I Have How Many New Brothers?! (Brothers Conflict fanfiction)

Chapter 33 - Comfort

I sat down quietly, without a word. I could feel my heart pounding in my ears. I felt Natsume-san's gaze on me, but I was too scared to look him in the eye.

"You don't look as composed as you think you do."

My head shot up. "What do you mean? I'm fine see, look, smiling." I pointed to the smile I had plastered on my face.

He shook his head. "Your smile's lopsided, I can tell it's forced. And your eyes don't look happy at all."

What? But I thought I did it perfectly... Why isn't it working?

"You're shaking."

I looked down at my hands. I was holding my knees so tightly I didn't even realise it. I was trembling.

The crooked smile slowly waned and I bit down on my lip, which was also beginning to tremble.

Natsume-san placed his coat on my shoulders and sat back at his seat. I pulled it tighter, greatly comforted by the warmth and scent.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

I considered it for a little while. "If you don't mind listening..."

He smiled at me, encouraging me to continue.

I took a deep breath. "I was... Sitting at that fountain. You know the one that's made of concrete... and shoots the water like this," I demonstrated, "and then stops for like two minutes then turns a different colour then-" I was rambling.

"I know," Natsume-san cut me off, obviously aware that I was rambling because of how unsteady I was, and that I would continue to ramble unless he said something.

"W-well, I was sitting there and this boy that looked about my age with blonde hair approached me. I made sure to be wary about whatever he did or said." I took another now-shaky breath. Having to recall the incident was frightening me. The realisation of what had happened and what could have happened had come crashing down on me.

"Take your time. There's no rush."

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

"So... he asked to sit next to me, and I let him... He asked if I was by myself, and I told him-" Another shaky breath. "And I told him I was waiting for someone. Almost right after that, you called and told me you were going to be late. After I hung up, he asked if the person I was waiting for was going to be late. I said yes."

I struggled to say the next couple of sentences. "Then he was like 'Come with me a sec' and h-he grabbed my arm. He got up and started pulling me. I tried to pull my arm away, to fight back. I told him to let me go. He wouldn't listen. Natsume-san he was so strong. He looked my age... But he was so strong."

I had to stop talking for a few minutes to collect myself.

More shaky breaths. "And then he took me to this poorly lit area not too far away... And he... he... p-pushed me against the w-wall. He had a firm grip on m-my wrists... He pressed himself a-against me. He'd let go of one of my wrists, and I tried to push him away. I told him to let go, and he wouldn't." I gripped my knees tightly, my knuckles white. "Then he put... his... hand... on m-my leg... and was moving upwards..."

Natsume-san's face was very serious at this point.

"And I punched him. Really hard. Really really hard. In the stomach. Then I ran. And you got me."

Natsume-san was looking down. "I'm really sorry."

"It's not your fault... I should have been more careful. I mean, I was too trusting, it was bound to happen eventually... Better sooner, so I can learn my lesson."