Gods, Love, Abuse and Her

Chap. 2: Maddie

I hear a cracking noise and immediately stands up, with my fists ready. My life was an absolute mess. I was having a great day, that was until those damn monsters attacked and killed my family right in front of me. I glare into the boy's eyes and look at him with untrusting eyes "Who are you?" I ask him, with a slight growl in my voice.

"I'm Eric. Eric Taylor." He replies, smiling and not caring to check if I could be a potential threat to his life. "How about you?" He smiles, taking his shoes filled with mud off and admiring my golden blonde hair reflecting the flames, blushing slightly and scratching the back of his head.

I narrow my eyes and raise an eyebrow 'Was he seriously being sweet with me? For all I know, he could be the peasant who killed my family' I think to myself as I approach him slowly and cross my arms "That's none of your buisness. Why are you here?"

"I fled from my parents." He replies, with sad eyes, still scratching his head. Is he shy or something? "Can't stand them anymore." He frowns in a way that cause chills to my bones. He is serious, no doubt. I wonder what he's been through. I look up at him, unable to see his face fully due to the mud. My expression softens as I look at him 'Are his eyes blue, or black?' I think, studying every feature of his face. Without the mud, he was quite good looking. He had beautiful cheekbones, his black hair, falling right above his whatever colored eyes. He was well built. I feel myself blush as I look away. He was just... a boy.  I mean, no one can be that good looking. He shrugs and blushes, noticing my gaze and looking at me, but avoiding looking directly in my eyes, "Erm... Nice to meet you... ahm..." He tries to change the subject, scrambling the words and not knowing what to say. It's kinda cute.

 I smirk and look away "You're blushing." I say the obvious, looking at him and throwing my precious soap that I got from my mom before she died at him "Go get a bath. Then I might talk to you." I point a lake nearby.

 "Okay." He catches it and walks towards the shiny water reflecting the Moon. "Please, don't look this direction." He takes off his long sleeved shirt and unzips his jeans, diving into the cold water bringing his clothes with him. I struggle myself to not look in that direction.

I widen my eyes and turn around. I can't believe he was actually stripping. Most girls would be flirting non stop with a guy like that. I smirk and turn around again, watching him swim around in the water and I decide to approach him. Slowly, I walk up to the water, as if I was approaching a lion "You done?

 "Well, I just started." He emerges from the water, with his hair smooth, combed back and revealing his pale skin without the mud. 'My goodness...' I think to myself, gaping and putting my hand on my mouth with my eyes wide open, looking to his cute face.

I shake my head and look away 'I bet he's an asshole inside.' I sigh and sit down on the shore. Just sitting here and looking at the water, brought back memories of my old life, making me want to cry every time. I look at him again, and look at his body "Why did you run away?" I ask, hesitantly.

"Well, who needs a goddamn freak around?" He replies, waving his hair. "A freak who can't even read simple words. A freak treated as a slave at home. A freak who everybody frowns at?" His voice becomes loud at every phrase. "Honestly, I'm glad that you didn't did that, so... thanks." He scratches his head, avoiding my looks again.

 I look at him with pity in my eyes. He was known as a freak? How's that possible? He could've been a jock in school if he wanted to be. "Oh. I'm sorry." I look down and away "Anyways, you still smell. Go away until you smell nice."

"Okay!" I just gave him a reason to smile. He dives into the water and disappears, leaving some bubbles behind. I start to play with the water, waiting for him. He seems like a nice guy. How could everyone hate him that much?

I wait and wait, and do even more waiting. There was no way anyone could hold their breath for that long. I stand up and approach the water slowly, gulping "It's just water.. It's just water.." I whisper over and over, as I make a diving position and dive into the freezing cold water, looking for him.

After some time staring the black of the water, he grabs my leg and I turn around in a quick movement, frightened. "I thought I lost you!" I say, as if he was my best friend. "Sorry." He apologizes, smiling with his bright white teeth. "I... like to be underwater."

 I start to feel like my lungs are going to explode. I swim up and gasp for air, climbing out of the water coughing. Truly I was afraid of water and I refused to go near it. I guess that changed. I look up at him and wait, until he's done.

I sigh and turn around "Don't hurt yourself!" I call and cross my arms. I walk back towards the campfire and sit down, playing with the ring my mom gave me before she died. "Only use it when you absolutely need to." Her voice echos in my head. What did she mean? Before I could ask her, it was too late. They were gone.

 He sits beside me, completely dry, but cleaned up. "Ahm... I still don't know your name..." He gets distracted by the shining of my ring, then regains his attention my looking in my eyes.

I bite my lip as I run a hand through my now wet blonde hair, that made me look like a wet dog. "Maddie. Maddie Marie." I finally say, blushing.

 "Nice to meet you Maddie." He smiles, still staring my eyes with his bright blue ones.