A Fostered Love

Chapter Eight: Layla

The scratch on my neck could be fixed with a swab of alcohol and a band-aid from my first aid kit. At the time, the indention of the knife seemed a lot deeper than it actually was but it had only sunk into my skin a little bit. It was nothing compared to Kyle's bottle incident and that fact made me ignore the scratch completely. The only scar that I wouldn't be able to ignore was the mental one.

Overall, I still feel awful.

Well actually I feel worse than awful, it's just the only word I could think of using right now. I was too busy trying to sort out my emotions that I didn't actually know what I was feeling.

I stand very close to Kyle as we walk away from the alley, trying my best to ignore the images flooding back into my mind. I feel his hand start to slide around my waist to pull me closer and I tense up again. He doesn't notice how uncomfortable I am until I slid out of his grasp.

"Sorry." I say giving him a small smile.

He leans in and plants a light kiss on my forehead. "Don't apologize for what he did to you. It will never be your fault."

I know it's not my fault, but it still makes me sick to my stomach thinking about what he would have done if I hadn't defended myself. There would be a completely different feel to the situation if I hadn't have done something.

I want Kyle to wrap me up in his arms and hold me tightly, promising me that he won't let anything else happen to me. I just couldn't. Not without seeing that man's face. Not without reliving it.

We make it back to our temporary living spaces and Kyle beckons me to sit beside him on the bed. I slide into bed next to him and rest my head against his chest. To my surprise, I manage to cry out more tears, up until the point where I could cry no more. When I lift my head back up, his shirt is soaking wet where my head was. I open my mouth to apologize but he stops me by putting a finger to my lips and shaking his head.

Lowering my head slightly, I shut my eyes and lean against the bedframe, clutching his hand tightly. I was thankful that he was here with me, and I don't know what I would do without him. He is my only comfort right now, my only chance of forgetting.

Another light kiss lands on my forehead and a wave of longing rushes through me. His kiss always makes me want more.

My eyes flutter open and land on him as he pulls away. He stares back at me, his eyes gazing into mine intently. I felt self conscious immediately, knowing that I'm probably red from crying so much and my eyes are blood shot. Before I could even look away, he plants a soft kiss on my lips and says, "How did I manage to find someone as beautiful as you?"

I can't help but smile. "Yeah right, I probably look like crap right now."

Instead of responding he just kisses me again. I sink into the kiss a little trying to clear my head. Maybe this would be my way of coping. Maybe this will help me forget.

His free hand comes up and rests on my neck, pulling me even closer to him. I immediately forget everything around me. All I know is that I'm here with him, and I couldn't be happier. In spite of everything, he always finds a way to make me feel better.

And then I was falling.

But not into a dark pit of despair and loneliness that came with whatever I was going through.

I was falling head over heels in love with him.

If there was a such thing as fate, I instantly believed in it. There was no doubt in my mind that we were meant to be together. Every time we kissed it just felt right. Whenever we were apart I missed him, a lot. I constantly thought about him. We complimented each other in every way possible. It felt perfect.