Therapy || l.t.

Chapter 2: Him

Chapter 2: Him

I look up and see the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes that the world has ever seen. They’re a mixture between the night sky and the ocean on a clear sunny day. His black ACDC shirt is hugging his body tightly, me almost not being able to tell the difference between his shirt and black skinnies. His hair frames his face in the perfect way, a way that hair couldn’t frame anyone else’s face and look right. It’s chestnut color drew me in, especially the little stubble he had on his face. 

I look towards his hands though, squinting my eyes so I could see clearly. Sure enough, he’s holding a blackberry in his hand, my blackberry. Oh thank the heavens.

“That would actually be mine,” I tell him. I almost gasp at the sound of my voice. It’s so hoarse, so dead and dry. I know it’s due to all of the crying that I have been doing, but I can’t help it. The love I have for Blake consumes me.

“I’m assuming that’s not the reason that you’re out here alone and crying, huh?” he asks me. I shake my head, signifying that he’s right. He holds out his hand, offering it to me. Cautiously, I accept it and he pulls me up. I shake the sand off of myself and wipe my eyes. He proceeds to hand me my phone.

“You look hungry. I know this great burger joint down town that I was just about to head to. Would you like to join me?” he asks me. I know that he’s probably concerned about my body weight and the way that my clothes barely hang off of me, but I don’t really know him. I don’t know how Blake would react either.

“I really think I should be getting home,” I tell him.

“C’mon, just a quick meal. I’ll take you home right after,” he says holding his hands up in defense. I don’t know what it is about him, but I just know that he’s a guy that holds to his word. Maybe it’s that sorrow in his eyes or maybe it’s the way he stands with such confidence. It doesn’t matter all that much to me though.

“Okay,” I tell him.

“I’m Louis by the way,” he says as he starts walking between the cars.

“Jayden,” I tell him as we stop. I notice the bike from earlier and that’s when it clicks for me. It’s a different type of bike than the one that Blake drives. Blake drives a bullet bike while this one is a Harley Davidson. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t picture this Louis guy driving anything else. It just fits him.

I watch the way he flips his leg over the machine, grabbing a helmet. He waits for me to climb on, something I do warily. He then reaches back and hands me the helmet, something I’m grateful for. He puts on a pair of sunglasses as I wrap my arms loosely around him. I’m a bit surprised when he pulls my arms tighter.

“Ever been on a bike?” he asks me. I just nod at him as he smiles. Oh wow. His smile is one of the smiles that can cure a broken heart. He just knows how to light up everything around him in a way that nobody else could. I’m thankful for that.

He pulls out of the driveway and leaves the beach, driving down the familiar boulevard. I relax at the familiar sensation of the wind brushing through my hair, coldness hitting my face. This was something I was used to. I wasn’t used to riding bikes with strangers. I wasn’t used to going places with someone I just met. That wasn’t me. I was always with someone who I knew would protect me from every danger except himself.

Soon enough, we’re pulling in to a little restaurant. It’s quite tiny and seemingly unknown. It looks a tad bit run down, like it might go out of business here soon. I trust his judgment though as I hop off of his vehicle. I hand him the helmet and he puts it back on to his bike, taking his keys out of the ignition. He then proceeds to get off the bike, walking towards me.

“You’re going to love this place,” he tells me a bit excited. He opens the door and is greeted by a few people. He must be a regular here. We take a seat near the back, more secluded from the rest. The place is surprisingly busy.

“Hello Louis dear. Would you like the usual?” a kind older woman says as she approaches our table.

“I uh. I think I might change it up a little bit tonight, yeah?” he asks her. She’s obviously surprised, especially when she takes in my appearance. I probably look terrible. She nods though and hands the both of us a menu. I smile politely as she walks away.

“I can’t afford to eat anything. I left all of my money back at my flat and-” I begin, but he doesn’t let me finish.

“It’s okay. I’m used to buying dinner for two,” he tells me. I want to question him about it, but I know that from the sadness in his eyes it must be because of something recent. I want to comfort him, but I know that I probably shouldn’t.

“Okay,” I tell him as I scan through the menu. I never realized how hungry I was and everything here just looks so damn good. Finally, I decide on just a grilled cheese, some water and fries. If this stranger is going to pay for me to eat, I don’t want to take advantage of his generosity. Who knows what he could do to me.

“Have you decided what you’re going to eat?” he asks me, removing my thoughts from the familiar dark haired boy that always consumes my thoughts. I nod my head, looking at my thumbs as he stares at me. I can tell he is frustrated, wanting me to talk, but I’m not used to talking. Blake never liked it when I would talk.

“I can take your order when you’re ready now,” the older woman says, smiling at us. She keeps glancing at me, making me curious as to of why she does that. Louis tells her his order before looking at me. I recite to her what I told myself I was going to get and she nods.

“Please tell me you’re not one of those girls that only eat salads,” Louis groans from across the table. I giggle a bit.

“I like it a little greasier. Hence why I got the grilled cheese and fries instead of a salad and soup. Besides, my stomach can’t fit much in it anymore,” I admit before regretting it. I shouldn’t have said anything. I watch as his eyes sadden as he stares at me or more correctly, my face. I begin to feel self-conscious, especially as the sadness in his eyes deepen.

“Does this have anything to do with the marks on your face?” he asks me. My eyes widen. They’re probably the size of golf balls right now, but he just mentioned my most dark secret in public, one that he doesn’t even know about. Oh man. What if Blake comes in? I’m sure to be dead. Nobody can know. He’ll hurt me worse than before. Oh god. I need to cover it up now, but I don’t have any make-up.

I need to go buy some or steal some at this rate. Anything is worth it at this moment. Blake can never know. How am I supposed to go home with this visible? I might as well bury my own grave. Immediately panicked, I bring my hand up to my face, covering it as I stand up. I begin to walk away, to the bathroom or something, but I can’t go any farther when something grabs my free wrist. I turn around to see the sad blue eyes that I’ve become accustomed to this evening.

“Please, don’t go.”

I watch the way his eyes gloss over, the loneliness filling them. His unshaved face scrunches up. All I can do in this moment is stare at him.