As Long As We're Together

10: I am Ray Levnick

I ran up to Nathan's door and pounded on it, my numbness and emptiness inside of me started to fill up with all kinds of emotions. Tears started to fill my eyes, my head throbbed as blood continued to come out of the cuts and bashes in my face. Nathan suddenly opened the door then stood there, shocked.

"Ray, what happened?" Nathan said with such sorrow in his voice. Yet he seemed to know what happened somehow. Reaching his hand out he lightly touched my bruised and bloodied cheek.

"I can't go home, I have nowhere else to go!" I cried wrapping my arms around his warm body. I buried my face into his shirt to hide my tears. Nathan rubbed his hand through my hair and rocked me lightly in his arms.

"It's ok, I got you man. My mom and dad are about to go out to eat with my Grandparents, I'll stay here." Said Nathan calmly pulling away looking at my swollen, battered face. "You can spend the night here. Go to my room, I'll meet you there and we can talk."

Nathan pushed the hair out of my eyes, my pathetic voice shook as I thanked him.

As I walked through his large, spacious house Nathan went to the kitchen. I went through the living room and into his bedroom, completely avoiding where Nathan had went since his family was there at the time.

I walked into Nathan's room turning on the light, I sat on his neatly made bed as it creaked beneath my sore bones. I heard a gasp that came from the kitchen then faint indistinct talking.

I heard vaguely "Why do you have blood on your hands." Then something along the lines of. "Is he ok."
From that point on I ignored the voices. I wanted Nathan right now, I wanted him to come tell me everything was going to be okay. I know it sounds cliche and dumb, but I need him.

Finally Nathan came through the door way, he shut it behind him than sat beside me.

I stared into his eyes as he stared back. He broke the silence with his raspy saintly voice, "You want to talk about it."

I suddenly poured everything I had been keeping inside. Well almost everything, I did not tell him how they thought I was gay. For some reason I couldn't tell him, I felt like it could ruin our relationship. Or maybe I was just scared it could be true, I mean. No, I know who I am. I am Ray Levnick, my best friend is Nathan Jean and my girlfriend is Jessica Lewis.

I only told Nathan how my sister Emily turned them against me. I told him how my dad used to hit me all the time but not like this. He just sat there and listening, occasionally telling me it was going to be okay. Not in the cheesy way, because he actually meant it.

"My parents said you can stay in the guest room for a few nights. But if you want I can tell them that your dad said you can't come home. They'll let you stay here for as long as you want, I'm sure of it. You know that their like family right?"

"Thanks man, but." I paused and looked him dead in the eye, "I-I c-can't sleep alone tonight, can I please just sleep in your room? I can't, I ca-" I started hyperventilating, my eyes started to get glossy and my face turned red. I started thinking about everything my dad had done to me.

"Ray, yeah. Yes!" He grabbed the back of my head and lightly shook me, shaking me back to reality, I started to calmed down. I took a deep breath as he said, "I wasn't planning on you sleeping in the guest room by yourself, okay? You can sleep with me in my bed." Nathan grabbed my hand and scraped some of the dry blood off.

"You should wash up, you look like hell." He laughed blowing the blood flakes from my hands onto my shirt.

"Ew gross, what the hell man!" I laughed, as the last tear fell from my eye, I was actually happy. My dad beat the crap out of me, it made me even closer to my best friend. I stood up and smiled at Nathan. "All right then, I'll wash all this blood off me. This will be the second time today of me doing that."

Nathan followed me into the bathroom. I sat on the cold tile floor and watched him as he wet a clean wash cloth. He sat beside me, and gently placed his hand under my chin tilting my head as he lightly dabbed the warm rag on my wounds.

"Ah, dammit." I flinched as he got near my eye. It was so painful, imagine getting punched multiple times by a 6'4 guy, then getting beat in the face by your dad then falling onto concrete, face first. Well that's exactly what happened and how it feels.

"You okay?" Asked Nathan wiping off the last bits of blood on my neck and hands. I knew what he meant. I was okay now that he was here.

"You make everything better." I said smiling.

"You're hella cheesy Ray." He said laughing.