Unbreakable

Chapter 10

But I didn't even make it out of my room before a light snap against my window halted me. 

I froze midway, my hand on the door, waiting to see if I'd hear the sound again.

*snap*

it was the sound of a rock hitting the window. 

I slowly crept toward the only window in the room. As I peeped out the sheer curtains I noticed a dark figure below it. At first, I freaked out, I mean some random, black clothed stranger throwing rocks at your window? Who wouldn't be?

But the features of the man came into view and it was no stranger.

It was West, of course.

I hurriedly pulled on the ancient window, it groaned and screeched in protest, but I got it partially  open. West sat there with a grin on his face the whole time. 

"Cupcake is there any way you can come down?" he asked in a whisper-yell.  I shook my head, there was no way I'd be able to sneak past my dad right now. And I was definitely not gonna jump out a damn window. His face fell an inch then he looked slightly puzzled. Then the most devious of smiles crept on his face.

"Alright, then you leave me no choice." He said with the smile still intact. Then without hesitation, he started scaling the drainpipe. In movies this seemed way more romantic, but when its real life it's actually kind of scary.  I watched in complete horror as he struggled up the narrow piping, almost falling backward a few times.  When he was close enough to my window he grabbed hold of the small ledge and hoisted himself onto it. 

And then there, standing in my very room was West Hayes. 

A very out of breath, West Hayes.

"That," he panted, "was a lot harder," he bent forward while catching a breath,"than it looks" He took a few more moments to catch his breath before he realized I still hadn't said a word. 

I was in shock. I was confused on why he was here, in my room. And most of all I was completely relieved. I mean obviously he couldn't have been hurt too bad by my dad, he just shimmied up a drain pipe with no more than a slight winding as his aftermath. But I was relieved more that he was here. I didn't think he'd ever want to see me again. Even as I planned to go see him, deep down I would not have blamed him for shutting the door in my face. 

"Earth to Cass," he said waving his hand in front of my face with a smile, "you space out a lot you know?" 

"I'm sorry," I hesitated," it's just, why are you here?" 

"Isn't it kinda obvious? I came to see you, why else would I be in your room?"

"No I mean, why? Like why do you still even want to be near me after what happened today?"

His face turned serious but he didn't reply not for a while. 

"Cassidy...."he said slowly," you do realize none of this was your fault? Right?" I didn't say anything so he took it as his cue to continue, "You didn't do anything wrong. It's not on you what your father does, those are his choices, not yours." I shook my head at that, it is on me. If I hadn't been with West he woulda never got hit. Or if I had done something,like pulled my dad away, instead of just standing there useless. It was my choice to go with West, it was my choice to not intervene when I had the chance. It was my fault. 

"Cass, listen to me, don't beat yourself up over this. It's no big deal, quite honestly I've taken worse beatings." West said with a chuckle. But I wasn't laughing, in fact, I felt the need to cry. He may have taken worse beatings but that doesn't mean he deserved to get beat at all. No one deserved that. 

West walked over to wrap his arms around me and just that small gesture snapped my self-control, the tears I was struggling to keep in spilled out. 

I couldn't contain it anymore, I didn't allow myself to cry usually but this was uncontrollable. It was like years worth of tears came spilling out and West calmly took it all. He rubbed my back in small circular motions while he kept my head pinned to his chest. He kept me in that position even as he lead me to the bed where we both took a seat.

I cried it all out for I don't even know how long and the whole time West just comforted me. He whispered things like "It's ok" and "just let it out" every now and then. But every kind word he gave made me cry more. 

 Eventually, my sobs ebbed and at that point, I was so tired, mentally and physically, so when West pulled me back against the bed with him I allowed him to. 

With my head against his chest, I could hear his steady heartbeat. It etched its beat against my ear and in a way, was like my own personal lullaby. Coupled with the way I was feeling in his arms, slowly I was soothed to sleep. 

And for the first time in a long while, I slept peacefully with no dreams.