Saving Taylor (A Patrick Kane Story)

Chapter Six

Tuesday night...5 days before the championship (cont.)

"Taylor," Lindsey whispered as she picked a piece of rubble out of my hair, "you were just surrounded by a bunch of scary looking men and you expect me not to say anything?"

As I sat up, my eyes looking from the door to Lindsey, my stomach started to churn at the thought of explaining all of this to Patrick. "Lindsey, please, just promise me you won't tell anyone about this, not even Jonathan and especially not Patrick. I don't need anyone else getting involved...there's too many," I pleaded, heart beating fast. Lindsey's eyes widened, "You know those guys?"

Once again, looking to the door, I realized the boys would be coming out any moment. I hastily replied, "Yes, I do...sort of. I promise I will tell you everything, but for now can you please just help me up, so I don't have to explain anything to Patrick right now?"

Before Lindsey got the chance to help me up, I noticed a distraught Patrick running towards me.

"Holy shit, Taylor," he began, running his arm through his hair, "What happened?"

"Oh, um, my crutch got stuck in a pothole, and I fell. I'm clumsy, remember?" I nervously laughed, not making eye contact with him. Smooth, Tay. Be smooth. Patrick scratched the back of his neck as Lindsey grabbed under my arms to pick me up, "Are you okay?" he asked. Nodding, I said, "oh yeah, these things happen all the time."

As Patrick helped me into the seat, Jonathan came jogging out of the building and into the driver's side door. He drove us back to Patrick's building in silence with the exception of a few comments on the game. Jonathan dropped us off at the front of the building leading to the lobby, where we were met by the doorman.

Patrick led me down a hallway that brought us to a row of elevators. Watching the door close, I was met by my reflection in the elevator door. My hair turned a dirty shade of blond, my neck had a splotchy, red discoloration, and my eyes looked gloomy. Glancing to my left, I looked up at Patrick's face and at his bright blue eyes that were staring at the ceiling.

Grabbing his hand, I asked, "Why are you being so quiet?" His gaze look down on me as he replied, "Are you sure you were telling the whole truth about what happened back at the United Center?" Before I could respond, the elevator door opened, and I made my way out. Leading me down to the end of the hallway, he stopped before a door, fished his keys out of his jacket pocket, and led me inside. He had a spacious two bedroom condo with sand-colored walls and dark floors. Looking straight ahead, there were three large windows, looking out onto the Chicago River. It was truly a breath taking view.

Placing his arm on my back, he escorted me to the left into a bedroom that I assumed was his. Walking in, I noticed another window with tan, satin curtains that looked out onto the river. Looking at the huge bed in the middle of the room, I felt a little smile creep up on my face. Patrick started to laugh as he lightly kissed the side of my forehead, "what are you so smiley about?" I shook my head replying, "Nothing, I just have never really had anyone that genuinely cares about me the way you do." After a brief second of silence, I continued, "You were right in the elevator. I wasn't completely honest with you, and as much as I don't want to tell you, I think you deserve to know what you're getting yourself into by getting involved with me."

Leading me over to the side of the bed, he brushed the hair out of my face and responded, "You can tell me. No matter what it is, it's not going to affect what I think of you. I feel like everyone has a back story they want to keep hidden in fear it will change someone's opinion of them." There's no going back now, Tay. Here goes nothing...

"It all started in the beginning of my first year in college. All the incoming freshmen were required to come to an orientation, and a guy named Joe was in my group because he was taking classes similar to mine. At the end of the day, we were all invited to an off campus party and saw him again there. He ended up being in a lot of my classes, so we became pretty good friends. During the middle of the year, after getting to know me a little, he asked me out on a date, and it went uphill from there. We were happily dating for two years until his 21st birthday hit. We went out celebrating, and he got drunk as I expected. When we got back to the hotel room we were staying in, I had a headache so I just wanted to go to bed," I paused feeling a little tear stream down my face. Patrick, noticing, said, "You don't have to finish if you don't want to."

I took a deep breath, "If I don't finish now, I'll never be able to."

Wiping my tear away, he replied, "I just wanted you to know that you can stop at any time if you feel like you can't finish."

Taking another breath, I continued, "As I said, all I wanted to do was go to bed, but Joe had other plans. He started to make out with me and wouldn't stop, even when I told him to. I don't think I have to go into details, but in short, he forced me to sleep with him. The next morning when I brought it up, he just told me to stop playing games and accused me of lying. When he was sober, it wasn't all that bad, but when he drank, I would end up with a bunch of bruises and scars either because I told him no or I tried to get away from him. I eventually got used to his harsh treatment, but Becca ended up talking some sense into me and convinced me to try to break things off between us. It was during last summer, and I had Becca waiting outside of his house for me. I walked inside of empty place, using the key he gave me. I packed up all of my stuff in his house and loaded it into Becca's car. When he came home, I explained myself to him after I was sure he was sober. Because he was sober, I thought he would take it better. After I told him I was leaving him, he didn't say anything...he was just quiet. Thinking it was safe, I turned my back on him as I headed for the door. Unexpectedly, he slammed his fist into my back, and I fell into his book case fracturing my rib. Turning over and looking into his eyes, I saw no trace of sorrow or regret for what he had just done which was what scared me the most." At this point, I was bawling into Patrick's shirt. Great, I thought, he probably thinks I'm a needy child that can't keep their emotions in check.

"So, it was Joe that pushed you down earlier?" Patrick asked.

"No," I answered shaking my head, "Joe sent his friends to do his dirty work. Although, I did see his car passing through the restaurant we ate at."

Standing up, I walked over to the window and watched the river sparkling in the moonlight. Feeling Patrick behind me, I leaned into his chest. He put his chin on my head and asked, "Why didn't you just tell me this before?"

I turned around and looked up into his baby blues. Yawning, I replied, "I guess because it's not ideally something you'd tell someone on the first date." Rubbing his thumb slowly across my tear stained cheek, Patrick leaned down and kissed me softly. "You look tired," Patrick whispered. "Yeah," I responded, "It's been a long day."

Walking over to his dresser, Patrick pulled a t-shirt out of the drawer and handed it to me. I walked into his bathroom, changed into the t-shirt, and tied my hair up into a pony tail. When I walked out of the bathroom, Patrick was lying in bed with the TV on. Laying my crutches on the floor next to me, I sat down on the bed and swung my legs over.

"Come here," Patrick said laying out his arm. I moved myself over and rested my head on his chest. After Joe I never thought I could feel so secure with a guy, and yet here I am with my head on a Patrick's chest no longer worried about all the things that could happen to me.

And that concludes Chapter Six! The reason i haven't posted that often is because I've been trying to finish multiple chapters so i can start posting regularly. So, from now on, I will be posting every Monday. Thank you so much for reading! -Jess (ig:thatskanerbaby)