He wasn't 6.

"I'm fine, when can I go back to my cabin?" Romeo responded. He wasn't really interested in her answer, whatever she said he'd be going back very soon anyway.

"Whenever you're ready, just as long as you're safe" She answered firmly her voice having a serious edge to it, maybe she suspected abuse, maybe she didn't. Either way Romeo wasn't about to tell her how unsafe going home really was for him.

She then gave Gabriel a small smile before walking back out closing the door very gently in comparison to her daughter.

"Whose room am I in?" Romeo queried.

"M-mine" Gabriel answered his face immediately heating up into a light pink blush.

"Nice room" Romeo commented, it was a lot neater than his own. He then stood up slowly ensuring he didn't pass out again. He felt fine now.

"You sure you're feeling okay?" Gabriel asked worriedly his voice etched with concern, Romeo hated when people were concerned for him.

"Like I said, I'm fine" Romeo replied roughly, walking towards the door.

Gabriel followed him quietly his footfalls as soft as the carpet itself. Their cabin was laid out very similarly to Romeo's. Just with an extra room presumably for the bitchy sister.

There was no sign of Mr Summers or the annoying nuisance of a dog anywhere, Mrs Summers was meanwhile preparing food in the kitchen, she offered a warm smile as Romeo strolled in which the blonde didn't return.

"See you later" Gabriel whispered as Romeo put his hand on the door.

"Yeah" Romeo replied, if it was up to him he'd never see the brunette again. He walked hastily out of the cabin not looking back as he quickly descended the porch heading in the direction of his own cabin, back to hell.