Unspoken

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

“What’s that?” Declan asks, looking at the side of my chin. I freeze as I try to think up an explanation other than what really happened. My tears must have washed off the cover up and now my bruise is there for Declan to see. I shrug as if to say it’s no big deal, but I can tell he isn’t convinced by the way his eyes linger on the bruise.

“It almost looks like someone punched you,” he says and then widens his eyes as what he said sinks in. “It was your dad, wasn’t it?”

I see a dangerous look enter his eyes and I have to admit, I’m a little scared. I start to shake my head no, but the look he gives me makes me realize it’s no use. He already knows and he is livid. I pull away from him and let my hair fall forward so that is covers the bruise.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he demands and I can see hurt in his eyes along with the anger. I avert my eyes, wishing he would just let it drop. “How many times has he hurt you?”

I can tell by the look on his face that my answer will change everything. If I tell him that this wasn’t the first time he will go back to my house, regardless of the consequences. I don’t want this and it really was the only time that he hit me, but that isn’t what Declan asked me. How many times has he hurt me? I honestly can’t even count the times. Like when he was supposed to take me and Caleb to dinner for our birthday and he never showed. Or when I was eight and I wanted to be a model and he told me I could never be that pretty. So, yes it was the first time he hit me, but certainly not the first time he has hurt me.

I hear the engine rumble to life and my eyes snap up to meet Declan’s. As I was thinking through everything he had been waiting for an answer. My silence seems to have been answer enough for him because his hands grip the steering wheel so hard I think he’ll break it. I know that if he goes back to that house it won’t end well and I don’t want him to get into trouble because of me. So, I slid over so that I am next to him and motion for him to pull over. He shakes his head at first, but after a few minutes he reluctantly pulls over. He tilts my face up, so his eyes burning with anger are gazing into mine.

“What do you want me to do?” he asks sounding defeated. I rest my head on his shoulder and I can feel him begin to relax. “You should have told me, I would have come picked you up.”

Yea, and he would have gotten himself arrested for beating up my father. I don’t tell him this, though, just nod in agreement. We sit here like this for awhile, both lost in our own thoughts. Eventually he leans forward and starts the car back up. I look at him questioningly, wondering where we are going.

“I’m not letting you go back there,” he states simply. I would try to argue, but with the mood he is in I decide just to keep my mouth shut. Although, if he isn’t taking me home, I have no idea where I will go. He seems to know what I’m thinking because he answers my unspoken question. “You can stay at my house.”

I look at him doubtfully. His parents are going to be okay with this? They seem like nice people, but I still don’t think so. He notices my doubt and I can practically hear him thinking the same things that I am.

“Okay, so maybe not there, but I don’t know where else to go,” he says, eyebrows drawn together in thought. Suddenly his face brightens and he turns the truck around. He must have a destination in mind, but he doesn’t share it with me. I wait patiently, while gazing at the dark forest flying by. It’s getting late and I have to blink repeatedly in order to stay awake.

I must have drifted off because the next thing I know I am being carried around to the back of the truck. Declan lifts me onto the back of the truck, where there are blankets set up. He explains to me that he still had them in his truck from the picnic. We are parked in the middle of some field. It’s unlikely that anyone will bother us here.

I snuggle into the blankets and Declan lays down beside me. I rest my head on his chest and he wraps his arms around me.

“Love you,” he whispers into my ear. I kiss him once in answer. Everything that has happened tonight is completely forgotten as I fall asleep to the steady rhythm of Declan’s heartbeat.

* * *

The chilly morning air awakens me, sending shivers down my body. I snuggle deeper under the blanket and find that I am practically lying on top of Declan. I roll off of him and gently kiss his eyelids until they begin to flutter open. He rubs his eyes and yawns.

“Everyday would be amazing if I got to wake up to your beautiful face,” he says and I giggle as a blush creeps up my neck. He sits up and as the blanket slides off his shoulders he grimaces. “It’s freezing!”

He throws the blanket over both of our heads and pulls me over so that I’m sitting in his lap. He kisses me a few times before I lean away, laughing.

“Come back,” he says a smile sliding onto his face.

I grin in response and shake my head no. He goes to grab for me, but I jump up and out of his grasp. I jump off the back of the truck and start running through the field. He follows behind and easily catches up to me. He slips his arms around my waist, pulling me towards him. I am laughing so hard that I can hardly stand and so I allow myself to collapse into his arms. He lifts my feet off of the ground and kisses me once more. Just then the wind picks up and my teeth begin to chatter. We race back to the truck and hop inside the front. We sit huddled together in front of a vent as warm air blows out.

“Do you want to go back to my house so we can clean up a little and then go to breakfast?” he asks me when we have warmed up and I nod my agreement.

It only takes a little while to reach Declan’s house and by the time we pull into his driveway I am overcome with nerves. I know I have already met his mom once, but that was before Declan and I were together. I want to make a good impression on both his parents, but how can I do that without talking? Declan squeezes my hand and I feel myself relax a little. After all, I’m sure this can’t go worse than Declan meeting my parents.

“Mom! Dad! I’m home,” Declan calls as we enter his house.

“In here, sweetie,” his mom answers. Declan leads me down the hall to the room that her voice came from. It is the kitchen and Declan’s mom is standing at the sink, washing the dishes. When she sees us her eyes widen a little, but then a smile spreads across her face.

“Nice to see you again, Arianna,” she says sweetly. “I would hug you, but…”

She holds up her hands, which are completely covered in soapy water. My nerves completely disappear the second she opens her mouth. Her kindness is genuine unlike my mother’s fake sentiments. I wouldn’t expect anything less from the person that raised Declan.

“Where’s dad?” Declan asks.

“In the living room with your sister. Do you want something to eat? If I had known you were coming I would have waited to make breakfast,” she says.

“Nah, it’s fine. We’re gonna get something when we leave,” Declan replies and takes me to go meet his father. He is sitting on the couch reading the newspaper, but when we walk in he stands up.

“You must be Arianna,” he says and shakes my hand. I notice Declan’s five year old sister watching me intently.

“Ari, this is Jasmine,” he says and ruffles her hair. She swats his hand away and gives me a shy smile.

“Will you be okay for a minute? I need to talk to my dad,” Declan asks and I nod. They both walk out of the room, leaving me with Jasmine. She tugs on my hand and pulls me over to some board game she has set up. I play with her and find that my silence isn’t an issue because once she starts talking she never stops. A little while later Declan comes back into the room.

“You ready to go?” he asks and I stand up. Jasmine hugs me goodbye and then I go to say bye to Declan’s parents.

We go out to the truck and I begin to wonder what Declan needed to talk to his dad about. I don’t want to intrude on his privacy, though, and so I don’t ask him. He decides to tell me anyway.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I told them about what happened last night and they agreed that you could stay with us for awhile,” he says and I feel my eyes widen. He wants me to live with them? I don’t know how I feel about this. I know my family isn’t great, but they are all that I have. Can I leave them? One look at Declan convinces me that I can. He is all that I have, not them.