•Hold onto Me•

11

JAMES POINT OF VIEW!

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I reached my arm out to feel Paige, but she wasn't there I had a moment of panic, jolting straight up to see her looking out my window. She turned to me with a cup of coffee in her hand, "Your mom seems very nice." She looked straight out the window again, she seemed so far away this morning.

"I mean she seems really really nice.." she started to choke on her words, her eyes tearing up. Her voice sounded hurt and little childish. I put a part of her missing puzzle pieces together, her mom must not be in the picture.

I climbed out of bed with my navy Nike sweat pants on, and reached for a shirt. I slipped on a gray v-neck, and walked up to her at the other side of my window. I pulled the curtain back a little ways to be able to catch her view to what she was looking at.

There were kids in the neighbors fenced in yard, playing football. While the little boys and one girl played football, the other girls were pretending to be cheerleaders for the team. I didn't live in the best neighborhood, but in the day it was soaked in by all the kids on the street living life the way kids do, careless. My sister was the one kicking ass in football, I let out a faint smile, when I looked over at Paige who looked devastated. She wants to be one of those kids so bad.

A single tear slipped down Paige's cheek. I wanted to pull her into a warm embrace, but I don't want to over step. She was still in shock I could see it. Paige looks at my eyes as I looked in hers, they were about to overflow with tears, she rubbed them vigorously, with all her frustration, "I don't know what's wrong with me, I never cry I'm good at keeping my shit together. Unless I'm with you. When I'm with you I want to fall into your arms, and stay there and just cry like a pathetic little girl. You make me want to tell you everything, when something good happens I want to talk to you. Even if something terrible happens I just want you with me. AND that kiss! What are we going to say about that!?" She started to laugh, she was laughing so hard it sounded psycho. Then from laughing her tears overflowed. She was still stunned, and soon her laugh turned into a sob. I grabbed her right in that moment and pulled her close, "Shhhhhh it's okay I have you." One of my hands wrapped around to her back pulling her close. While the other one got tangled up in her hair from holding her to my chest. I kept squeezing her tighter and tighter, I want to yell out to her you're safe, and make her believe it, but I haven't been able to keep her safe. She has been hurt twice now while I've been with her. So for now I let her cry and be angry at the world because unlike those kids we can't be careless. If you're careless in today's world, you are either hurt or dead.

She peeled herself off of me, wiping her face. She took a deep breath to where her chest almost touched her chin, her lungs filling with fresh air like a clean slate was just wiped.

"I'll be okay, thank you for everything, but I have to go home, change, shower all that fun stuff." She was being so nonchalant about it. "Let me drive you then.." she didn't even take a second, "it's okay I need to walk anyways." I look at her and started to laugh, "what??" She asked bitterly, "you have no idea where you are." She took a moment, "oh shit I forgot!" She started to laughed, "lead the way then."

We got into my truck, "what did you do to the person who slipped me something?" She looked worried, she probably thought I had killed him or something. "Actually it was Gabe," I was sort of upset that it wasn't me, "I was holding you, and Gabe went up to him and attacked him like an animal, I swear I have never seen him that mad before, but then Gabe was tagged up on so Amy took you from me and I knocked him out and Gabe was able to fend off the other guys and we got out of there, we weren't looking to fight and get caught with fakes, we were just trying to get you out safe." I looked down shaking my head, "I'm sorry.." her eyes went wide she jerked back her head, "DON'T YOU DARE!!! I'm so tired of everyone feeling guilty about me, it's like I can't live without making someone feel bad.." I looked at her, trying to understand, "if anyone is to apologize, it's me! I put you guys through hell!" I let her take a moment to collect, I put my thoughts together and decided to just say it, "Paige understand this, all I want to do with my life is protect those I care about. You understand? So when I wasn't able to keep you safe twice now, I start to get upset because I hate seeing you hurt. I know someone down the road was bad to you and didn't treat you well, and I want to make sure that never happens again. I want to be the one who helps you stay together. You're the most amazing girl I know, and I never want to see you hurt."

Paige looked forward through the windshield. "Okay then, but you have to tell me something about your family. I met your mom and sister this morning." I instantly smile, "they are great, what do you want to know?" She looks right into my eyes, "Can I meet them again, kind of like a do-over? Because I feel bad for my lack of socialization when I went downstairs, I just needed water and your mom and sister were so sweet, I'd love to see them again. They made me happy." I look so deep into her eyes, she was a little it broken, but she is so strong. She cares for my family.. well part of them. She is quite possibly the most beautiful girl I have ever met, inside and out. "I'd love that more than anything.." I say very meaningfully, "but, maybe we can get food or something I'm not really suppose to have guests." "OF COURSE! I'm sorry I barged in like that, I feel bad for always being an mess you guys have to clean up. Maybe later on everyone can come over for a movie?" I nodded, not wanting to let on how excited I got that I was going to see her again, "I'll send out a group text. Ben has great movies I'll get him to bring a few and we can decide which ones to watch later." I kissed her on the cheek as she got out of the truck.

I looked into her beautiful hazel eyes, and soaked them in. Until she lunged at me kissing me. I kissed back of course and it become a hungry passionate kiss. It was intense, we fell in sync with one another and we're lost in our will own world. Until someone hit the front of my car, 'BANG' it was Josh..

I rolled my window down, "Hey there guys hope I'm not interrupting?" He was being sarcastic, he definitely hoped he interrupted. "Hey josh, I just picked up Paige to give her a ride home.." my voice sounded shaky, did her brother really make me nervous? No of course not, but I need him to like me. They best way to get your girls brother to like you is to make them feel bigger than you. Did I just refer to Paige as my girl?

"Paige I think you better get in the house while me and Jr here have a talk," Paige made an annoyed huffing sound, "Josh don't be like this, he's fine. You're embarrassing yourself." Josh rolled his eyes at Paige's comment, "you just wait.." he said with a smirk on his face, he couldn't even take himself serious. Paige looks at me with an apologetic look. I reassure her, "it's all good I understand, you're his little sister I'd be the same way with mine. Now go inside before he comes back out with a gun." She laughed pecked me on the cheek and got out waiving as I pulled out the driveway. Damn she is cute, even the morning after.

As I was driving home I saw Dan and his buds, he was a little too close to Paige's house than I liked, I pulled my truck over, "What are you boys doing on this side of town." My voice was sharp, I knew if I needed to I could take them, if there's anything I learned in my life it was how to hit and take a hit. The gas station was sketchy and vacant as of now, "Why don't you mind your own damn business James, you don't have your boys to back you up." The boys all laugh, I get out of the truck, I was bigger than Dan. I was bigger than everyone else for that matter.

"Get your stuff and be gone, you have no business over here, and I really don't feel like beating anyone's asses today." He looked at me with a sly grin on his face, "why don't I ask you the same thing. What are you doing over here? It wouldn't happen to relate to your girls house being right up the block. Yeah she's pretty fine, I'd tap that, I don't blame you, she's kind of a bitch though, nothing a little force can't handle, you know what I mean," He was looking at me with a smile on his face his boys laughing behind me play hitting each other, he's egging me on, and it's working. My face was turning red my fists clenched together, "WATCH IT TOUGH GUY!" I was amped up, ready to take him and all of the other guys. Then someone grabbed my shoulder from behind me. I turned around and swung at that person to knock them back. Holy shit no no no, this isn't happening.

Dan and his guys all laughed, "OH SHIT!" piling into their truck, squealing the tires as the pulled out of the drive to the gas station. I turned around to help the officer who was on the ground. I just about knocked him out. I really can't get arrested, even though I probably will now, because the lovely officer on the ground is because of me is Josh.