Cold Hearts in The Rain

Chapter 15

I pulled away abruptly.

I stammered with my words, "I'm sorry Caleb, I didn't mean to do that--- I didn't realize... I--" He grabbed my face, and turned my cheek towards him, kissing it.

"It's okay Doe, I understand," he said, calmly. "Heat of the moment kind of thing. It's all right." He pulled me to him in a tight hug. I squeezed my eyes shut because his colors shocked me.

He was so unhappy.

He pulled away from me, and looked at me again.

"Doe, honestly, I will be here for you. I promise you that. You're not alone, and I want you to know that: You're. Not. Alone."

"Then why do I feel so alone?" I mumbled.

"I don't know," he said, honestly. "I'm trying hard to make you know that you aren't. Maybe you think that your parents are your only family, but I'm your family now. So you're not alone. I'll never leave you."

"Do... Do you promise?" I asked.

"I swear on my life," he said, holding my shoulders to peer in my eyes, "that I will always be here for you."

That's when I felt a shiver, and realized that my clothes were soaked. I wanted to lean into him, but wasn't comfortable after I kissed him. I didn't like him. I couldn't like him.

I had to fight it.

Caleb took off his sweater, and wrapped it around me.

"Come on, let's get you home before that creepy man shows up again," Caleb said, wrapping his arms around me, and walking.

***

As I sat in pre-calculus, I relived the events from the night before. I fell asleep with both Nory and Caleb by my side. Caleb leaned against the foot of my bed, and Nory laid on the bed with me, ever occasionally soothing me when I began to cry.

I've never cried so much in my life. But I decided not to miss school again. Especially 'cause I had that tutoring session with my annoying English teacher.

"Why weren't you here, Monday?" Jake asked at lunch.

"You could've said yesterday," Caleb teased.

"I don't tell you how to live your life!" Jake joked, and then looked at me.

"Just decided it wouldn't be appropriate for me to show up in school after..." I trailed off as everybody at the table was watching me, including Violet, who surprisingly didn't seem to be glaring at me.

"After what?" Jake urged. I looked to Caleb. He mouthed, "You don't have to say."

"It's fine," I mumbled. "After my ex-boyfriend tried to rape me."

"What?" Jake asked. "Where is that son of a--"

"He's in jail, it's okay," I said, soothingly.

"How dare he try to rape our friend?!" he asked, enraged, but keeping his voice down. "Caleb, how did you react to this? You seem way too calm!"

"I didn't have time to be angry," Caleb said. "Doe needed comfort, not more violence." His response warmed my heart, and I looked away from him, glad that I couldn't blush.

It's always the little things that got me.

***

I walked slowly towards my teacher's office, nervousness spreading throughout me. I wished Caleb was there, walking besides me. Then I scolded myself.