CAUGHT OFF GAURD

CAUGHT OFF GUARD: CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

MAIN CHARACTER 👆🏾

KHALIL💕

The whole left side of his face was every color of the spectrum, eye swollen shut. I just lost it. I sat there in my car and broke down, unable to let go of the steering wheel. He limped over and got in. I couldn't even look at him. I reached over and squeezed his hand, but I couldn't look at him. It just killed my soul to see it.

I didn't know how to deal with this. It was one thing to know it had happened before-- it was entirely different to see the immediate results of it. After a couple of minutes, he gained control of himself and spoke to the window

"I got here a couple a hours ago to call you and tell you not to come, but then I didn't have a fucking quarter... and I just couldn't make myself go inside and ask anybody for one," he sobbed.

"Man, I didn't want you to see me like this..." He was obviously still in pain. "He started in as soon as you left on Saturday, but I thought that was it, and it wasn't bad. Yesterday he didn't fuck with me... Ya know, I tried to stay away from him all I could. I left after I talked to you last night and didn't come home 'til late. But he didn't work today, and I didn't have a way to school. He found me and just started in on me. I tried to fight back, but he's so fuckin' big, and when he's not drunk..." he faded off.

I was crying and trembling and didn't know what to do or say. I felt so utterly helpless. He turned his head way around so he could look at me out of his good eye,

"Don't think I can go to no fancy restaurant like this," he laughed through his sobs, trying to smile at me. I made myself look at him and winced, visibly. He turned his face back to the window.

"I like t' think I can take care of myself, ya know? I ain't no pussy, ya know? I've kicked niggas asses that were bigger than me before. But, man, he's just a big mean motherfucker since he was a kid. I'm gonna kill him someday, Khalil. And Mom. I'm serious. It's like she loves to watch him do it to me, like she's so fucking glad he's not hittin' her, she like, promotes it."

"Ty, you gotta get outta there!" I was just short of hysterical.

"Yeah, no shit. I was plannin' on goin' on back to Jet & Celia's house Friday, before I met you. When she talked to me on Saturday, before we left, Celia warned me I shouldn't go back home, she told me it would be real bad," he folded his hands, brought them up under his chin, and mumbled, "but I didn't wanna stay down there and be that far away from you." He bowed his head and cried silently.

I leaned across the console and buried my face in his chest and cried more-- unaware I was pressing against more bruises. He didn't let on. I couldn't say anything. I was in shock. I was devastated, and felt like it was my fault somehow. I felt his teardrops fall on my hair and just held onto him.

It was getting darker out, and I realized we had been in that position for a good while. The donut shop had been empty almost the whole time, so the parking lot was deserted. I released Ty slowly from my grasp and sat up. I made myself look at his face and maintain.

"Let's go," I said as I started the engine.

"Where?"