Te Adore (Book One)

Chapter Eight

I slowly opened my eyes, Darry was working frantically around me blotting up bloody scrapes and holding a wet cloth to my neck. Pony was in the corner and Two was on the floor against the wall a complete mess. Soda barged in tailing behind him was Steve, my eyes were barely open but I squeezed them shut fast so I still looked like I was out of it. He stumbled In with soda and stopped. I'm guessing he was looking at me. "NO!" He yelled running over to the couch where I was laying and kneeling beside me. "No no no no no." He whispered under his breath. He grabbed my hand tightly and sat up on one knee. "I'm so sorry Catherine, this is all my fault." He said examining the bruises on my cheeks. "Who did this to you." He whispered under his breath. "That would be Bob." Darry said, pulling the towel away from my neck to reveal the stitched cut. I could feel him grasp my hand tighter when he saw that, "two dealt with him don't get any ideas." Darry said standing up to go wash the towel. He let go of my hand and sat with his back against the couch. "I'm her brother...I'm supposed to protect her." He said resting his head in his hands. Soda came and sat next to him to calm him down. "Hey bud, you can't blame yourself for the actions of others." Soda said, placing his arm around him. "No I did this, if I would've kept my temper-...this is all my fault." He said, shaking off sodas arm and leaning his head back into his hands. I could almost hear crying but I kept quiet. "Cmon Pony, Soda let's give him some room help Two up." Darry said walking out the front door Pony trailing behind and Soda helping Two out the door. I could hear his crying a little clearer now that everybody had left. "Catherine...I'm so sorry." He said looking up still facing the opposite direction. "I'm so sorry, I've-I've failed as a brother...I can't even keep you safe." I couldn't take it anymore. "Don't you dare talk like that Steve." I let out in a whispered tone. He shot up and whirled around to face me again, "Catherine!" I could see the tears in his eyes, he really did care god I felt awful for what I must have been putting him through this whole time. I raised myself up onto my elbows and swung them around his neck hugging him tight. "You're an amazing brother Steve." I said tears collected in my eyes. "And I'm so sorry, I should've talked to you." I continued, he lifted his arms up around my waist and hugged me back. "I shouldn't have yelled at you Cat. I've felt awful ever since." He said pulling me away to face me, he had tears streaking his cheeks. I lifted my hand up to wipe one of the tears off his cheek, "Please...I'm begging don't run off again, you might not be so lucky next time." He said lifting my chin to see the cut. "I promise." I said hugging him again. "You're my kid sis, I hate seeing you hurt." He said, pulling me away. "Our old man is not in the best shape for you to be home like this how bout you stay here tonight." He said rubbing my arm and standing up, "I'll go ask Darry if you can stay." He said walking out the front door, I laid back down on the pillow, my headache was worse from crying but it was worth it. I had my brother back. Steve walked back in with the others, "ok Cat I'll be back tomorrow morning...I-I'll call in sick tomorrow." He said kneeling down beside me. "No, don't do that." I said pushing myself back up. "C'mon Cat, you're more important than work." He said standing up. "No, Steve I'll be fine." I said looking up at him. "Cat-." He started, "I'll stay with her." Two spoke up. Steve turned around, "I've got nothing better to do, and you need that paycheck." He said walking over to Steve. "You sure I'm more than willing to call in sick." Steve said looking at me and back at Two. "I can do it, I promise." He said. "Ok fine, I better head back if I'm gonna get up in time for work, bye cat...thank you Two, you too Darry ." Steve said walking out the door. Soda walked Pony back to go to bed, Darry cleaned the first aid up and went back to his room leaving me and Two alone. "Th-thank you." I said two looked up from across the room. "Aw it was nothing, Bob deserved it always has,  I'm just glad you're safe." He said walking over to the couch and sitting down on the floor against the coffee table. His eyes were puffy and red from crying and he had tear streaks staining his cheeks. "No really...thank you." I said sitting up. "Who knows what he would have done to me if it wasn't for you." I said hanging my legs off the couch. "I'm sorry about earlier today." He said looking over at me. "That's the past, forget it." I said straightening up and patting the spot next to me. He sat next to me leaning against the arm rest. "You really should be laying down." He said looking over at me. "I could care less what I really should be doing, I'm fine." I said. It was quiet for a second, "I really am sorry for earlier." He said looking back over at me. "Two, how many times do I have to say it's fine." I said, looking him in the eyes. "It doesn't feel fine, that wasn't me..." he said, putting his head in his hand. "Two I really don't mind anymore." I was trying to forget about it, this was the two I missed. "No, I mind Cat...I mind it's not about that, what if I didn't see you...what if I had lost you and-and that's the last way I talked to you...I-I couldn't live with myself." He said choking up. "Oh Two," I said, placing my hand on his. "I'm being serious Kitten, what if that was it, it was over and that's how I acted." He was tearing up again, "Catherine I lov-." I cut him off. He didn't need to finish the sentence, I knew how it was gonna end so I finished it for him. I kissed him, not a long kiss just a short kiss...but it felt amazing, he pulled me back over for another just us in the dark. "What the-." The lights flipped on.