Break Away

Chapter 12

I woke up with my body comfortably entangled with Noah's and a soft blanket pulled over the two of us, Noah's arms were wrapped around me tightly.

"Noah?" I whispered.

He didn't move so I gently wiggled out of his vice like grip and quietly crept out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, the one with a broken door. In the mirror I could already see a light blue bruise across my shoulder under the shirt strap. It's not too bad and it'll heal up quickly, unfortunately I have experience with the healing time of bruises.

I lifted the shirt slowly and bit by lip at the horrible blue/black bruises spread across my stomach and lower chest, they look like I was hit by a car.

"Oh god."

I dropped my shirt at Noah's shocked voice and spun around to face him, he looked sleepy and confused.

"You were supposed to be asleep."

"I woke up when you weren't there." He pouted in a sleepy voice.

"Aww you sound so cute when you're sleepy."

He frowned cutely, "I do not."

"Yes you do!" I smiled and hugged him. "breakfast?"

"There's fruit in the fridge, I know you like healthy stuff."

"Thanks for remembering." I gave him another quick hug and headed down stairs to get some glorious fruit.

Fruit is amazing, I love it. I mean who doesn't enjoy apples?

"Enjoying that?"

"Loving it, apples are the best fruit ever."

He smiled and grabbed a cold slice of pizza, frowned and grabbed another slice.

"You're eighteen right?"

"Yep. How old are you?"

"Nineteen. I failed a grade in primary." He shrugged.

"Noah, um, I was just wondering why you don't live with your parents?"

"I was emancipated when I was fifteen, lived with a friend for a year and then I bought this house. I just didn't get on with them, they were really religious and I... wasn't."

"They don't visit or anything?"

"We don't have any contact, my parents favored my younger sister because she was a little angel not that I have anything against her."

"Oh. That kinda sucks."

He shrugged, "I'm over it."

I nodded.

"I was thinking that maybe you could stay with me for a while, just to- you know- get away from your dad. I have no other motive." He was blushing.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I was thinking about it last night and I can't let you go back there without ending up a paranoid idiot."

"Just for a while okay?"

He grinned, "Does this mean you'll move in?"

I nodded and he picked me up in a tight hug making me squeal in both surprise and some slight pain, that's not something I'd tell him.

"Do you want to go pick your stuff up?"

"If you don't mind."

"Come on."

Noah drove slowly, playing with the radio and happily chatting about random things like he didn't have a care in the world. It's nice to see Noah looking so relaxed, he usually looks worried or annoyed.

My father's car wasn't in the drive way so I happily got out of the car and headed inside. Kennedy's probably still asleep because it's a Saturday so she probably doesn't know I wasn't here.

"Do you mind helping me clean up the kitchen, I don't want my sister to see the mess and worry."

"Sure, how about I clean up and you go pack?"

"Thanks."

I headed upstairs and started packing my clothes into a large cherry red suitcase my mother gave me the first time I went away to camp. I put my cosmetics in it, and a few essentials along with my favorite books. I packed my laptop into a back pack and stuffed my shoes in with it, big backpack.

When I was done I went to Kennedy's room and knocked on the door, waited a few moments for her to wake up and knocked again. She opened the door slowly at first and then all the way when she saw it was me.

"Morning. Why're you awake so early?"

"I stayed at a friend's house last night and I just got home."

"What friend? Why're you wearing guy clothes?"

Crap. "A guy from school, Noah."

"I know him, he's supposed to be a bad guy, are you sure you should be spending time with a guy like him."

I entered her room and sat on the bed, "Ken, with a father like ours I think I can look after myself."

She raised an eyebrow, "Then why is there a new bruise on your shoulder?"

"Not a valid point." I got an eye roll for that. "Any way, I was thinking it might be a good idea to get in touch with mom."

"What!?"

"Hear me out before you get mad. Things aren't getting any better here and I think that you should move in with her."

"And her new family? No thanks."

"I think we should consider it... because I'm moving out."

Her eyes widened, "What..."

"I can't take it anymore, He beat me again last night and I can't handle another day of this. I'm sorry but I have to get out before he does something worse but I can't take you with me until you're eighteen, mom's the only one who can legally take you from him."

She nodded, "I can wait until I'm eighteen."

"Well my mind can't. I've packed everything and I'm going to stay with a friend, Noah."

She groaned, "Oh lord, you really have lost it haven't you?"

"Nope just really at the end of what I can handle and... well I actually think I might like Noah. I trust him and I'm going to take a leap of faith."

"You sound like a crappy greeting card."

I stuck my tongue out at her, "Gee thanks sis. Anyway my friend Luke's going to come over every now and again just to make sure you're okay until I can sort things out with mom."

"You don't have to."

"Noah already asked him, he doesn't mind. I think Luke already feels bad, he was supposed to keep an eye on me at Noah's party when I ended up eating some coconut."

Kennedy frowned, "It sounds like these guys are treating you like a little kid who needs to be babysat."

"Eh basically but Noah'll learn."

"Learn that you're stubborn?"

"Pretty much."