The feeling of my skin being exposed to the bitter cold wind awoke me, it cut through my clothes like blunt knifes . The feeling of someone else’s body heat around me made me feel the slightest bit warmer. Do I dare to open my eyes, I’m afraid of what I might be waking up to.
Was I in Ed’s embrace or still Henry’s hostage.
Ed’s smell filled my nose and I relax slightly, Opening my eyes now I could just make out Henry leaning against his car door a few meters in front of us. The outline of his talk dark body was fuzzy but I could see his face was smeared with red.
His eye was swollen and his lip was gushing blood, he looked at me and his eyes told me he was worried.
“and just for the record mate, she came on to me! I could get any girl I wanted at this stupid school and if you tell anybody about this.. well I won’t go so easy on you next time ok Ed. There’s a good lad.”
Henry shot us a threatening wink before jumping in his car, tearing out of the school parking lot and driving off into the distance at a fast pace.
There we were, standing in the car park together at three in the morning. This night had not panned out the way I hoped it would. I laid the side of my face down into Ed’s warm jumper and I could feel the tears forming again.
“Thank you”
I said in a whisper, my voice was husky and painfully raw but I know I have to thank Ed. Despite everything that has happened tonight he really did save me.
His body felt rigid and tense against my weak, fragile frame.
“I knew I shouldn’t have left you… this is my fault”
I tilted my head upwards so my eyes could meet his, his nose was bleeding and his cheek was swollen. My hand slowly moved up and rested on his sore cheek causing him to wince at my touch.
I leaned in and gave him a small, gentle kiss on his wound but his body language remained serious.
The painful memory of Missy and Ed together rises to the surface and without noticing I had taken a step away from Ed’s safe embrace.
If only sober me would kick in already, I’m sick of feeling like the damsel in distress but I still felt so queasy and weak.
I can’t help but wish I had just accepted my mother’s punishment earlier and stayed home in bed, where nothing can harm me.
I take in a deep breath and try to shop my body from shaking, I cross my arms tightly over my chest and stumble as I almost loose my balance.
“Can you take me home now?”
I ask him while shivering beneath my clothes, my eyes finding the floor.
Ed didn’t say a word.
He simply nodded and helped me to his car, it was hard to stay awake inside it but we were only a short drive away from my place and I know that if I fall asleep now I probably won’t wake up.
The drive was deathly silent, neither of us said a single word to each other, it was so uncomfortable because normally we can’t shut up.
We pulled up at the bottom of my driveway and I looked at Ed, my vision still blurry and my mind still quite hazy.
“Thanks…”
I opened the car door and begin to step out when I noticed the sound of his engine going to sleep.
“Let me walk you to the door at least”
I nodded and felt relieved that he offered, I don’t trust the dark shadows anymore. We began walking side by side up my painfully long driveway, still in silence.
