Protected

Caring Hands

"Lexiiiii!" I hear a shriek and then somebody latches onto me from behind. I stiffen, not used to this greeting.
"Hi Blair." I guess it doesn't take much for this girl to get comfortable with you. Well actually, we did hang out for 3 hours yesterday, but still. I suppose I'll have to get used to this, since it comes with the territory of a girl bestie.
"Lexi I had a great idea! Why don't you sleep over my house tonight! MTV is having a marathon movie night!"
I felt excitement burble up inside of me. "Yes, definitely Blair! Your mom picks you up from school right?"
She nods affirmative.
"Then why don't you pick me up too, and we can stop at my house and I'll grab my stuff."
"That'll be super! Oh I'm so excited, I love MTV marathons, and I've finally made a friend here! Oops that was an elementary thing to say. Catch you later!" She giggles and runs off to her class.
"Boy, she's a bundle of energy isn't she?" Carson says into my ear. I jump.
"Gosh you have got to stop sneaking up like that Carson!" I exclaim.
He laughs. "What was she so excited about anyway?"
"Oh we were just making plans. You know how I mentioned wanting a girl best friend? Yeah I think she's the one! Anyway, she was just wound up because she's excited. I'm going to sleep over her house tonight."
      Carson's face turns stony and he stares at me.
     "What's your problem?" I ask. "Don't tell me you're jealous."
     "You're sleeping over my house tonight Lexi."
       Crap.
"Oh my gosh Carson I completely forgot! Maybe another time...?" I say tentatively.
      "Lexi you promised me! You should reschedule with Blair! You planned with me first." He says. "Do I even matter anymore?"
That makes me pause. "I guess you're right. It's just that MTV is having a marathon and... Oh forget it." I rub my forehead. Carson grins. "Thanks Lex. See you tonight."
      I went and explained to Blair and she was totally understanding "No biggie Lexi! Maybe next week?"
I agreed wholeheartedly.

       Think you and Blair will want to come to Cali one day? -Noir

     That would be fun but difficult. -Lexi

     Not if I payed your way. -N

You would do that? -L
  
   To see you again? Certainly ;) -N

   "Are you gonna be done with him soon?" Carson asks irritably.
     "Hmm?" I ask offhandedly.
"You've been texting him for 10 minutes Lexi! You're with a different guy right now, let him go."
      "One sec." I hunch over my phone, typing a reply. Carson leans over and takes it out of my hand.

Noir it's Carson. Lexi is at my house right now and we are hanging out. Leave her alone so she can pay attention to me.

    "What did you do!" I shriek, reaching for my phone. Carson holds it over his head, taking advantage of his height. I growl when I hear my text tone, knowing its Noir replying.

   Relax dude. I'm haven't stolen your girl. Although I can't say I don't want to. We'll see in a few months how it looks :) -Noir

    I don't know what they're saying to each other, but Carson's face turns red.

    She would never fall for a player like you. Too smart for that. Besides, she's already promised to me. -Carson

     You go on believing that, fella. But that promise isn't as binding as you think. ;) -Noir

    Carson growls and begins to angrily type on my phone. I fear for its survival, and tentatively reach to take it from Carson's hand. He jerks it away.

      Lexi doesn't break promises.
-Carson
 
But it's okay for her to change her mind. -Noir

  She won't. -Carson

You go on believing your little bullcrap lies. Have a good night! :) -Noir

      Carson throws my phone across the basement and it lands squarely on the couch. "Carson watch it!" I shriek. "That's my phone! I don't want it broken."
   "Good riddance if it is." Carson mutters. "You won't be able to talk to him."
    I jump up and quickly read through the text messages, holding in my snorts. "Classy, Carson."
    "What? He makes me so mad!"
     "Why?"
"Because... Because..."
   "You think there's a risk of losing me to him." I say matter of factly.
    "Is there?" He asks hoarsely.
"It's not like there an entire country between us Carson." I say sarcastically.
    "What if there wasn't though? Would you go for him?"
    I pause. "I honestly can't say that I wouldn't, but I can't say I would either."
    "That's reassuring." Carson mumbles.
        I laugh. "Chin up, dearest." I say in a British accent. "Let's have a spot of tea. I'm starving."
      He smiles slightly and we head upstairs for a snack. For the rest of the evening I am cheerful, carefully avoiding the subject of Noir, California, or our awful summer. Soon Carson cheers up too and we have a great night.

"Help." I whisper, gazing at the man on the other side of the wall. I'm looking through a peephole in the cinder blocks. I turn slowly around, looking at the four walls that make my prison, too high to climb. I peek through the hole again at the man, and he smiles condescendingly. I shiver. The man shuts his eyes and when he snaps them open again, they've changed. A shock courses through me as I see his eyes are light blue and dark brown. "Hello again Lexi." He says. "I'm going to finish you once and for all." His eyes roll back in his head, his mouth falls open until his jaw rests on his chin, dislocated. He presses a button on a controller he's holding and the walls close in on me. Closer, closer, they're crushing me. "Help!" I shout in pain. I can feel my bones shattering and I can't, seem, to, die. Can't, die. Can't, wake up. Pain, hurt. "Help me!" I sob.

     "Lexi wake up!" I open my eyes and Carson is leaning over me, concern etching lines on his face. "Oh thank God, you're awake."
     I bring my hands to my face and they come away wet with tears.
My body convulses in a sob, no matter how hard I try to repress it. I sit up and realize my head had been resting Carson's lap. He leans forward and wraps his arms around me, rocking me back and forth while I sob.
He doesn't talk. He doesn't ask about my dream. He just comforts me. After my sobs die down and I pull away, he rests his arms on my shoulders and looks me in the eye. "Is it always that bad?" He asks quietly. I nod, mute.
He sighs and crosses his arms. "I think it's time we hire that therapy counselor for you." I shake my head vehemently but he's made his decision. "I'm going to talk to your parents tomorrow. If this is happening every night-"
"Not every night!" I interrupt.
"How often then?"
"Um... Maybe 5 nights a week."
"Like I said. I'm going talk to your parents and mine too. We should be in therapy."
He kneels down and pulls my blankets up over me on the floor of the basement. He pauses, his hand resting on my cheek. Then he climbs into his sleeping bag next to me. He reaches over and turns off the dim lamp he had lit, but not before I see a troubled look on his face.