Secret Star

Chapter Five

Rylee's POV

The last thing I remember was Justin putting me in his car, I sit up and realize I am in my bed.  I have no idea how I got here, I guess Justin must of brought me home.  Just then I hear laughter, who is here?

I get up and walk down the stairs.  "Hey beautiful, how are you feeling?" Justin yells from the dining room.

"Um, I'm okay." I say as I walk toward him.

"Hi sweetie." my mom says, "Justin brought you home after you passed out."  Justin comes over and hugs me.

"I'm glad you are okay." he says.

I look at the dining room table, realizing my mom made dinner, it looks like they just sat down to eat.  I glance at the clock that reads 5p.m. I was out for a good three hours.

Dinner is going well, then Justin asks, "Where is your dad?"  I freeze and look over to my mom who put her fork down.  This is a hard topic.  I decide to tell Justin.

"My dad left us when I was 10.." I start.  I can see Justin tense up.  

"Its okay." I say.  "He hasn't been around since then.  My mom did remarry, but he left us too."  I reach for my mom's hand, placing mine over hers.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Justin says.

I decide not to say anything else for right now.  This is an emotional topic for my mother and I.  When my dad left our worlds came crashing down, we both fell into a depression.  A few years later my mom found Skip and she remarried.  I never liked Skip, he was always verbally abusive to me.  He told me I was fat and ugly and that no one will ever love me.  I really hate thinking about him.  He was the reason I fell more and more into my depression.  He was also the reason my eating disorder and anxiety began.  He made me hate myself, most of my teenage years were spent binge-eating and thinking of ways I could kill myself.  The day he walked out was the happiest day of my life, but I know it broke my mom.  She never knew how Skip treated me and I decided she never would.  When he left that's when my mom decided to move here, for a fresh start.

Once we finish with dinner my mom allows Justin and I to go up to my room.  Her only rule is to keep my door open a crack.

Once we get to my room I sit down on my bed, Justin comes over to sit down next to me, taking my hand in his.

"Once again, I am sorry to hear about your father and step-father." he says as he pulls me in for a hug.

That's when I tell him almost everything, leaving out my self-harm and eating disorder.  I was hesitant at first, but Justin makes me feel safe.  I know I am okay with him.

Once I finish talking he wipes the tears from my eyes.  I look into his deep brown eyes and hear him say, "You are beautiful and deserve to be happy."  Then I feel his lips on mine.

His lips are sweet, this isn't my first kiss but it is by far the best kiss I have experienced.  It doesn't last long, but it is perfect.

Once Justin pulls away he kisses the top of my head and pulls me in for a hug.

Then I remember something, "Why were you crying the night we met?" I ask, hoping not to upset him too much.

"Um, Elizabeth, my sister..." he starts. And then I remember from lunch, she died a year ago.  "She died in a car accident last year.." he says with tears in his eyes.  I start to cry too.  I took Justin into my arms.

"I'm sorry, everything is going to be alright." I keep repeating while he sobs on my shoulder.

After about ten minutes we both are able to talk again.

"I should get going." Justin says.  He leans down and gives me a gentle kiss on the lips. "I'll call you later, I hope you don't mind that your mom gave me your number."

"Its fine." I say with a smile and I stand up to kiss him on the cheek before he leaves.

I am about to start getting ready for bed when I hear a knock on my door. "Come in." 

My mom comes to sit next to me on my bed. "Justin seems like a nice boy." she says. 

"He is." I grin, "I'm glad you like him."

"Just be careful and stay focused in school." she says and then she kisses my forehead, "Goodnight sweetie."

When she leaves I get in my pajamas and lay down in bed.  Today was a long day, before I know it I am drifting off to sleep.