The love.
What did she mean by that?
We've had so many moments.
I mean if I had to pick one it'd be when she called me her safe place.
Or her home.
She'd always tell me that I was better than an actual house.
Or who needs blankets and hoodies when she has me.
I remember the first time she called me her safe place.
Her sophomore year she had gym last.
I always waited for her outside the gym.
One day she came running out, still in her gym clothes.
She jumped into my arms.
"Why aren't you dressed?" I asked.
"They're after me." She whispered.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"We were putting basketballs away and Riley and her friends started throwing them at me." She said.
"Where'd they hit you?" I asked.
"My back, my leg, and my head." She said.
"Why didn't you go to the nurse?" I asked.
"Because she doesn't make me feel safe. You're my safe place." She said.
I put her down.
"You have to change one way or another." I said.
I took her back into the gym.
Sure enough there was Riley and three other people holding basketballs.
I stood in front of her.
"Hit me. You won't." I said.
They thought about it but the balls back.
A couple minutes later, Ashley came out of the locker room dressed in her normal clothes.
I took her back to my house.
"Can I see where she hit you?" I asked.
She nodded.
There was a big red mark on the back of her left leg.
I lifted up her shirt.
The spot where she was hit was turning black and blue.
"How's your head?" I asked.
"Hurts." She said.
"Do you want to go home?" I asked.
"I'm already home." She said.
"What?" I asked.
"You're my home." She said.
