Trouble in Paradise

V

All of us were let into our rooms, and Joey laid me on one of the beds. I cringed at the now brutal marks left on my back and my stomach along with my chest, and that was with my clothes on, the hell it must be without clothes.

"Can I?" Joey asked motioning to my stomach and back. I nodded. He pulled up my shirt a bit, and you could see red slash marks all over my pale skin.

"That looks like it hurt like hell" Richardo said to me.

"It did" I said as Joey cleaned the marks with a damp towel he found. I cringed.

"I'm sorry" Joey said sympathetically.

"No it's okay, you have to clean it, or it'll be infected." I said groaning from the pain.

"You look like, it's almost as painful as dying" Billy said.

"Since when do-... You care?" I asked Billy.

"Okay look, I know I've been an ass, but I'm your friend you realize that right?" Billy asked me.

"No I thought you hated me" I said.

"I do" he said. "It's a term of endearment" he said.

"Thanks" I said, Smiling at him.

"Your like my sister almost" He said to me. 

"You kiss your sister?" I asked confused. 

"Can we forget about that please?" he asked me.

"What Joey beating the living shit out of you?" I laughed.

"You're totally ruining this" Billy said to me. 

"Sorry" I said trying not to laugh."You're like a brother," I said back to him.

Soon enough Joey cleaned all my cuts except the few that were on my chest, and the boys all explained the plan to me before we started to get ready to go to bed, and everyone seemed interested in Billy story except for me and Joey, who were sitting in a corner together. His arms wrapped around me.

"I love you so much baby-girl" Joey said hugging me tight.

"I love you too Joey" I said to him. "But I can't do it anymore, I'm breaking"

"What do you mean?" He asked me.

"I'm either going to die or someone else is and I can't take it" I said grabbing my hair.

"Hey don't say that" Joey said.

"Don't be stupid Joey, we're truly fucked and there is nothing you can do about it." I repeated.

"Listen" Joey started. "I'm not going to let that happen" he said to me. "Nothing is ever going to happen to you, I promise, I swear on my life"

"Joey..." I started, but he ignored me.

"And one day, I'm going to marry you, I don't care what happens, if I don't marry you, then I will have no reason for living. I will wait a whole lifetime for you and my love for you will only grow. I don't care what you do to me, I will always love you, You could stab my back and I would still be grateful that you were touching my skin" Joey confessed.

"Joey, you don't have to say that" I said to him. This was honestly way too much, how much he loved me, and what did I have to offer him?

He got me away from my dad, found me somewhere that I could be with him, and then paid for me to get into a private school. He beat up his best friend for me, scared guys at school so they wouldn't bother me. Luis could have killed him when he came to save me, and he totally and completely loves me more then I can imagine, and now he wants to marry me, too? It was too much, what did he even see in me?

"I'm not just saying it" Joey said. "I mean it, every last word."

"Joey, you do so much for me, and now you want me to marry you? I don't deserve you." I said to him. "Why do you even like me anyway?" I asked him.  He gazed into my eyes, And pushed a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Because, Nyla Renn you are beautiful, in every way possible. Every inch of your body," he said stroking my arm. "Every aspect of your personality, every thought you share with me makes me fall deeper in love with you" he said.

"But Joey," I started.

"Please, don't argue with me, I know for a fact that you are the most beautiful girl out there" Joey said to me. "And not just your face, or your body. I love your personality, and your emotions too. I always will." I smiled and then yawned, and we got up to lay on the bed. I laid facing the window and Joey protectively put his arm on me.  He pulled me closer, and I snuggled into his chest. 

Soon we all went to sleep, our plan was going to be in action tomorrow, let's just hope that it all goes as planned.