Before Four [book one]

Ch.4

Tobias' POV

I wake up on a hard surface and slowly open my eyes. I turn on my left side and I see another person against the other wall.

Oh yeah. I kidnapped a pretty girl and she's sleeping in my basement.

Damn. I'm a bad person.

And yes, I have to lie to the pretty girl's brother and say stuff that isn't true.

I sigh and stand up, stretching in the process. I just decide to let Beatrice sleep and go upstairs.

Of course, my parents are already gone so I just grab breakfast for two and go back downstairs. I still feel too sick to eat but I eat anyway. After I'm done, I just sit and watch Beatrice sleep like I did yesterday before she woke up.

Okay let's go over this plan again.

I punched, kidnapped, and now I'm staring at a pretty girl in my basement. Why do I keep saying that? Yeah, she's pretty but I keep saying that.

I'm suddenly really pissed with myself so I stand up and turn away from Beatrice. I face the wall I was leaning against and just punch it hard. Really hard.

And that's when it felt like my hand cracked into a million pieces. Now this makes me an even bigger idiot because I punched a concrete wall with all the strength I have.

I turn back around and slide down the wall again, holding my wrist, careful not to touch my hand. I try not to cry out in pain as blood runs down the back of my hand from split knuckles.

I bite my lip and just watch the blood. The dark red stream flows down the back of my hand and down my arm. It also drops the other way, across my fingers and onto the floor. I cringe with every drop. Jeez, I sound like a baby. I've never been this vulnerable. But I guess I'm getting punished.

I slowly look up to Beatrice, who is stretching while still laying down and starting to sit up. I silently curse to myself and just wait for her expression when she looks at me.

The light is right above her, so she turns it on and looks over to me. I watch her eyes widen as she watches the blood run from my knuckles and down my arm and onto the floor.

"Tobias." She whispers and I just look at her. "Where's the bathroom?" She asks.

"Upstairs." I manage to choke out even though I could hardly hear myself.

She nods and runs upstairs.

I close my eyes for a few seconds and just let the pain express itself.

______________

Beatrice's POV

I run upstairs and try to find the bathroom. I spot the door ajar and run inside, going through every drawer and cabinet. I manage to grab bandages, cotton balls, medicine to put on the hand, and a cleaning substance. I also manage to get a rag and wet it before running back downstairs, trying not to trip.

I see Tobias, closing his eyes, yet pain still visible in his face. I go over and gently set the stuff down on the floor. I kneel down and start wiping the blood carefully off of Tobias' arm and fingers.

His eyes shoot open when I start, but then he calms when he sees what I'm doing.

And then comes the hard part.

I grab the cotton balls and just start dabbing the blood first. Tobias winces and I do too.

"Tell me if it hurts." I whisper.

"It hurts." He says with a slight joking tone.

"You know what I mean. Tell me if I hurt you." I crack the slightest smile while I put the fifth blood-soaked cotton ball in the already made pile.