A Short Story Collection #Wattys2018

Angel Wings

This is something I had written one day at 3 in the morning after getting inspiration from watching BTS's Blood, Sweat & Tears video, but this isn't a fanfiction (unless enough people want it to be).

Enjoy!!!

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My face was hot and red with embarrassment and shame. Never once did I let someone, including my friends, see my cry, yet here I was blubbering like the crying mess I am in front of someone I only met barely even a week ago. I didn't like people to see me cry because they thought I was a strong person, but this would show how weak I actually am.

"I'll get you some ice," he murmured as he pushed my hair back to get a good look at the decent sized egg that developed on my forehead. I stayed quiet only whimpering a bit from the pain I was in. There was no doubt in my mind that I was a horrid mess covered in blood and dirt.

"What happened to you?" he asked coming back with ice and a first aid kit.

"I'd rather not talk about it," I whisper out barely managing to accomplish that meager task.

He looked at me with a hint of frustration in his eyes, "Are you being serious? I found you half-conscious behind a building bleeding, yet you don't want to tell me what happened?" I looked away from him not wanting to feel anymore ashamed than I already was, but he grabbed my chin and turned my face towards his. We were nose to nose, and I could feel his breath on my face. "What happened?"

"A bully from my past decided to drop by unannounced and say hey," I tell him trying to laugh only to have a strangled cry of pain claw its way out of my throat.

"Tell me what really happened," he said gently wiping away the blood and grim off my body and out of my wounds.

"He escaped jail and came to threaten me. The reason why he was in jail is because he beat me and his girlfriend, to death for her though," I whispered out with my bottom lip quivering as I tried to hold in my tears.

"Why did he do that to you?" he asked taking away his hand and using his thumb to wipe away my tears.

"Because I was friends with her and tried to get her out of that relationship," I explained leaning my face into his hand feeling fatigue start to take over my body.

"Where else are you hurt?" he asked moving his hand away to pick up the wash cloth again.

"I'm pretty sure my chest is bruised, but my back may have brush burns or something," I tell him feeling the warmth from my cheek leaving and making it cold again.

"Turn around and lift up your shirt then."

"W-what," I stutter out shocked.

"I'm trying to make sure you're okay," he says starting to move around the bed toward my backside.

"No please," I gasp out moving out of the way.

"What's wrong?" he asked sitting back on his legs.

"I-I don't like people looking at my b-back," I stutter out.

"Why?" he asked again creeping closer towards my face until he was starting into my eyes.

"It's covered in ugly scars," I mumbled out looking at the bed sheet like it was the most interesting thing in the world at the moment.

"You act like I'd be disgusted by the sight of measly scars," he says chuckling a bit before reaching for the hem of my shirt.

"Wait," I say touching his hand stopping him, "It's just that the last time I actually looked at them, they were full of scar tissue and aggressive looking."

"It's fine really; I won't care how they look," he says kissing my forehead before I turned back around. He lifted my shirt up slowly and the cold air raised goosebumps on my back. His fingers trailed along my scars lightly like a fleeting kiss. "You're an angel."

"What do you mean? I'm the furthest thing from," I whispered out not trusting my voice at all.

"Why would you say such a ridiculous thought?"

"Because I'm not beautiful like an angel."

"Yes you are; you even have angel wings," he mummers into my ear making a shiver run down my spine. "Your scars look like wings." I felt him rest his head on my shoulder with his face upwards. "I wonder how they got that way." Again I felt his fingers moving along my back but this time making circles.

"I-I wouldn't k-know," I stammer out feeling hear rush up to my cheeks at what he was doing.

"That's a shame." There was maybe a few beats of silence before he spoke again. "Be honest with me for a moment, why are you mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you; I'm mad at myself," I admit trying to keep my voice normal. I wasn't sure if he knew what he was exactly doing to me, but I didn't want him to know he had an effect on me.

"And why is that?"

"Because I had one o the best days of my life yesterday when we went to the zoo with your brother and sister. I wasn't mad at you telling people we were dating or married and that they were our kids; I was sad. I was sad because I know that this is just the stuff of dreams and not a reality. And that hit me hard because I felt like I belonged to a real family for once," I explain to him feeling my eyes well up with even more tears.

"Aren't you part of a real family?" he asks sitting back upright and pulling my shirt back down leaving my feeling empty. "I mean that guy we talked to said you are his sister."

"He's not my brother but says he is because of how close we are. I'm only living with him and his wife until I can get my own apartment. It's just been a good seven years now is all," I explained still facing away from him knowing that I would lose all of my composure.

"But what about-"

"I don't have parents," I choke out cutting him off, "They got rid of me when I was five."

"So what's your idea of a real family if mine is one?" he asks grabbing my shoulders and turning me around to face him.

"A group of people that accept you and treat you like their own," I say starting to cry, "And your family has done that for me, but I'll never belong to a real family." My body started to shake, and I snaked my arms around my knees hugging myself. Snot started to drip from my nose, and I wiped it unattractively with my shirt sleeve. He just sat there silently watching me so the only sound heard was my crying. It was getting uncomfortable, and I got up starting to leave before he reached out, grabbing me pulling me into his chest. We were so close that I could feel his hammering heart beat.

"You are part of a real family. You're part of mine because I love you."

And then he kissed me.

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