Breaking Free

Chapter 5

I started to run. But I didn't get very far. As soon as I turned the corner, I plowed straight into the guy whose name I still didn't know and practically sent him flying to the floor. I guess I was a lot stronger today after the food, bath and rest.
"Shit man! Watch where you're going? What's your hurry?" He exclaimed looked a little hurt. I hadn't meant to hurt him, I didn't even hear him, I was so focused with getting away.
He stood up and brushed himself off quickly before looking to me once more. Before he could get a good look, Violet came running out of the house to join us. I clasped my hands together and placed them over my groin.
"Hey what's wrong?" She asked softly.
"Idiot ran into me." The guy told her looking angry.
"Don't be mean, I'm sure it was an accident. Right?" She asked me and I nodded hesitantly. They both looked me over several times before looking at each other.
"You look a lot better today. Like, a lot! Your open wounds have nearly fully healed over and your bruising has completely gone! How is that even possible?" Violet asked taking a step closer. I took a step back. It was against our rules for humans to know about us. We had to keep our kind a secret from the humans since the very beginning. But how was I going to explain this? They were getting suspicious. I needed to run.
"Why don't you come inside? I've made pancakes." Violet smiled. Mmm, pancakes! I could feel my mouth start to water again. They both walked back inside and I turned to face the forest ahead. I could run now. I could get far from here and from the pack. I could start a new life somewhere. A place where no one could hurt me ever again. But I hesitated. I could smell the waft of the pancakes cooking in the kitchen and I felt it pull me inside. At the table was a huge stack of maple syrup pancakes with freshly squeezed orange juice. I sat down quickly with my back to the wall and stuffed 3 pancakes in my mouth at once. They both watched me like I was some alien that had just landed on the planet and asked if it could borrow the bathroom. I probably did look like an alien at this point.
"So Jake is going into town today to run a few errands. He can pick you up some more clothes if you'd like? You're practically the same size. Near enough." She asked catching on the last 2 words. A blush crept across her face but was gone in seconds. She tried to give me a reassuring smile as she watched me down my orange juice, not taking my eyes off them both.
"Yeah well, I'm outta here." Jake said as he abruptly got up from the table and left to climb back into his truck. Now we were alone again.

I laid comfortably on the couch watching an old movie, occasionally turning my glance across the room to see Violet clearing up and typing on her laptop. She hasn't come too near me since breakfast which I was glad of. I think she knew it too. She flashed me warm smiles whenever she would catch me watching her. She would offer me more food every couple hours and always refilled my drink which she had done so 6 times already. I felt as though I was waiting for the penny to drop; like any moment something would just snap and out comes a whip flying in my direction. But so far it hasn't come. A romance scene started to play out in the movie and my eyes were fixed on what they were doing. I'd only ever experienced pain from those things, but these people looked as though they were enjoying it. Happy even.
"What, you never seen people in love before?" Violet gave a laugh as she watched my reaction to the tv. I blinked hard several times and looked over at her with a blank expression.
Jeez, what happened to you..." Her voice sounding sad and defeated as she put her hands on her hips and locked eyes with mine.
I looked away from her and back to the TV set, where the 2 people had gone from kissing to actually doing 'it'. I turned it off suddenly and got up to leave the room.
"Please wait." Violet sounded from behind me, reaching out fast to grab my hand. It took me by surprise and I instantly flinched and pulled back, slamming my back against a door. We both looked at each other horrified. I breathed hard through my nose trying to calm myself down. I wasn't going to let her hurt me. I had to be strong enough now that I could protect myself.
"Please... I won't hurt you." She told me quietly. A tear streamed down her cheek and she looked as if she was about to burst out crying. She covered her mouth with her hand and dried her tears on her jumper. My breathing slowed and I stared at her almost in amazement. I'd never seen a girl, or anyone, show so much weakness before. So much sadness. I couldn't help but wonder why she was crying. I wanted to ask but I also didn't want to talk.
"I want to help you." She cried out sniffling. I almost felt bad for her. But it could be just another trick. Another way to get me to come close. I listened to her heartbeat and when she told me again she wouldn't hurt me, I somehow knew she was telling the truth.

