Our Sandbox

ten - piper

I am woken up by groan next to me, my eyes peeling open, practically swollen shut. 

I try to sit up, but a weight around my stomach is holding me down, and I turn around to see Nolan's sleeping face next to me. 

Why the-

And then the memories of last night come rushing back to me in waves, and I lift my hand to my cheek, wincing as I touch the swollen and no doubt bruised skin. 

"Nolan." I whisper, poking at his arm in an attempt to wake him. He just continues to snore softly, cool air blowing from his slightly parted lips. 

"Mh." He murmurs, and his hold around my waist tightens, pulling me closer into his chest. 

Curse this man's huge muscles. I groan mentally as I try to wriggle away. 

"Nolan." I say, louder this time, putting my face right in front of his. Ugh, he could probably sleep through a freaking hurricane. I huff, a strand of hair pillowing out in front of my eyes. I don't mind staying in bed, but my bladder has other ideas, and it is seriously about to burst. 

"NOLAN!" I snap, bopping him on the side of the head harshly. He jumps up, his head lifting off the pillow and his eyes in a confused squint. I giggle slightly at the messiness of his hair, and the lines from the pillow printed on his cheek. He looks so cute, like a puppy. 

"I'm up-" He grumbles, reaching a hand up to rub his face. I take this opportunity to spring from his hold, making a dead bolt towards his bathroom. I lock the door behind me and...well...

As I wash my hands, I dare to take a peek into the large mirror, and sigh. 

The bruise is dark along my cheekbone, making me look like some black swan wannabe. At least I don't have a black eye, those are so hard to cover with makeup. I dry my hands on a towel, and redo the messy bun on top of my head. 

I step out of the bathroom to see Nolan has fallen back asleep, the covers pulled almost to his chin. I gaze down at him for a moment, and I lightly brush a piece of hair away from his face. 

He blinks his eyes open again, frowning. 

"What do you want, woman?" He moans, trying to pull the covers over his head. 

"Ducky, we have school." I whisper. 

He gives a dry chuckle.

"What?!" I snap, putting my hands on my hips. 

"Piper, it's 10 a.m. We're not going to school." 

"What!" I shout, racing over to the clock. And he's right. 

"No no no no no no." I mumble, rushing over to my backpack and checking to make sure he's correct. I've never missed a day of school in my life, I'm going to miss so many tests, so much classwork.

"Piper, calm down. It's fine to miss one day of school." He mutters from the bed. 

"No, no, it's not." I respond hastily, reaching over to pull on my sneakers, starting to lace them up. "I need to go to school, I need to fix my grades, I'll fall behind-" I'm ranting, my voice moving at the speed of light, so fast that I don't notice that I have tied, untied, and retied my shoes three times already. 

I feel a pair of hands on my shoulders and I look up at Nolan, standing above me with a humorous yet sympathetic expression. 

"Come on, Piper. You need to stay home, and I'm gonna have to take a look at that bruise." He mumbles, brushing a thumb over my cheek, causing me to wince. He looks at me concerned, but I just shake my head. 

"I haven't even called my mom yet." I whisper. 

"My mom came up later in the night and told me that your mom and brother are staying with your parents up-state, cause Jerry was taken in for questioning." 

I sigh, raking my hands through the front of my hair, ruining my measly attempt at a bun. 

"I want it all to be a dream." I whisper, placing my head in my hands. I feel Nolan move towards me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me in for a hug. I wrap around his neck, squeezing him back. 

"You're going to be okay, P." He whispers in my ear. 

"How do you know that?" I ask meekly, burying my head in his shoulder. Tears prick at my eyes once again and I taste the first bit of salt on my lips. 

"Because I'm right here, and you're right here, and I can protect you. As long as I'm here, nothing bad is ever going to happen to you." 

I pull away to look him in his beautiful eyes, and there is definite sincerity in them. 

"You can't promise that." I whisper. 

"I just did." He says with a 'duh' in his voice, and I giggle slightly, wiping the tears from my eyes. 

"Enough tears," He says, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "It is time for eating." I nod as he leads me down the stairs to the brightly lit kitchen. I see Mrs. H flipping a few pancakes at the stove, humming slightly as she cooks. She looks like she jumped out of a 1920s kitchen ad, but the appearance suits her, the perfect housewife. But don't get me wrong, you do not want to be on her bad side. 

"Oh, Piper, honey." She coos compassionately as I get nearer to her, and she wraps her arm around me for a hug. I hug her back, comforted by the smell of daisies and batter. She places a kiss on the top of my head and smiles. 

"You don't worry about a thing, dear. You can stay as long as you want." I smile at her brightly. 

"Thanks, Mrs. H. I really do appreciate it." 

She just gives me a wink and goes back to her cooking, and I settle down at the island table with Nolan across from me, who is already scarfing down two pieces of buttered toast. 

"Slow down, carnivore." I taunt, flicking him on the nose gently. He pretends to look hurt, flicking me back. 

"Ma, can you pass me the remote?" He asks, mouth still filled with bread, and takes the kitchen tv remote from his mother's hand. Flipping the tv on, the blaring colors and loud voices of a news channel comes on, and I scan the screen in horror. 

Jerry's face is on the screen, accompanied by a video of him being dragged from our house, followed by a video of him leaving the station...without cuffs. 

"They're not even going to hold him for a day?" I gasp, terror flooding through me. 

I grab the remote from Nolan and try to turn the sound up. 

"Come on, P. We don't have to watch this-" Nolan tries to swipe it back but I hold the remote to my chest, eyes fixated on the screen. 

"...was released on bail, and sources say that he will not even need a criminal trial, since no charges seem to have been filed..." 

"What..." I whisper hoarsely. "Why didn't my mom press charges?" I snap. 

"Piper, turn it off." Nolan orders, and manages to grab the remote from my hold. 

"I swear, if she doesn't sue, and she lets that bastard stay in our house, I'm done." I whisper, rambling again. 

"Come on-"

"I swear to god, Nolan, if you say that one more time-" I warn, waving a finger at him. 

"Piper, your mom isn't stupid, of course she's going to press charges, it's just a tv rumor." He comforts, rubbing a hand down my back. 

"Yeah, right." I mumble a sarcastic response, and continue to stare at the black screen of the tv, waiting for the voice to appear again and for Jerry to spring from the screen to break my other cheek.