Hate to Love

14.

I wake up when I feel someone take my shoes of and look down and see me in just a t-shirt making me panic.

 I kick and hit someone making them fall to the ground "not tonight Steven." 

I run downstairs and out the front door. 

Still running and trip over a large rock "owww." 

Falling to the ground in agony I look towards my ankle and rub it. 

I take deep breaths and look down towards my outfit and realise I only have a jersey on "shit." 

I sit down and place my head in between my knees "what have I done?" 

I look around and try figure out what way I ran from the streets all look the same. 

I shake my head and laugh nervously "could this night get any worse?" 

I walk down the street and it starts to rain "I guess it could." 

I see a park so run towards it and hide under a slide from the rain and sit down with my legs flat out. 

I lean back resting my head against the back of the slide and after a few seconds I drift off to sleep. 

I wake up when I hear someone call my name but I shake my head and look around "not now." I lie back down and go back to sleep.

I wake up a few minutes later when the rain gets heavier and starts hitting me "ok I'm up." 

I sit up and look around and realise where I was "hello?" 

I stand up and lose my balance I hold onto the slide and look towards the ankle as it burns "owww." 

I look around when I hear my name again and I see Rosie and Marcus at the other side of the park "over here!" 

They spot me and run over 

"Belle?" 

I wave and I see Marcus on the phone "we found her." 

I laugh nervously and nod "so I guess I had a little too much to drink. How bad was I?" 

Rosie just laughs and cuddles me "I am just glad you are safe." 

She looks at me and smiles "Ricardo tried to run after you but once he got to the front door you was gone." 

I laugh nervously and shrug "does he hate me?" 

Marcus walks towards me and smiles "hate you? He had us all out looking for you." 

I look at Rosie and she nods "he wouldn't do that for just anyone never mind if he hated them." 

I smirk and nod "so your plan worked?" 

Marcus smiles and holds his hand out "what plan?" 

I take his hand and he pulls me up and smiles "are you ok?" 

I put weight on my ankle and nod "I think so." I

 hear the park gate open and see Ricardo running towards me 'here we go.'

Expecting him to shout at me I look towards the floor and avid eye contact but Marcus let's go of me and I feel arms wrap around me and hug me. 

"Are you ok?"  I look up and see Ricardo cuddling me "yeah." 

I fell into his arms and smiled the biggest smile ever as he hold onto me 'this is amazing.' 

I shake my head and pull away "are you ok?" 

I look down and smile "yeah I'm fine." 

He looks at Rosie and Marcus "take her home and we will follow behind yous?" 

Marcus nods and lifts Rosie up "let's go shorty." 

Ricardo looks at me and smiles softly.

"What happened back there? Who is Steven?" I take a deep breath and feel tears run down my face .

"Hey, wow." He hugs me and I stutter trying to get words out "you don't have to tell me." 

I take a deep breath and nod "another time?" 

He smiles softly and nods "ok. Whenever you are ready." 

He turns around and pulls my up over his back giving me a piggyback "let's get you home."

He walks back towards the house with me on his back the full way and even though we didn't say anything.

 I knew all I needed to hear 'not all men are like Mr White and his friends.' 

He opens the front door and I see Gloria standing in the hallway looking at me "are you ok?" 

I get down and nod "yeah. Sorry." 

She walks towards me and hugs me "I'm just glad you are ok." 

Ricardo nods towards the kitchen and smiles "I'm going to stick her in my bed so can you bring up water and the firs aid kit?" 

She looks me up and down and shakes his head "what did you do?" 

I look towards my ankle and laugh nervously "I fell over a large rock."

 She smiles and heads into the kitchen "ready?" 

Ricardo turns around offering me his hands "I can walk from here." 

I laugh nervously and he nods and walks upstairs. 

I take a deep breath and follow him upstairs and into his room. 

He nods towards the bed and smiles "there is clean clothes there if you want them?" 

I look towards the bed and smile "thank you." 

He nods and walks towards the door closing it behind him.

 I walk toward the bed and pick up the neatly folded clothes and smile.