Unmasked

Chapter Seven

I didn't turn around to face him. I didn't really say a word. I just sat there, facing the waves. I knew exactly who it was, but I didn't get the butterflies or nervousness I had gotten around him when I had driven him earlier today this time around. Honestly, I just wanted to be alone. I didn't want to be near him.

"Are you deaf?" Wes asked, but I just shook my head.

"Nope." I answered, clutching myself even tighter by pulling my knees up to my chin and hugging them.

"Well, I kind of wanted some alone time." He said with a tone.

Me too, asshole.

"Well, this is my rock." I mumbled.

"I don't see your name written anywhere on it." He said, and I could just see him giving me a look.

Fine. If he wasn't going to leave, I was. I didn't have to deal with this. Hell, I didn't want to deal with this. I would just find another place to sit tonight. It honestly wasn't a big enough deal to where I was going to sit here and argue with him. I had enough fighting tonight. My face, and the pain stemming from my head and cheek were proof enough of that. And, I didn't want him to see me beat up. I didn't want anyone to see me.

"Fine. I'll leave." I said, still not bothering to look at him, as I scooted to the edge of the rock and I began to make my way down.

"Whoa, whoa... Blake. Don't be stupid." He called after me, but I wasn't paying attention. I had climbed down this rock dozens of times.

I knew exactly where to put my feet as I climbed down the rock. It wasn't even high up, so I didn't really understand why he had called me stupid. And, there was only sand beneath me. Once my feet touched the sand, I still never glanced his way. I turned my back on him and my rock, and I began to walk down the beach in search of a new place to sit. I knew that there were secluded cliffs near by that I could go to, but it was dark and I didn't want to risk anything. So, I just kept walking along the side of the ocean, letting the waves barely crash along the ridge of my feet. I was bending over to slip off my shoes when I heard Wes dismounting off the rock.

"Hey!"

I didn't answer him. Instead, I just slipped off my shoes and kept walking away from him. Wasn't he supposed to be some loner? Why did he suddenly want to make conversation with me? I didn't want to talk to him. How could I make it any more clear?

"Just leave me alone, Wes." I said, and I didn't really know if he heard me. 

He didn't respond and I just assumed he didn't hear me. I heard him getting closer to me, and I felt him before I heard him behind me. He grabbed my arm from behind as if he was trying to turn me around to see me. I fought him.

"Let go of me!" I said, trying to keep my face hidden and my body turned away from his.

"No, Blake. Let me see your face." He said calmly, but it was that same scary calm I had heard him use on his father when I had first saw him.

I had to register what he said, and as soon as I realized what he said, I froze in place. He must have seen a glimpse of the bruises as I climbed down the rock. I knew for sure that I had two. One on my cheek where the boy had hit me and one on my head from the backlash of his other hand as he was reaching for me (probably to keep me still) as he hit me. I didn't want to have to explain myself to Wes. Because, he probably was thinking the worst.

I didn't move to face him, but that didn't stop Wes from turning me around himself. When he pulled me to where I was facing him, his eyes suddenly shot to the top of my head and then to my cheek. My face suddenly heated up with his eyes combing over every inch of my face, searching every detail that he could, as if trying to piece together what happened. I cast my eyes downward, not wanting to show how embarrassed I felt. I didn't know if he was still investigating my injuries, but there was a stilled silence between the two of us, and I wasn't going to be the first one to break it.