Obsessed

Chapter 32

Sunlight coming through open shutters wakes me. I squint and cover my eyes. I momentarily forget where I am. But then I see Kyle sleeping peacefully in the bed next to me. I kick off the sheets and sit up, then walk to the bathroom next door and wash my face. I gargle some mouthwash from the counter in front of me. I quickly glance at my phone to see no new messages and that the time is six in the morning. I might just make it to school on time.

Kyle kicks off his covers during the night and they sit in a heap at the edge of his bed. I sit next to him and brush the hair out of his eyes. He needs a haircut badly. But I like it.

Then I notice the bruises. Purple splotches and a slimy yellow surrounding them all over his ribs. I wince. His green eyes blink open. "Morning." I whisper. He breathes in deeply and slowly exhales.

"You stayed." I nod.

"Who hurt you?" He inhales deeply again. This time he squeezes his eyes shut. "I don't understand. I know there are things you keep from me, but I assume everything's in your past. And I'm fine with waiting. But this? No. I'm not ok with this. I'm not ok with someone hurting you. Because if you don't tell me I'm going to call the police."

"Don't Kristen."

"No. I will. Right now." I go to pick up my phone but he grabs my wrist.

"Kristen please." I shake his hand off and start dialling.

"I'm not standing by and watching this!"

"Kristen!"

"What?!" I say and bring the phone to my ear. It buzzes as the connection loads.

"If you do this, you'll be sending my father to prison." I don't move. He takes my phone out of my hand, hangs up and tosses it onto the bed.

"Y-your father?"

"I confronted him. I shouldn't have."

"Wh-what happened?" I say, still shocked that a father could do that to his own son. I reach forward and put my hand on the bruise. He puts his hand on mine then brings it to cup his face.

"It's my fault. I know what he's like."

"No, it's never your fault."

"I came to discuss his un-born child. He was drunk and I said I wouldn't talk to him until he was sober. He got... mad." I pull him into me and hold him close.

"Kyle..."

"He slapped me. But I could have left then. I stupidly thought I should fight back."

"How many times has this happened?"

"A few times." I flinch imagining it. "Doesn't really happen now."

"Why won't you tell the cops?"

"Because Kristen. My mum wouldn't have wanted that."

I press my forehead to his and we sit like that for a long while. I shouldn't have pressured him to tell me. I just wasn't expecting this. I... I hate to see him like this. He wipes a tear from my cheek. I didn't even know that those salty traitors were leaking.

"I don't know what I would do without you." He says.

"You'd survive." I let out a breathy laugh.

"But I wouldn't be living."

***

It's raining heavily today, it's said to be like this for the rest of the week. That little ray of sunshine we saw this morning was just an illusion. Kyle decides to stay home for the day and sleep. Toby promises me that he'll check that Kyle sleeps all day. I'm relying on his word.