Fix You ~Completed~

Act Eight

I was met with a hug from Gale when I walked into the Pasta Shack. His hug was warm and smelled distinctly of gingerbread and pumpkin. It was a pleasant smell to be filled with. "We have some serious crap to talk about," Gale stated the minute we pulled apart. His dainty hand came up and tapped the side of my face, an oddly intimate gesture that didn't make me shrivel up.

"Okay?" I responded, confused. Eddie was talking to Patricia, the owner of the shack, and she smiled when she saw me. "Um, hi."

"Hi," both Eddie and Patricia said in sync, waving. Patricia grabbed three menus and lead us to an empty booth in the nearly dead restaurant. Gale and Eddie sat on one side while I sat alone on the other, reminding me that I was technically still an outsider here while they were lifelong friends.

Holy crap, what if the serious thing they need to talk to me about is how they don't wanna be friends anymore? What if they're really fricking mad I bailed so quickly on Friday and they realized I'm just not really worth it?

I knew I wasn't worth it, but I enjoyed their friendship. I enjoyed spending time with two people who- at least seemed to- liked me. I liked them.

"Can we get the Big Platter?" Gale asked, referring to the largest meal you could get at the Pasta Shack. It was enough to fill five people, which made my stomach turn because it would only need to really feed two. I should have explained I wouldn't be eating.

"Of course! Anything for three of my favorite customers!" Patricia chirped in her sweet way. I missed that. "I didn't realize you guys were all friends!"

"We just met two weeks ago," Gale explained, gesturing to me. I smiled weakly. "We are now officially Alvin and the Chipmunks!"

Eddie turned to Patricia, shaking his head. "We never agreed to that," he clarified with a huge grin on his face. She giggled, giving him a shrug to say What can you do?

"Well, that's swell," she commented. "I'll have that right out for you guys!"

When Patricia left, my friends turned to me in perfect unison. I couldn't help but to lean back in my seat, a little scared. What on earth was wrong?

"Clem," Gale started, his voice gentle, open. It was inviting. I didn't know what he was inviting. That was really starting to worry me. "We get we haven't known each other that long and everything, but..."

"That guy, your boyfriend? You looked scared out of your mind of him," Eddie interrupted, the pretty eyes of his I'd spent last Friday admiring a shade darker than I'd remember. I didn't think people's eyes actually got dark like that when they were angry. Eddie looked ready to rip a tree straight from its roots.

I swallowed. "K-Kyla?"

"Again! Clem, just at the mention of him you're shaking," Eddie sighed, softening like butter. To my surprise, he got out of his seat and slid in next to me. I scooted up against the wall, away from him. It wasn't that I wanted to put distance between us. I honestly wasn't sure why I did it. "Hey, it's okay. We just want to make sure you're alright."

I looked down.

I am okay. I am happy. I am okay. I am happy.

Wasn't I okay? Wasn't I happy?

"Clem, does your boyfriend ever hurt you? Verbally or physically," Eddie asked, his voice low.

The question caught me so off guard I actually let out a squeak. "Kyla n-never means to!" I blurted. Both boys let out deep breaths. My hands flew to my mouth, realizing how I had made it sound. "No, you don't g-get it! Kyla... he is a g-good boyfriend. He is all I've ever had. He's good to me."

"Clem, your arm," Eddie was whispering now. "When I grabbed it, you sort of... you freaked out a little."

What was more shameful? What Kyla did to me or what I did to myself?

I looked directly at Eddie. I couldn't be honest here. I could only tell them a version of the truth. "I don't like being touched," I admitted indifferently. "It just bothers me. That doesn't mean anything."

"That's a typical sign of abuse," Eddie explained with a shrug. He moved closer to me, realizing I had nowhere else to go. He literally had me up against a wall here. "Clem, you can tell us. We can help you. We'll protect you."

"Against what?" I stammered. His eyes were such a pretty blue this close up. It was a nice contrast from Kyla's dull brown. I couldn't even call his something special like hazel or chocolate brown. Eddie's were a deep aqua.

I was snapped out of my thoughts by Eddie taking my hand. "Against Kyla," he said, as though it were obvious. "You don't have to be his punching bag anymore. You can come with us. Let us help you."

Help me? They thought they'd be helping me if they removed me from the one person who loved me?

"I-I can't," I stuttered, yanking my hand free. "Kyla is a good boyfriend. I told you that! Stop trying to turn him into some villain!"

"Clem-" Gale tried, but stopped when I climbed over Eddie and got out of the booth. I could hardly breathe. "Clem, we're sorry!"

My head down, I hurried away from the booth, trying so desperately hard to get some air back into my swollen lungs. Patricia stopped when she saw me rushing by and called out, but I ignored her. I ignored all of them.

Kyla didn't "abuse" me. He loved me. He'd never do anything wrong. Kyla was perfect.