The Cougar

Hidden Pasts

          ~~~~~~C.J.'s POV~~~~~~

   I woke up, again in my room. It was about 3 in the morning. I realized I hadn't seen Lyle, or Sylvia for that matter, since school. I decided to go meet him for breakfast again. I got a shower and changed. I prepared myself for questions. Quite honestly, I wasn't ready to tell him about me. I wasn't even sure if I would be able to look him in the eyes, but I forced myself out of my room.

   I started walking towards the kitchen, but, just before I got there, I was basically tackled by a 5' 7" orange elf. He grabbed my shoulders and whipped me around.

   "OH MY GOD! Where the hell have you been?" he said.

   "What do you mean?" I said nervously and trying to act like nothing happened.

   "What do I mean?!?" he yelled almost angrily. "You just left right after school and I couldn't find you. Sylvia and I looked everywhere for you. Then, next thing I know, Logan's telling me you passed out from exhaustion."

   I just stared at him. I didn't know what to say.

   "C.J. talk to me," he said. His voice was suddenly softer.

   "I can't," I said breaking myself from his grip.

   "C.J., don't be ridiculous. You can tell me whatever," he said. I still just looked at him.

   "Lyle, I just can't," I said. He just looked at me in confusion."Lyle, if I tell you, I can almost guarantee you won't even talk to me again. I can barely look at myself in th-, Oh just forget it you wouldn't understand," I finally said.

   "C.J., yes I-,"

   "No, you wouldn't, Lyle," I said angrily. "What happened to me, my past, it was torture."

   "Torture?! You want to talk about torture, C.J.?!?" Lyle said yelling. I was unexpected, but it didn't scare me I was used to people yelling at me. Suddenly, his intense blue gaze met mine. "C.J., I've lived through real torture," he said. Wait… was that a crack in his voice? "And do you want to know by who, C.J.? MY OWN PARENTS!" Tears started down rolling down his pale orange face. "The first twelve years of my life, I woke up to beatings and starvation, and it never ended."

   "Oh… God… Lyle… I'm so sorry," I said. I honestly had no idea what else to do. Lyle just stood there sobbing. I walked over to him and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling his head into my shoulder. I ran my fingers through his hair, attempting to calm him down.

   "Shhh… Lyle, it's okay," I said. Lyle continued to cry. "Everything's going to be ok."