10:45am
My body feels heavy. Like a pound of bricks lay on my arms and legs.
Add in the mixture of no sleep, my body is in shambles.
I grunt as I sit up in the bed. My body aches in pain and my bags are practically hanging under my eyes.
Miserable.
I place my feet onto the cold ground. A striking pain courses through my legs as I stand up.
I slowly walk, more like limp, to the kitchen. The sounds of pots and pans being washed welcome my ears.
"Good morning, Jackson!" Mark greets me happily as he dries his hand with a paper towel.
I smile weakly as I limp to the dining table.
"You okay?" Mark looks at me concerned.
I nod my head.
I pull out a chair from the dining table so I can rest my sore legs. The grunt that rumbles in my throat as I sit down doesn't go past Mark.
"Are you okay, Jackson? Please don't lie to me." He begs with a gentle voice. He pulls out the chair to my left and sits across from me.
I shake my head.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm sore." I look at Mark.
"And...insomnia." I fight to keep my eyes open as I stare at Mark. So tired yet, there is no sleep to be discovered.
A pout forms on his lips. He reaches for my biceps and squeezes the tense muscles. That hurts.
"You are stiff...what happened?"
My eyes lock with the floor.
Warm hands cup my face. My eyes are lifted to meet Mark's.
"What happened?" Mark pleads. "Please, tell me."
"My aunt's boyfriend..." I begin.
Mark looks at me intensely.
"He...makes me..workout. Really...rough workouts." I explain slowly and quietly.
"Then...he leaves me...to walk home."
"How cruel." Mark stares at his floor angrily.
Suddenly, Mark rises from his seat and holds out his hand.
"Come!" He takes my hand in his. "I'll give you a massage."
Mark pulls me out of my seat and drags me to his bedroom. I land on the bed with a poof.
I stare at Mark as he gathers oils and cooling pads. He runs to his closet and grabs a white towel.
"Are you comfortable with me giving you a massage?" He asks after he returns to my spot on his bed.
I nod my head yes.
"Okay...lay down on your stomach."
I do as he says and lay my sore body on his bed. My face snuggles into Mark's pillow.
It smells like him. His sweet, floral shampoo; his natural scent of strawberries and fruity lotions; and even a hint of saltiness.
Saltiness? Maybe from his tears.
Does he cry into his pillow? Don't cry. You're too beautiful to cry.
"I'm going to start." He rests his hands against my back.
I nod my head. I hear him smile.
His hand glides to my shoulders. My body tenses. I'm not familiar with foreign touches. The only hands that have touched me are mine, the hands of the doctors, and the hands of my abusers.
Mark has to be the first to touch me so gently and tenderly.
I'm scared.
"Relax." Mark whispers softly in my ear. His hands slowly rubs small circles into my tense shoulders.
"Relax Jackson. I won't hurt you. Never have, never will. Trust me." His thumb seeps into my tense shoulders and rubs the tension away. His words seep into my heart and rids me of the fear of his trustworthiness.
"That's it. Relax."
Mark's hands roam my body. The tender rubs on my sore arms and legs, the deep presses into my back instantly numbing my pain, and the softness of Mark's voice as he hums a mellow melody.
"Do you feel better?" He asks as he rubs my thighs.
I don't respond. I only stare at him as I lay on my back.
He turns to meet my gaze. His cheeks turn slightly pink as he turns away from my intense gaze.
I sit up and grab his hand that is massaging my thigh. My brown eyes lock with his mesmerizing eyes.
"J-Jackson?"
"Lay with me." My voice is hushed, barely audible, but Mark hears me clearly. He nods his head and pulls me into a hug.
My arm wraps around his waist, lifting him onto the bed to join me.
His fingers get lost in my hair as I hug his slim body tightly. My face burrows into his warm chest.
"Thank you." I whisper into his sweater.
His arms embrace me tightly.
"You're welcome, Jackson. You're very welcome." He smiles.
And that sleep that I always fail to discover suddenly appears. Just like last time, I sleep in Mark's comforting arms.
He doesn't move until I wake up.
We're always together, almost everyday. I don't think I could go a week without Mark.
But, suddenly....he stopped coming to school. And worse yet...
He didn't stop by the cafè every Saturday morning.
Somehow...he disappeared....
Won't be updating for a while! That's why I loaded u up with chappies. Now I'll leave you in mystery...(;
