Outcasts

The Truth

Levi.

When I got home that morning, it had to be the one morning my mother had her door open. The stench of alcohol hung on the air and I pinched the bridge of my nose as she walked out and met me.

"Where have you been?" She growled.

"I was out," I mumbled tiredly. I hear giggles down the stairs from Toby's basement area. Ew.

"It was a fucking school night!" My mom screeches. I nod.

"I know."

She gives me the stank eye and I sigh. "Are you done?" I ask quietly. Apparently my mom was an angry drunk today because she slapped me, before turning around and walking back into her room, slamming the door.

Xxx

Riley's p.o.v.

The next few weeks are amazing. Levi sleeps over a lot, her parents never seem to care. It's not like we are having sex or anything, we literally just sleep and I'm okay with that- I love that. She isn't touchy feely in public and I try to respect that.

"Knock it off," she giggles looking down at me. I smile before kissing her stomach.

This is rare. Tonight Levi is being more vulnerable than usual, her eyes are sad and she had mumbled something about her brother when she got here.

She'd instantly laid down on her back, relaxing into my bed and I had made the risky move of laying on top of her, my chin resting on her stomach, just above her naval piercing. She'd worn a crop top today so my skin was touching her smooth skin and I couldn't help but feel ridiculously happy. Levi had only let us lay this way one other time, when I was bummed about losing a hockey game. I think it made her feel trapped, and that was the problem, she wouldn't tell me why she was felt trapped.

I feel her fingers wiggle into my hair and I smile, kissing her stomach again.

Her eyes are on the greener spectrum right now- which means she's happy, unlike when she arrived and they were more blue. I'm just happy that I'm the reason she's happy.

"Larson," she says quietly and I look up at her.

"Hm?" I ask raising an eyebrow and once again kissing her stomach. God she is so perfect.

"Are we ever going to go sleep at a normal time?" She asks me.

Because of her lack of affection towards me at school, I tend to want her attention late into the night- I don't think she really minds, she's just being Levi, which means being difficult. Her fingers are playing in my hair and I close my eyes, slowly shaking my head.

I could ask her now, to be my girlfriend, and so I found myself sitting here thinking of how to say it. My thoughts are cut off with her groaning, "Larson, no."

"What?" I ask sitting up slightly.

"I saw that look," she murmured, "no, not yet."

I sigh. This is the third time it's happened and I wonder what she's waiting for. I know I love Levi. I can feel it. And I want her to feel loved and happy, so I don't push. I also don't tell her that I love her because I know that she's the kind of girl it could scare away, but she's also the girl who won't say it first.

I look up at her, and I meet those sea green eyes. She gives me a lopsided grin, seeing my face looking all disappointed. She tugs on my hair, "don't worry Larson. Soon, just," she paused, nibbled her lip, something was up, and I wondered if it had to do with home.

"Levi?" I whisper. She glances at me.

"What?"

"How come you never talk about your parents?" I ask quietly.

She sighed and closed her eyes wiggling out from under me.

"I'm gonna go home now," she mumbled, shoving me off of her. She didn't look at me, but she didn't need to. She was upset now.

"Please, Levi just stay," I mumbled.

She shook her blue hair and glanced at me, her lip trembled and I wanted to kiss her, but it wasn't a good idea. Instead I nodded.

"If you want to go, I can't make you stay," I said quietly. She glanced at me.

I turned to lie on my back, staring at the ceiling, expecting her to be gone when I hear shuffling around and the bed shifts and suddenly she's straddling me. I smile as she presses her lips to mine.

Xxx

She left twenty minutes later, and I sighed, my head spinning. That girl was something else.

But now I was determined to find out what was up with Levi's family.

I wandered down the hall, into my moms room where she sat on her bed reading a book.

"What's up baby?" She asked setting the book down as I plopped down next to her. I know I look like my mom, dark hair, hazel eyes, same nose and complexion.

"Mom," I start, she raises an eyebrow. "What's up with Levi's family?"

And my mom sighed. "Honest baby?" And I nodded. And that's when my mom told me everything. About Levi's dads affairs, how her mother is a drunk that the neighbors often call the police on for disturbances, she told me about the summer of 8th grade right before that party, how the cops had shown up because her mom had beat her.

She told me stories, and I wondered how I hadn't seen it, the signs. I closed my eyes as my mom wrapped her arms around me, kissing my forhead.

"Riley," she said softly, "I've seen the way that girl looks at you, and I know you love her, but don't hurt her. Be careful with her, I really like her and I'd hate to see her go."

I stood up, nodding. "Thanks mom."

"Anytime baby, now go to bed."