Chelsea's Smile

Chelsea's Smile [3]

KATIE'S POV

Sander knocked on my door about five minutes after we parted. I was surprised to see him so quickly, but then I saw the bleeding cut on his face and the man downstairs. I recognized the man on the side walk all to well. The horror of my past, creeping up again on me like the cold fingers of death. I gripped Sander's wrist and pulled him inside and shut the door, locking the deadbolt.

"What happened?" I asked, sitting him on my dark red couch. I hurried into the kitchen and snatched a rag off the counter. I soaked it under the sink and hurried back over to him. I pressed it to his bleeding face and he slightly grimaced. He didn't answer, but only then was it I remembered he didn't speak aloud. "Oh right," I leaned over my neatly cleaned and organized coffee table and produce a notepad and pen.

'Nothing you need to worry about Katie." He scribbled in his elegant and loopy handwriting. 'And the way you looked at him; you know him don't you?' I froze in shock, my face paling. My hand holding the rag slightly shook. His eyes, so full of concern, bored into my heart as he reached up and held my hands in his lap. He seemed to try and make a sound, a groan almost it seemed.

"Y-yeah, I do." I whispered, looking away. He released one of my hands and scribble quickly on the paper.

'How?' Was the only thing he wrote down. I looked back at him, tears pooling in my eyes ass I looked at him.

"I was raped by him last year." I said softly. "I'm called Creepy Katie, because he was my boyfriend then. Worst mistake I ever made," I cried out. He froze in his seat, not moving. I feared he'd be one of the many to turn on me and call me by my most hated nickname. But his eyes became worried and thoughtful as his fingers tightened on my hands. I looked away from him and pulled back my hands as I stood. "I should go get some bandages," I said softly and hurried down the hall.

I stood the bathroom for a while, pretending to search for a band aid, but stood in the mirror, looking at my face. I'm not the same girl I was a year ago. Little Miss. Perfect. As if. The part of me was long dead since that horrible night. It died along with the girl who hoped and believed her future would be better.

I started dry heaving as I remember the smell and feel of the ally he left me in. So cold and dark and dank as the rats crawled over and around my bare body. The feeling of disgust and dirtiness arose again in my stomach and I started scratching at my skin, wanting to peel away the layer of grim and filth I felt for myself from trusting him. Soon I had bleeding cuts on my arms from wanting to destroy the filth on my body, but I snatched the bandage and tugged down my sleeve and marched back to Sander.

When I entered the room I had left him in, he was lacing his mask back up the middle and the glass of water I left there for him was half empty. I pretended I didn't notice and sat next to him, opening the cloth band age.

"Here," I said softly as I gently pressed the large bandage to the cut that was only slightly bleeding now. I kept my eyes focused on sealing the cut until he placed his hand gently on my wrist, looking into my eyes. When I met his stormy ones, they were soft and kind. I could see a surge of emotion in the iris of them. Like he was battling a war within himself. I saw his temple clench as if he were grinding his teeth. He used his free hand and wrote down on the note pad.

'I really want to kiss you.' He wrote, surprising me. But at the same time, I hated those words. I never wanted to hear them ever again. He continued writing a few more words; 'But I can't.'

"Why?" I said softly, slightly disappointed. He brought his hand to his mask, and I realized, he was scared. He didn't want me to see what was beneath it. I touched the tightly wound laces and he froze  in his seat. "Can I ever see what you hide under it?" I asked softly.

He just shook his head and scribbled on the notepad. 'Never.'

"Then how might we... kiss one day?" I asked the question on both of our minds. His steel color eyes seemed to struggle for an answer of which he didn't have. He let his hair dropped slightly into his eyes. I held out my hand, which he held, and I slowly slid my hand up to his elbow as he slid his to mine. I shut my eyes, letting myself enjoy this, I assumed, rare moment.

We scooted closer, and he place his hands on my waist, holding me as I put my arms around his neck. He placed his nose on my shoulder.

"What doing? We barely know each other." I went to move away, but his fingers curled against my waist.

"Let's enjoy it," I heard a low, soft voice rumbled from him, partially muffled by the mask. I was shocked by the sudden sound emerging from this mute boy. When I pulled back a bit shocked, his eyes were crinkled like he was smiling and quickly wrote on the notepad, 'Don't get used to it. I won't speak very often.' 

He stayed there, well into the evening. I made dinner for the both of us, but he wouldn't eat until I went to go wash dishes. When I came back to the living room, half of the sandwich I had made was gone and he was quickly scrambling to lace up the mask so I wouldn't see what was hidden behind it.

'I need to be going now. See you tomorrow?' He had written on the notepad in his very odd, very proper wording.

"It's dark out though. I'll walk you down there." I smiled at him. I could see his eyes crinkle as I assumed he smiled. But then, a flash of nervousness crossed his cloudy eyes.

'Do you have Facetime on your phone Katie?' He scribble.

"Yeah, why?" I asked confused.

'I just want to make sure you get home safe.' I nodded, understanding why. We quickly switched usernames and then got up. I held out me hand to him, letting him know it was okay to hold my hand, hoping he'd take my hand, which he did. His hand was soft with some calluses between his fingers, but over all, he had nice hands.

He opened the door first and held it for me as I passed though smiling. I shut the door without locking and we made our way downstairs. It was actually very dark out, the air was think with humidity. The stars were like little pin points in the cavernous black sky.

When we reached his door, he turned to me, brushing back my hair. I turned my face into his hand for a moment, enjoying a feeling I haven't felt in so long.

"See you tomorrow," I smiled and reached for my phone. Before I turned away, I called him up on the Facetime app. When I saw the camera switch on, I turned to the stairs. The dark was scaring me already, but I had to steady my breath and keep walking. I couldn't let him know I was afraid of the dark. I waved when I reached my door and he waved back. I shut off video and put my phone in my back pocket.

That's when I noticed the door was open a crack. My heart froze in my throat as I pushed the door open. What I saw beyond the wooden door terrified me horribly to where I thought I might puke.

I saw sharp, pointed, bloodied teeth, cherry red hair, skin like ivory, and a long, crimson covered dagger.

I screamed in absolute terror.

It was him.