Lonely

Chapter 22, Sadie

We started walking again, and Hanger seemed to return to normal, even a little happy as we went. He had woken me, screaming my name and talking about the blonde haired lady and massive dog with green eyes. My heart broke hearing him so upset. I didn’t know how to comfort him though, and I wanted to know. As we walked, I examined the scars tracing his arms and hands. They stood out in stark contrast against his skin, but I couldn’t place what they were from. Some looked like bite marks, but others looked like they were from something really sharp, like a knife or a claw or something. He had changed into his knew clothes, so he didn’t look as dusty as he usually did.

“What did you do to keep you self busy in the castle?” I asked. He frowned a little. “I didn’t keep myself busy, really. I wandered a lot. There was always a new place to discover in there. I used to create little games with myself when I was a little kid, but really, I didn’t do much other than sleep and wander and watch. I always looked for things that would help me with my memory though. I don’t remember before six years old.” He said. I raised my eye brows.

“Nothing before six?” I asked. He pursed his lips and nodded. I knew he didn’t want to talk about it, and I figured that was enough for now. “Well, when I was six, I have memories. Let’s see…. Oh, there was the time I got I trouble in school for dumping a hole can of glue on some girls head. Oh, and then there was when I clogged every toilet with paper towels in my house, and then flushed them.” I laughed a little. “It took hours for my parents to clean up all the water.”

“You must have been a real joy as a child.” Hanger murmured. “Yeah. I think I traumatized every babysitter I ever had. We never kept nannies for more than a month before they quit. My parents would get so mad at me.” Hanger shook his head,  a smile playing around his lips.

“Why were you so bad for them?” he asked, looking down at me. I had to think about that. “I dunno. I guess to get my parents home more often.” I said. I had never really thought about it. Hanger didn’t say anything else. Suddenly, there was a rustling in the branches above us. Hanger tensed just as Rex fell out of the tree and landed on Hanger, digging his claws into his shoulder. Hanger winced. “Stupid little monster, get off of me.” He muttered, shoving Rex off his shoulder. Rex looked up at Hanger with a wounded look then turned to me and jumped five feet up in the air and landed in my arms.

“I know, he’s mean, isn’t he? It’s okay.” I said, glaring at Hanger with false anger, an accusing look on my face. He shook his head. “I thought most girls wanted little dogs to put in there purse. No, you want a dragon thing that hates me.” He said. Rex snarled at Hanger and I laughed. “Why do you think he sticks around with us?” I asked, pulling my head back to look at Rex’s dragon like head and beady black eyes. Hanger snorted.

“Probably ‘cause he’s a runt and will get eaten in the castle by a cock roach.” He said, eyeing Rex. He suddenly smiled at me, and my heart literally skipped a beat. I stumbled just as the rain that had held off for hours came down. It was pretty bright out now, the air still a foggy gray color. I swore under my breath as Rex jumped off my shoulder and ran off into the woods for a dry spot. Rain pelted down heavily, rolling down my face. Hanger looked up.

“It’s raining.” He pointed out the obvious. “Really? How did I miss that?” I asked sarcastically. “Lets go find some place dry to wait until this passes. We had to walk for quite some time before we found any place.

By the time we stumbled into the opening that had a massive pond, my hair was soaking wet, plastered to me like a drowned cat. I was sure that at some point, there had probably been a little house around here, hundreds of years ago, but now there was just a big pond full of leaves. I looked around the edges, for any sort of cover from the pouring rain.

“There!” I said over the rain, pointing to the other side of the pond where there was large willow tree. We darted around the edges of the pond, reaching the tree just as flash of lightning and a crack of thunder sounded. The ground was fairly dry under the tree, so I sat down, leaning against the trunk of the tree, which was big enough for me and Hanger to share. He took advantage of that and sat down next me. “When I was little, I hated the rain. My dad said it was because I had wandered out side during a storm and the door locked behind me. My parents found me after it was over, and they were pretty freaked.” I looked over at Hanger, and my breathing stopped. We were so close that our legs and shoulders were touching. He was looking at me with those black eyes that make me feel like I could just fall into them and find the answers to everything at the bottom.

I became acutely aware of the heat coming from is body. I tried to keep talking. “I don’t mind them anymore…because….um….” I gave up. Hanger leaned in slowly, stopping when his mouth was just a centimeter away from mine. I stayed perfectly still, afraid of ruining the moment. My breathing sped and he leaned in that extra centimeter and pressed his lips to mine. Gently at first, but growing stronger every second. I realized I was just sitting there, and warm shivers of joy spread through me. I tilted my head to deepen the kiss, and he responded by wrapping his arms around my waist to pull me closer. I hooked my arms over his neck and pulled him more down to my level, opening my mouth. I wasn’t thinking about any consequences, because I knew I could trust Hanger. He wouldn’t leave me.

The only thought that went through my head as I twined my fingers into his black hair was, how could this kid possibly know how to kiss like this? We broke apart, our breathing rapid, and I felt him kiss the length of my jaw, then back up to my mouth. I was so happy it felt like there was something warm building up inside of me. Why haven’t I been doing this all along? I asked myself. We broke apart, but I didn’t open my eyes. I was too happy. I realized we had somehow ended up lying on the ground. I opened one eye to see Hanger gazing at me. He gave me that cock-eyed smile, and I smiled back. I rested my head in the dent of his shoulder, his arm still around me, holding me against him. I slowly fell to sleep, the sound of his breathing, the warmth of his body, and the warm scent of him all lulling me to sleep.