I sat back down on the sofa and she came and sat near me but not too close. She asked me if I had been abused and I nodded. She asked me if I had run away from them and I nodded. She asked me if my family would help me and I gave a small laugh and shook my head.
"Oh god, it was your family that hurt you?" She guessed and started to cry again. Shouldn't I be the one crying?
"I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry..." She trailed off and buried her face in her jumper. I felt like moving along the sofa and wrapping my arm around her. Why I don't know. It was then the sound of a truck came along the driveway, but I knew it wasn't Jake.
"Shit. Stay here. Please." She asked and rushed off outside to meet a tall guy wearing a leather jacket and black chinos. Half of his shaved head was tattooed and he had a cigarette stuck in his mouth.
"What the hell are you doing here?! I don't want you here Joe!" Violet yelled at him and he laughed grabbing her by the shoulders.
"You say no but your body says yes! Don't you remember all the good times we had out here? Especially that one night." He winked at her trying to lean in for a kiss. She struggled against him and he easily overpowered her.
"C'mon Violet, don't you want to invite me in?" He laughed as she pushed him back with all her strength. It wasn't much. She was no match for him. I clenched my fists as anger started to swell inside me. When he struck her in the face knocking her to the ground, I couldn't take it anymore.

I burst through the door at high speed and before the bastard even knew what hit him, I rugby tackled him from behind so hard that he spun up in the air and skidded across the gravel as he landed. He was nearly moving and joking around now. I turned to Violet who still held her stinging cheek and stormed over to the Joe guy and picked him up by the scruff and dragged him effortlessly over to his truck. I ripped off the car door and tossed him inside like a bag of rubbish. I've had to deal with guys like him all my life. He deserved this. I turned the key and started the truck and he soon scrambled into a driving position and began to drive off in a hurry. I picked up the broken door and threw it into the back of his truck as he sped off and I turned to a completely gobsmacked Violet. She stood there frozen for what seemed like the longest time before she ran at me suddenly, wrapping her arms around me tightly.
"Thank you! Thank you!" She repeated squeezing me. I shakily lifted my arms up and stared down at her surprised. She backed up suddenly when she had realised what she had done and apologised over and over. My arms still hung awkwardly in the air, unsure of what to do. Nobody had hugged me like that before.
She held out both her hands palm side up in front of her and repeated 'its ok' several times before I reached out, still shaking I may add, and placed my hands down on top of hers.
"That's good." She said smiling and she took a step in closer. When she saw I was okay, she took another step in and pulled her hands out from under mine and leaned her head against my chest. It was a hug. Or some form of it anyway. But it was her way of saying thanks. I smiled to myself and listened as her heartbeat quickened suddenly. She was as nervous as I was. She pulled away slowly and looked up into my brown eyes. She smiled so warmly it made me feel hopeful somehow. Hopeful of peace and freedom and who knows, maybe I'll find love like the 2 on the tv did.
"Thank you handsome" She blushed playing with her fingers.
Milo." I whispered and she seemed taken back for a few moments before she realised it was my name.
"Hi Milo." She grinned. I enjoyed watching her smile. And she actually thought I was handsome?! I'd never ever been called that before. Even my dick liked it as I felt it twitching inside my joggers. Now was not the right time for that! Violet giggled as I awkwardly tried to hide it and rushed away inside before she noticed but it was obviously too late. She followed me in and stood by the door as she watched me walk towards the bedroom.
"You're amazing, Milo. She told me with a cheeky grin across her face just as I was turning into the bedroom. I looked back at her with a half smirk, unsure what to say back, unsure if I'd even heard her right. Someone thought I was handsome and amazing. I couldn't even believe it. I made sure to lock the door behind me and threw myself down onto the bed.
Maybe it wasn't so bad here after all. Right?