Oh, Eleanor

Chapter 7: What were they hiding?

Ron couldn't understand why Eleanor was doing this. She surely was shouting and Billy must be the reason. What was it they were hiding?
Ron was standing at the porch of Billy's house. He couldn't gather himself to go away. He needed the answers, and more than everything Eleanor was bleeding. She must be needing treatment.
Ron surely was about to explode with enough of what he has seen... And heard. Just then someone tapped on his shoulder. Ron turned around to look.
Billy.
He did not seem as aggressive as he was inside. In fact, he was much apprehended. "Listen, Ron." He said.
Ron waited there with patience.
"You are a sensible kid. Much more sensible than others of your age... And I can even say, you like her." He pointed to his house. Ah! There was Eleanor inside.
Ron nodded.
"That's what I wanted to hear." he snarled. "If you want her to be okay, go and tell no one."
Ron started to say something but decided against it. And nodded instead.
"Fine...I agree. But there are a few conditions."
Billy folded his hands over his chest, "go on, lad."
"You will not touch her." He said, a red warning sign in his voice. "And second, I am going in thought now to check if she is okay."
"Hey! You are not going in!" Billy growled.
"Third, you will never stop me from going in." Ron said, and without further delays, he went inside Billy's house again.
Eleanor was sitting on the couch, crying her heart out. She has a diary or something in her hand. Ron cleared his throat to mark his presence.
Eleanor looked up at once.
"Ron!"
He nodded, taking slow deadbeat steps, he went near her. She looked so weak, so vulnerable. He wished he could protect her for ever. He wanted to cover her in his arms and shelter her from all the worries. He never knew what was it both of them were hiding, but he knew that he will soon find out and then he will take Eleanor away from all this. If only he could do that right now.
"I am sorry, Ron. I just couldn't say the truth in front of those officers." Eleanor said.
"I...I understand, Eleanor." he said, placing his hand on her. Her arm was still bleeding.
Ron felt like cursing. He controlled himself.
"Where do you keep bandaids and stuff." He asked.
"Over there." she said, pointing to the old dusty Almirah.
Ron came back with the first aid box. He quickly cleaned the wound and applied dressing. He hated it when Eleanor winced with pain. He would have liked to chop Billy into halves at that time.
"Is is still hurting?" Ron asked, he somehow controlled his urge to ask more.
She nodded, whipping a tear from her cheek.
"How did Billy left you in?" She asked.
"I forced him into it," Ron said, ignoring an eye contact.
She did not react.
Ron tried hard not to think how her hand was still in his. Although, he had finished the dressing.
He resisted himself and slipped his hands from under her and stood up.
"I gotta dash... And I am sorry that I brought police... And they-" He said.
"Oh, it's fine." She said, interrupting him.
Ron nodded. He turned around to go back to his house. He couldn't resist the urge to turn back and look at her once again.
"Is the... The dressing alright? I mean is it secured?"
She nodded.
And so he turned around and went away.

***

When he went out, Billy was still standing on the porch, as if waiting for him to get out. As soon as he saw Ron, he went running to him.
"Why you took so long?" He snarled.
"I can sniff apprehension..." Ron have a wicked smile, "easy there, Billy. I was just dressing that wound."
Billy seemed no more satisfied.
He bid no goodbyes before he headed back to his house.
Ron too went to his own.
Ron's mother was just standing on the doorway when he went there.
She has her arms folded and her lips pursed. He told himself to get ready for some scolding.
"Ron."
"Yes, mom."
"What is this?" She asked, pointing to the couch. There was blood on it.
"I was so busy since I came in, I payed no attention to anything you have done." She said.
Ron had no answer, he couldn't tell her it was Eleanor.
She wouldn't even know who Eleanor is.
"I...I was... Was a bit hurt when I... Was doing my homework." He swapped. Dang, was it the best he could come up with?
"Would be so nice of you to explain it a little further." She said.
"Um... Staple pins. Yes, I was stapling the papers and the pin went into my flesh. It's... My blood." He said.
"Oh, honey. Show me where."
"Oh, no...I mean you won't see it now. It healed."
His mum nodded and signaled him to go upstairs.
He did as was told.
"I know he is lying. A pin can not shed so much of blood." Ron heard her say to his father.