Learning From The Bad Boy

Stay

Within ten minutes I pulled up to my empty house.

I opened my door, and got out my keys before trying to pick her back up.

She had gone silent now. It worried me. No. I was way more than worried. I pushed the front door open, setting her down on the wood floors.

"Where are your parents?" Her soft voice asked. I looked over at her, watching as she looked around for my mom.

"Anniversary." I said, shrugging out of my jacket. "Let's get you something to eat." Taking her hand in mine, I led her to the kitchen.

She took a few steps before the limp in her ankle started to become prominent. Even though I knew she was in pain, she didn't say anything. Instead she took a seat on the counter.

I shook my head, before crouching down and slipping the black heels off of her feet.

Her eyes showed her appreciation. Carefully I picked up her injured foot and placed it on the counter.

Walking to the freezer, I grabbed a bag of frozen vegetables that would suffice as an ice pack. She winced at the cold plastic, but didn't tell me to leave her alone.

Progress.

Searching through the cabinets, and grabbing the first thing I knew how to cook, I glanced back at her with a raised eyebrow.

For the first time since I'd found her tonight, a small smile graced her face at the box of pancake mix in my hand.

"Pancakes?" Her voice came out as a croak, but she giggled anyways.

"Only the finest for you, Little Red." I bowed dramatically, before grabbing a mixing bowl.

Making an overabundance of-to my suprise- unburned pancakes, I piled them onto a plate.

Seemingly more comfortable now, Celia smiled and grabbed onto the plate. Taking a seat next to her, I cut into the fluffy pancakes.

"You look beautiful." I said, out of nowhere. I fought the urge to hit myself for inability to think before I speak.

A red tint covered her snowy skin. "Thank you." She took the last bite of her pancakes before setting the plate down.

Red curls fell around her face. I picked the locks of hair up and away from her face. "I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner." I whispered hoarsely.

"You were there when I needed you most." A couple tears dripped off of her face and onto her legs. "That's all I could ever ask for. I'm sorry for the way I acted, and for the things I said."

Putting my arm around her, I held her closely to me. "It's okay." Her hands wrapped around my shirt, her tears coming full force.

"I was so scared. I thought he was going to-" She stopped talking. "Oh God. He could've..."

Anger like a red hot branding iron pierced through to my very soul.

"He's not ever coming near you again. Ever." I stated fiercely, tilting her head up so she could look into my eyes. See my sincerity. "I won't let him." I fished in a softer voice, wiping away the smudged makeup that had streamed down her face.

She nodded shakily. "Okay." It gave me a little bit of hope, knowing she knew she could rely on me. "I'm sorry for getting makeup on you." She said suddenly with a soft laugh.

"You know I don't care."

She laid her head on my shoulder. "I do. I'm such a mess." She pulled the clip containing her long bangs out of her hair.