The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 10: THE LOVE IN YOUR EYES

She was still lying next to him when he woke up. Alex turned to her, a look of confusion grazing his face. She usually disappeared in the night, yet here she was lying with her blonde locks in mess around her face. He stood up from the bed and made his way down the hall to brush his teeth. Part of him hoped she wake up and leave without a word, but she was still lying there when he came back.

The sound of him shuffling about the room must have woke her up. She stirred from her sleep, murmuring something to herself before catching his gaze. Embarrassment washed over them as they stared at each other. "I didn't mean to stay here all night," Norma admitted, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.

Alex fumbled with his pants, quickly sliding them up his legs. He'd thought he had time to dress before she woke, but he was wrong. His eyes fell to the exposed skin on her legs as he buckled his belt. The sunlight peeked in through the window, illuminating the scar she had on her inner thigh. Normally he'd ignore the bumps and bruises he found on her, but he couldn't fight the eerie feeling burrowing inside him. "What happened to your leg?"

She glanced up at him in shock, immediately regretting her choice of nightwear. "It's nothing. I just spilled some hot chocolate." She wouldn't look him in the eye. She never could. Lies were her only form of protection, and she wasn't a very good liar. She nearly bolted for the door, frowning as he blocked her exit. "I have to go home. John's gonna be here soon."

His heart ached when he looked at her. She was the poster child for a lifetime of pain. It killed him. He breathed deeply, praying that what he thought had happened wasn't true though he had a good feeling it was. "Did he do this to you?"

She stared up at him, confusion ridden in her face. "John? No, he'd never—"

"You know who I'm talking about," he muttered, his eyes flickering away from her. "I know, Norma. I know what he did to you."

She froze, her eyes never leaving him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He cringed, his mind flashing back to the night that had haunted him for weeks. "I heard you screaming when I was raking the leaves one day."

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as she struggled to breathe. "Alex."

She didn't have to say anything more. He knew the truth the moment she looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry he hurt you."

She could feel the tears welling in her eyes, and she found herself wanting to crumble in his arms...but she didn't. The sound of a car pulling up caught her attention. "I have to go," she muttered, pushing past him and making her way to the front door.

It had been about a week since Alex had seen Norma. He knew she was purposely avoiding him. She had made it blatantly obvious—turning the other direction when he saw her in the hall, rushing inside her house after school. He tried not to take it personally. She had been through a lot. He could only imagine how humiliated he must have made her feel.

He'd spent a majority of the week trying to forget his mistake, hoping that Norma would eventually cave and forgive him. Part of him knew she'd never get past it though. The truth was out, and her pain would linger with them...forever the elephant in the room. He needed to escape just as much as she did. But there was nowhere to escape in White Pine Bay.

The feeling of someone invading his space broke his daze. "Happy Valentine's day," Sally exclaimed, setting her lunch tray down next to him.

Shit. "Uh, yeah, happy Valentine's day," Alex smiled halfheartedly. He'd forgotten of course. But he wasn't even sure if they were a couple or not.