Falling into the Badboy

Ten

Screaming I stumble back and fall to the floor. Shawn steps out of the closet and shuts the bedroom door. Turning around he smiles at me, "I've missed you. Thought you didn't like to play games Grace?" He says as I swallow and back up against the table by my bed. "Sh, sh, sh," he walks towards me and goes to lean down in front of me, "you don't have to be scared, my love."

Grabbing my arm he yanks me up and I scream out in pain. I lift my knee and kick him in the groin and he yells letting me go. I run to the door getting it open but before I can get out the door I'm pulled backward and thrown onto the ground. "Ah!" I yell and hit the floor immediately flipping over to push myself up.

I stand and turn, my head is spinning, as I look to see Shawn still dazed in pain from when I hit him. I try to run past him but he yanks me to him and slams me against the wall, "Grace! Stop fighting!" He yells. I struggle against him and he leans in close to me. "Grace." He whispers into my ear. "Please don't fight." Breathing hard I watch him as he pulls back and I spit in his face. He closes his eyes and clenches his jaw before backhanding me.

I start to cry, and his face scrunches up in sorrow and regret. "Grace, I'm sorry." He stops when there's a knock on the door. We both look at my bedroom door and I scream. "Help!" I get out right before I get another smack to the face. I fall to the floor and Shawn stands over me.

Quickly looking up I crawl to the door and run out into the hall "help!" I yell again. Jumping down most of the steps I fall when I get to the bottom and can see the door a few feet away. Through the window in the door, I can see Brian outside. "Brian!" I yell.

Shawn quickly hurried down the steps and grabs me, "Brian!" I yell again. Shawn grabs my throat and pushes me against the wall pulling out a knife.

The door slams open, "Grace?!" Brian sees Shawn holding me against the wall, knife to my throat.

Thinking quickly he runs into the house and down the hall. Shawn let's go of me and I fall to the floor grabbing at my throat. I look over and see Brian on top of Shawn throwing punches. "Brian! Brian!" I try to yell but my voice is hoarse. He turns distracted and Shawn scoots away getting up and running out the door. Brian looks after him and starts to follow but he looks back over at me on the floor.

He comes over to me and lifts me into his lap, "it's okay. You're okay." He whispers.

I breathe heavily and whisper, "where were you? You disappeared." I say and lay my head down.

--

I wake up in my own bed, it's morning and I groan grabbing for my head as an aching pain pounds throughout the room. I look over to the door and it's cracked open to where I can hear voices outside downstairs.

Pushing the covers to the side I slowly push myself up and turn to my side putting my feet on the floor. I open my drawer and take my medicine like routine so I don't forget. I pick up my phone and look at the time, it's almost noon on a Wednesday and I should be at school, confused I stand and grab for the table as the room starts to spin.

Turning for the door I see bags packed beside it and the arguing gets louder. I walk to the door moaning in pain as I walk over to the railing of the steps and I slowly descend the stairs.

I look to the front door to see Derek inside the house arguing with whoever is on the front porch, "you can't do this! This isn't what she wants!" I recognize Brians's angry tone and I make my way to the door.

Setting a hand on Derek's shoulder he turns to me and I look at Brian who's standing outside. "Come in." I push Derek back a little and close the door behind Brian as he walks in.

We go into the living room and I slowly sit on the couch as both Brian and Derek hover over me in case I break. Derek stands in front of the table glaring as he looks to me and Brian who stands behind me. "I'm not leaving," I say simply.

Derek starts to argue but I hold up a hand, "that's what he's going to expect." I say. "He wants me to leave, he wants me to run." I shake my head. "I'm done running. I've told you that."

He clenches his jaw and turns around shaking his head, "then I'm staying here. I'm not leaving you alone in this house."

I nod my head, "okay, if that's what it takes to stay, then fine." I look up at him. "I'm going to go and take a shower." I stand and look at both men, "Please try not to kill each other." I say turning and starting up the stairs.

I get to my room and go to the bathroom turning on the shower, I walk to the sink and lean against it looking into the mirror. I can see the hand marks beginning to form around my neck, and a cut on my lip from where he backhanded me. I notice the t-shirt that I am wearing isn't one of mine, and I take it off, putting it to my face I inhale the scent of sandalwood. I set the shirt on the sink folded up as I jump in the shower real quick.

Once out of the shower and dressed I take the towel to my hair as I look back to the shirt sitting on my sink. I know it's Brian's and I don't know how I feel about him giving me his shirt. I mean I was nearly naked when Shawn attacked me that could be a factor but it just feels weird. Knowing that I wore his shirt but not in a sexual kind of way. Just in a normal you know almost killed by my ex-boyfriend way. At least since that's my new normal.

A knock comes to my door and I look over at it, "come in." I say still drying my hair.

The door opens and I can see Brian as he peeks inside the room. "Hey." He closes the door behind him and I sit down on my bed towel in my lap.

"Hey." I'm scared to make eye contact with him. After what happened at the mall while shopping on Monday I don't know what to say or how to act around him.

I finally look up at him and he's looking into the bathroom. I assume he's staring at his shirt sitting on my sink. He turns to me then and I feel heat rush to my face. "I need to apologize." He says walking over and sitting down next to me. "I've been nothing but an asshole to you. I just...I'm not used to any of this. These feelings of wanting to be better, to be better for you. I look over at him, "I don't know how to be the good guy."

His face falls to the floor and I watch him, he genuinely seems hurt and confused. "Brian. You don't have to change for anyone. Especially not for me." I set my hand on him, and he freezes up as I lay my head on his shoulder. "I don't want you to be different for me. I want the strange, unknown, badass, bad boy that I met on my first day here. Not some stranger that even you don't know yet."

I can feel when he looks down at me, he wraps an arm around me and we just sit there. I could have stayed in this position forever being so relaxed and just calm for once in my life is what I needed.

My body is too sore to sit up all day, so I lay down in bed while Brian decides to unpack my bags that Derek had put together. I close my eyes and my head pounds as the light shines into the room. Once Brian finishes the bags he closes the shades and stands by the window a little awkwardly.

I hear footsteps as I open my eyes to see him walking to the door. "Please don't leave," I whisper. He turns back to me a hand on the doorknob.

He hesitates but let's go of the door and slowly walks back over to the bed. As he lays down beside me pulling the covers over both of us I lean into him. Brian wraps an arm around me and I sigh closing my eyes. "I'm not going to leave you again," Brian whispers into my hair as he kisses my forehead.

I take a chance and look up at him, "you promise?"

Looking back down at me he smiles just a little, "I promise." And then I fell asleep.