Perfection (Red Wrists 1 REWRITTEN EDITION)

Part Seven

By the time the horrified nurse was done fixing up my hand and patching up my neck, it was far past time for me to go home. I begrudgingly walked down the slowly darkening street, not bothering to look as I crossed roads and turned corners. Finally, after what seemed like hours of walking, my feet stopped on the sidewalk outside of the house I was supposed to call home.

My mind was lost in thought as I made my way up to the front door. It took a while for my mind to even begin processing how Mike and Kara would react to me being home so late. I don't remember the last time I ate- oh god what was that smell?

I tried taking a deep breath of whatever the smell was, only to start coughing, a thick smoke filling my lungs. "Emma?" came a voice through the smoke. "Shit, sorry, I'll put it out. I didn't realize you were here already."

That damn voice. "Tim?" I reply, shielding my eyes against the remaining fog as I take a step forward. My eyes lock on Tim's, his looking more bewildered than what my own felt. He chuckled a bit, the realization seeming to dawn on him that I had no idea what he was doing at my house.

"Sorry, for appearing here. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, after that attack earlier."

My mind wraps itself around that sentence before coming up with the reply of, "I thought we agreed you weren't the type of person to get all concerned and attached."

Tim chuckled again, grinding the butt of a semi-lit cigarette against the concrete as he mumbled under his breath. Louder, he continues, "You're probably wondering what I'm doing at your house, right?"

"You think?"

"School work," Tim replied, opening his jacket and pulling some loose papers from an interior pocket. "It's what you missed in class today." He held them out to me, just as the front door swung open with a burst of wind.

Mike stood in the doorway, glowering down at me. "Emma, get inside. Now," he growled. Tim was standing off to the side of the doorway still, out of view from Mike. But when Mike tried to take a step towards me, Tim shot out his arm and blocked Mike's path. Tim's arm was the only thing keeping Mike from charging at me right now. Mike looked absolutely pissed off, looking Tim up and down in an angry stare of rage. "Excuse me, who the fuck do you think you are?"

Tim didn't look at Mike as he lowered his arm, giving me a nod towards the interior of the house. "Cm'on then, Emma May. We have to get to work on that project. It's due tomorrow." He flicked the tip of his nose with his thumb, mercilessly pushing past Mike and into the interior of the house. I blinked a few times, cowering under the deathly glare of Mike as I squeezed inside.

I kept my gaze low and my steps fast as I dashed upstairs, leading Tim into my room. Mike and Kara began bickering almost immediately after we began our journey upstairs, and I did my best to block it from my mind. I made the first left turn into my bedroom, big enough for the bed and a dresser, but mot much floor space left. I motioned Tim inside silently, slowly closing the door behind me with shaking arms.

Both of us were silent for a moment before Tim spoke up "They don't hurt you do they?" His tone sounded threatening, almost angry. This took me aback as I spun around to look at him. "Emma May do they hit you here?"

I stared at him. This was the first time anyone asked my. Yes, my mind screamed. Yes, they do. It hurts. It hurts so bad. But of course, my mouth went dry. The only thing I was able to get out was a feeble, "I-I-...." My eyes started to burn softly, a gentle burn that only coaxed out more tears as I stared at this boy in front of me. From a classmate to a possible childhood friend, then knocked back down to classmate in my bedroom. But even then, his personality opened up more and more each day he spent around me.

"Tim, you should leave," I muttered, opening the door I had just closed.

Tim looked bewildered, staring at me in shock. "But, I just got here." I stood there in silence, motioning once more for him to leave. He caved in with a sigh of defeat, trudging out the door again after leaving my papers on the bed. He stopped in the doorway, staring down at his feet for a moment. His gaze shifted from anger to caring and back again. Looking back at me one last time with the caring expression on his face, he gave me a small wave and said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Em."

I watched him continue his trudge down the stairs, and listened for the slam of the front door. Once I heard the door slam shut, a whole new slew of problems arose. Mike came back upstairs, giving me one hard slap across the face as he growled "How dare you bring someone over, Emma. You know you're not allowed to have guests." I stared up at him in silence, keeping my tears well in place. "Go to bed, now," Mike hissed between his teeth as he exited the room.

I took a deep breath, cracking the door open for a moment to be sure he was gone before beginning to sob. I kept the tears back as well as I could, shuffling over to my bed and laying down. It had gotten far darker outside than I'd originally realized. But it was the blissful silence of the night that I truly found relief from Mike and Kara.