Fate

Keeping Safe

JAMES' POV

"Dude, you seriously need to make a move already," Luke said nudging me with his elbow.

We were sitting at the island in the kitchen. "No. Grace... She's different." I shrugged.

"Yeah because she's the only girl you didn't fu-"

"No! She likes me for me. I'm myself around her," I tried to explain.

"Well she's making you sound all girly too," he said sticking his tongue out at me like the kid he was.

I rolled my eyes at his immatureness and checked my phone. Grace still didn't call me or anything. Maybe she just forgot. It had been at least ten minutes since she left and she's obviously home. She's less than two seconds away.

"I hope you don't mind, I opened up all the windows," Luke said going up the stairs. "It was getting hot."

I called Grace's phone making sure she got home okay. She didn't answer. I called again but this time I heard something.

It's her ringtone. Did she leave her phone here? Where is it coming from? I followed the sound the best that I could. The closer and closer I got to the window, the clearer the sound was. Outside? I went out the front door and followed the sound. Thank god the windows were open. Maybe she just dropped her phone.

I looked around outside, still following the sound and I turned my flashlight on from my phone. The first thing I saw was her light brown hair shine from the light. I sprinted to her side and shook her slightly. "Grace! Grace, wake up!"

She was unconscious. I saw a thick line of blood trickling down the side of her face. I carefully lifted her up, trying to be gentle with her head. I brought her back to my house and set her on my bed.

Dammit, I forgot her phone! I ran back outside and turned my flashlight back on to search for her phone. When I picked it up I saw a rock larger than the size of my hand next to her phone. I picked it up and examined it. There was her blood on it.

Someone either threw the rock at her or she hit herself with it. I ran back inside to my room. I began wiping the blood off her face with a towel and put a cold rag across her forehead. I very carefully bandaged her head and slid a pillow underneath for more support.

I sat by her side and pushed the hair from her face. I'm gonna kill whoever hurt her. I mean it.

She started moving around a bit and she lifted her hand to her hand, feeling the bandage. "What? What hap- ow," she quietly spoke.

"Who did this to you?" I asked harshly, probably a little too harsh.

"I don't know. I felt really dizzy and collapsed. I don't remember anything," she whispered.

I sighed and caressed her face. "It's okay, but your staying with me tonight. Nonnegotiable," I said kissing her forehead and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"No, I can't," She whispered drifting off to sleep.

I gave her a confused look due to her words but she's had a rough night and I don't to harp on it.

GRACE'S POV

I woke up with a sharp pain in my head. I have this piercing ringing in my right ear. I looked next to me to find James. His arms were around me and he was still sound asleep. He looked so young. I carefully wiggled from his arms without waking him and walked to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror. There was a bandage around my head and I could see the spot where the blood was still seeping through.

I slowly unwrapped the bandage from my head and saw a large cut that was surrounded with black and blue. That's gonna leave a nice scar.

I looked in the small trashcan and saw it was filled with used bandages. He must've stayed up all night changing them for me... Just like he promised. That's why he's sleeping in so late. He's always awake before me.