Blood and Angels

The Boy That Saved Her

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VzprYCxPBQ (song to go with the part) Hallelujah- Lindsey Stirling

The ride to his flat was short enough- only about ten or fifteen minutes of the wind in her face and the tears streaming down. Damian didn't talk much on the way there except to tell her that things would get better; that he would see to it.

His flat was a nice enough place- better than her own, that was for sure. There were beige carpets everywhere but the kitchen floor, and there were counters all over the kitchen, with cupboards full of dishes and a living room with a television and a coffee table at the foot of a couch. There was a hallway at the top of the staircase where there was a bathroom and a single bedroom which wasn't clean.

The house wasn't the cleanest place, but it wasn't horribly dirty, either. Just a few cups on the coffee table, some empty bags of chips, a plant growing in the windowsill- a Golden Pothos. It wasn't untidy, but rather homely. To her, this was the definition of Heaven: a place her parents didn't know about with a potential for a whole new start at life.

"Sorry about the mess," Damian said as he threw the keys onto the table. 

"No, it's... it's okay." Alex said as she examined the place. Damian flipped on the light switch, ruining the natural light the window offered. Through it, Alex could see the city. Not a single sign of her house at all. Perfect.

"I don't have to go anywhere until tomorrow, so have at it." Damian said, spreading his arms wide. Alex was confused.

"Have at what?"

"Tell me. Everything. I want to know what I just got myself into. Do you want to talk about it?" He asked sympathetically.

No, Alex didn't want to talk about it. She was about to tell him that, but the words were spilling out before she could stop him. "My father's an abusive drunkard and my mom's afraid of him. I just couldn't deal with it anymore, you know?"

Damian nodded slowly. "Yeah. I do." He sat down on the couch and gestured for her to sit next to him. "What about the other stuff? Who're your friends; where do you go to school? What're your interests, etcetera?"

"How do I know you're not just some creepy stalker?" Alex asked defensively, refusing to sit. She felt so stupid for having gone with him in the first place- she'd heard stories of people who had done this same thing and gotten even more abused or sold or worse. Damian just smiled.

"You're in my apartment. If I wanted to try anything, I would've already tried it." He pointed out, gesturing for her to sit again. He had a point. Reluctantly, she sat down. "So?"

"I don't have many connections. The only people who'll miss me is Jordan and Jessie, but even they'll get over me. I guess... I like to draw. I like to read. You know- stories where everything works out in the end and nothing is ever hard once you get through the rough patches. But God knows that doesn't really happen in real life." She said hopelessly.

"Alex, it doesn't have to be like that. You can turn it around now." He encouraged her.

"No. No, I don't want to go back." She shook her head. "I can't."

"Is this your way of asking to stay at my place?" Damian teased. Alex instantly liked him. He didn't try to council her or push her to talk or anything- he just helped and helped and helped and didn't try to stop. Not yet, at least.

"No, I couldn't ask you for that." Alex said.

"Yes, you could. And you clearly need to. Here," he crossed to the hallway and disappeared momentarily. He came back with a pillow and a blanket and set them down next to her. "You can crash on the couch until you decide what to do. I'm going to order in a pizza and I'll get to know you a bit better. Okay?"

Alex smiled. "Okay."