Beyond the Lights

Water Is Thicker Than Blood.23

I'm excited to see him. I assumed I wouldn't get to until the day was over but he came early today. He tried to keep his head down when he walked in. I immediately knew something was wrong. I didn't want him to tell me if it had anything to do with Damian. I didn't think the bastard would still be bold enough to touch him after what happened.

"It was the guys from school no big deal." Was the first thing he said knowing he couldn't hide it from me even if he tried his best.

"Did you see your face Chresanto?" I tried to hold a steady tone. He looked horrible, his lip was busted and his left eye was practically shut.

"I'm fine, I promise," he told me.

he didn't say anything other than that he just laid his lifeless body down next to me causing my heart to ache. Every day just continued to get harder and harder it was very clear but I couldn't talk to him about it. I didn't want to.

If I could just sleep through the night without waking up every hour maybe then I would have the courage to talk to him. I was afraid to, not because of what he would do but how he would feel. The emptiness, the feeling that I was going to die will never go away and I wouldn't wish any of that on my worst enemy and I definitely didn't want him to understand or have to hear it come out of my mouth.

I needed him to talk to me my thoughts were the last thing I wanted to get tangled up in again.

"Well, what happened?" I asked him.

"Do you really want to know?" he mumbled into the pillows.

I didn't say anything.

"They're talking about us." he lifted his head up. "The whole school." he sighed. "Then the team found out about the scholarship and..." he pointed to his face.

I didn't know what to say, at this point, I was numb to the feeling.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

he lifted his head up just looking at me for a long moment. "Don't apologize for anything. Ever," he said.

I was waiting for him to finish. To say something else but instead, his eyes were just locked on mine. I felt whatever he was trying to say if he was going to say anything else at all and I placed my lips on his. Everything that I had imagined if I made it out alive had come to be. The electricity, the feelings that were unbearable, were all right there mixed up in our kiss. I pulled his body on top of mine wanting more, his hands wondering my body. I knew that he wanted me as much as I wanted him. It was impossible to explain how much we missed each other except for right now. I gasped as he unlocked our kissed and worked his way from my cheek to my neck.

He grasped on my waist and at that moment everything I had forgotten about had come crushing back down. I must've pushed him back from the pain even though we both know he didn't grab me that hard. He didn't hesitate to slide up my hospital gown revealing the bruises that went up along my thigh in disbelief. I pushed his hands away and pulled my gown back down. He blankly stared at me as if he had no idea who I was.

This is what I was afraid of...

"Show me." His voice quivered.

I wouldn't. The marks, the bruises black blue and yellow were horrifying to see. I saw them once and I'll never look at them again.

"No," I whispered.

He got up from off the bed standing at the farthest end of the room. No matter how bad this looked I still wanted him right next to me but I can't tell him the truth he can't know.

"Does your mother know?" He asked trying to hold his composure.

"Chresanto. You can't tell anyone..." I said firmly.