my protector

•7•

⚠️TOUCHY SUBJECT!⚠️

"My love?"

She turns around and looks at me with tears falling down her face. I really do feel so bad for her. She is so fragile and so broken. I wish I could just fix it all, but I can't. It's not that simple.

I knew she would be here. She always talks about the beach. This is also where we first hung out and got to know each other. She loves it here.

I sit down next to her on the sand and I pull her body close to mine. Neither of us say anything for awhile. We just stare out at the water.

After about five minutes I decide to break the silence, "What happened?"

"It doesn't even matter."

"Yes it does," I say. "If you run out and you cry about it then it's a big deal."

"It was stupid," she says.

"So now we are keeping secrets?"

She rolls her eyes, "Says the one that left and couldn't even tell me where he was going. You are keeping secrets too."

"I was going to tell you. I just didn't want to say it in front of everybody," I say.

"Then where did you go?"

"I met up with a guy. I bought a gun from him for safety. I don't want to be unprotected anymore."

She looks very surprised, "You got a gun?"

I nod my head, "Yes because I want to be prepared and armed. Anything could happen."

"Did my dad make you do this?"

"He mentioned it," I say. "But I thought about it too, Caitlyn."

"I guess it's not an awful idea."

I nod my head. I'm glad she agrees with me. I thought she was going to be all mad and hate me for it.

"Now tell me what's going on? Why did you and Nick get into an argument?"

She wipes her face and continues to look out at the water, "You are going to hate me."

"News flash," I say. "There is nothing that you can do or say to make me hate you."

She smiles lightly and says, "I'm sorry." She pulls her sleeves up and shows me her arms. There are all kinds of cuts all over her arms.

She has been cutting. What the hell? How did I not notice this? Why would she not tell me?

I sigh and I pull her small body to mine again. I hold onto her super tightly and she starts to cry into my chest.

"I'm sorry," she says. "It's just s-so hard."

"Shh. I know. I know," I say. "It's okay, love."

"It's not okay though," she says. "I shouldn't be doing it and I kept it from you. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me," I say pulling away from her. I wipe her face and I smile lightly, "It's life. Shit like this happens all the time. You are going to have bad moments, but it's okay." I grab onto her arms and I start to kiss each cut there is. "Every single one of these cuts just makes you stronger."

Before I know it she grabs my face and smashes her lips onto mine and I quickly kiss her back. Her lips on mine is the best feeling ever.

The kiss doesn't last long, but it felt so good. So right. "I love you," she whispers.

"I love you even more." I look out at the water and I smirk, "Can we please just forget about the bad for a bit and do something crazy?"

She smiles, "Like what?"