Finding Hope.

Chapter 3

Chapter Three

I took a deep breath and looked at Siwon. Concern was plastered on his face.

"Did you sleep here because you couldn't walk? I should have helped you." He said with exasperation, placing his hand on his forehead. I smiled a little. How could someone that I know so little care so much about me?

"No that's not it." I said quietly. I wasn't sure if I should tell him everything.

"I ran away." I said, looking down. Siwon was silent. "So I don't have a place to stay."  I looked up and saw Siwon looking at me with that strange expression on his face again. He looked extremely handsome but it was annoying. Was he judging me?

"You don't have to judge me." I said defensively, putting up a wall. Siwon eyes widened and he shook his head.

"No no no I wasn't judging you at all." He said quickly. "Im just wondering why... why would you run away." He added quietly and carefully. Looking back at him, I melted in his deep brown eyes that started at me with curiosity and concern.

"There is just something bad going on at home that I need to be away from." That's all I told him. All he did was nod.

"I understand." He said, placing a reassuring hand on my back. I shrunk back at his touch, my defense system up again. Siwon pulled his hand away quickly.

"I'm sorry." I said, feeling guilty after seeing the look on his face. 

"I just want to help you." Siwon said, clearing his throat and looking down.

"If you ever need a place to stay..." He started to say, but then stopped. My heart pounded.

Does he like you?

No. Just trying to take advantage of a girl without a place to stay

. But he helped me up and offered to carry me home.

Probably to rape you.

If he wanted to rape me, he would have done it already.

Then should you trust him? 

I battled with my negative thoughts. For once, could I trust someone? Siwon got up off the bench awkwardly.

"Well at least can I wrap your foot and-" I interrupted his kind offers.

"Siwon. Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked forwardly. Siwon sat down next to me again and looked at my with kind eyes.

"There is something about you...that I feel like I need to do everything I can to help you. Wow that sounds creepy," He said, sort of embarrassed. For some reason, tears came to my eyes again. This time they weren't from being sad or hurt.

"Christina. Don't cry, I-" He stopped abruptly when I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a hug.

"Thank you," I whispered, "This is the first time anyone had actually cared for me." I said. I realized that I had given out too much information, but Siwon didn't ask any questions. Instead he held me until my tears stopped. I slowly pulled back from him, not knowing what to say. 

"So will you let me help you?" He said, breaking the silence. At first I didn't respond, but one look at his pleading eyes, and my heart melted. Its not like I liked him, I just found him VERY attractive. I finally decided to trust him. Nodding, I looked up and saw I slight smile on Siwon's face. I had been ignoringthe excruciating pain from my throbbing ankle, or trying to, until know. I felt tears still rolling down my cheeks, but I couldn't control them. Siwon immediately noticed and kneeled down at my feet to examine my ankle.

"Oh my gosh. This might be more than a sprain. We need to prop your foot up and put ice on it  in case or you might damage the tissues around the fracture." He said seriously. He drew his hand close to my foot but I pulled back, causing more pain than Siwon probably would have.

"Please don't touch it." I said, wincing. Siwon looked up at me and said gently,

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." 

"I've heard that one before." I muttered under my breath, but allowed him to gingerly place his finger on my swollen ankle. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and then got up.

"Are you a doctor or something? It feels better already." I exclaimed, amazed that his touch seemed to make the pain decrease. Siwon shook his head, chuckling.

"Thank you Jesus." I heard him whisper under his breath as he set my bike upright and picked up my backpack. So he was a religious man? I smiled, remembering that my mother used to take me to church when I was little. That was before the accident. Before my life changed. That's when I stopped believing in anything.

"You have to come to my house and put some ice on it. Then we can go to the doctor." He told me. I hesitated.

"I don't have any money." That was a lie. I stole money from my father before I left., but the truth was I was afraid of my name being recognized. My father was the Chief of Police in this small town. That was another reason why I was afraid to tell. Who would believe me?

"Don't worry, I'll pay for the bill." He said immediately. I smiled a little, but was still worried on the inside.

"Okay.." I said quietly, starting to get up. Siwon stopped me.

"You really shouldn't be putting any pressure on your foot at all." He told me seriously. "I'm gonna have to carry you." I felt my heart pound quicker as he motioned me to get on his back. Was I scared? No. It was something else. I instinctively wrapped my arms around his lower neck when he stood up. I remembered how my mother used to carry me around the house like this. Why were all these happy memories coming back to me? I wasn't that I minded, I was just glad that they hadn't been replaced with memories of my father. 

Siwon bent down with no problem, picking up my bag and bicycle and tucking it under his arm. I held onto his shoudlers tightly as he stood back up. We went in silence. I heard him begin to breath heavily after ten mintues.

"You know, if this is too hard for you I can just walk." I told him.

"No I'm fine" I heard him reply.Even so, he began to walk a little slower. The sun was beginning to rise and warm light flooded through the trees and lit my face. I set my head down on Siwon's back, beginning to feel relaxed and sleepy, feeling the rhythmic bounce of his every step. He felt my hands loosen around his neck so he bend his back so I wouldn't fall off. 

"You can put me down, I don't want you to hurt your back" I mumbled before closing my eyes. I felt the vibrations of his chuckle through his back and fell asleep. For the first time in five years, I didn't have a nightmare.