If Romeo wore sneakers...

Chapter 36: Get in./Cordelia

        I start the car and drive towards Jack, Romeo, and Hannah. I slowly pull out onto the road and spot Hannah in the car's headlights. The copper taste of blood fill my mouth as it oozes from my split  cheek. I slowly start to make out two figures rolling around on the ground.

        As I pull up next to them and slam on the breaks, one figure runs off into the shadows.

"Romeo get in." I say angrily, opening back up the healing wound in my mouth. 

        He nods and gets inside the car quietly. I'm pulling onto the road when I hear Hannah call.

"You can't just leave me here!" Hannah screams desperately.

"WATCH ME YOU STUPID BITCH!" I scream to her, leaving "the hooker" behind.

        As I drive tears well up in my eyes and I try not to let out my small sniffles. I run my fingers over my now swollen and bruised lips. Romeo grabs my hand.

"You are still so beautiful, Pocket." He said smiling.

I smile at him and drive to his house, all the while doing my best to swallow the blood and try not to open up the wound.  As we pull into his driveway and through his iron gates a small stream of blood drops out of my mouth. Romeo sees it and grabs my hand quickly before I wipe it away. 

"Open your mouth." Romeo commands.

I slowly open my mouth and blood rushes out in small streams. I quickly walk out of his car careful not to get a drop of blood on his leather seats.

"Cordelia why didn't you tell me?" Romeo asks putting his hand on my cheek.

"Tell you what?" I ask spitting blood onto the ground. "That your best friend punched me so hard that I lost probably about a liter of blood!" 

"You didn't even cry." He says amazed.

"So sue me!" I shout at him.

"why do you always think you have to be so strong Pocket?" He asks, much to my surprise. "Just let your walls down. Let me in." 

"My foundation is cracked, if I put my walls down for even a second, they crumble, and people like Jack get in." I say sadly.

"Pocket, I hope that one day you trust me enough to let me in." He says.

"It's not trust Romeo, it's just..." I trail off.

"Whatever." He says shrugging me off.

"Don't you dare act like you've told me everything and have hidden nothing from me!" I shout, blood resurfacing in my mouth.

        I hint of something I can't explain sparkles in his eyes for an instant and then it's gone. What was he hiding from me? Was it as bad as what I was hiding from him? Maybe I should just tell him. No he would never believe me. 

        Romeo nods and unlocks the house, his mother rushes down the stairs. With phone in hand and one look at the crusted blood across my face, she's ready to call the police. Romeo just shakes his head and lowers her hand. I watch her face as she slowly begins to understand our situation.

"Let's get you cleaned up." Mrs. Apara says.

        I nod and she leads me into the kitchen. I watch her with large doe like eyes as she walks over to the sink and wets a hand towel. She wanders back over to me like I am a wild animal and she must tread lightly not to anger me. I smile to reassure her and she eventually calms down. 

"Was anyone else hurt?" She asks me as she soothingly wipes the towel across my face.

        I shake my head, trying to avoid words. I know that if I speak not the words will catch in my throat, and I will break into a sob that I fear I will not be able to stop.

"Who did this to you Cordelia?" Mrs. Apara asks me.

"Jack." I say.

        That single word seemed to destroy her. At first I didn't think that she had heard me, but then I saw her face flinch a little like my words had actually, physically, stung her.

"Jack." She repeated. 

        I nodded and her face once again became solid like stone. Mrs. Apara had strength. Strength I one day hope to acquirer.

"You may stay here tonight if you wish." She said to me kindly. "But I expect you and my son to sleep in separate rooms."

"Of course mom." Romeo said walking into the room with an old shirt and a pair of boxers.

"Very well then." She said priestly. "I assume you would like to shower, yes?" 

I nod solemnly.

"There is a guest bath upstairs on the sixth door to the left." She says.

        I bob my head and take the clothes that Romeo had given me, I climb the stairs and walk towards a door that I thought was the bathroom. I begin to open it as Romeo rushes towards me and quickly closes it.

                                                 Not before a flash of pink catches my eyes.