Girl on the Bench [Completed]

I've got you too

Rosa

I watched Dominic shuffle awkwardly in his chair, he held his beer in one hand and picked at the label with his other.

"So..?" I pointed at my arms again.

"My sister did it to me. I don't use drugs, I never have. I think when she saw me after I got attacked she did the only thing she knew would work. So she injected me. It's not rational but Lola isn't."

He looked out the window for a moment then took a sip of beer. He blinked then looked back at me.

"You're right, that's not rational. How long has she been using? Did she use clean needles on you?" I asked.

Dominic frowned, "She's been using for a few years. I've been to the doctors to get some tests done because, even though she said they were going to be clear,I want to be sure."

I nodded, "Do you..do you give her money?"

Dominic looked shocked, "No. I wouldn't. Lola works."

"She works? Where do...ah I see," I said as realisation set in. A sad gnawing feeling bad formed at the bottom of my stomach. Lola was so young and so pretty and she was selling herself for drugs. I bit my lip nervously as I thought about my Dad and all the things he had done to get enough money for a fix.

Drugs hooked you in and never let you go.

Dominic watched me and leaned back into the chair, "What else do you want to know?"

"Can you tell me about your work?"

"Debt collection and sales," he muttered.

"Ok. How does your sister know Paul?"

"They...they used to work together before Lola got addicted. They keep in touch," he replied. Dominic fidgeted. He clearly didn't like this line of questioning.

"Were you really just walking past my house that night my Dad died?" I said softly. I wanted to believe him. Something about him made me desperate to believe him.

Dominic looked at me and nodded. His eyes flicked down to my lips then back up to meet my gaze. I felt myself blush.

"Is there anything else you want to know?" He asked.

I shook my head, "I think that's all I need to know right now. I'm so sorry about your sister and if you want to talk about it or the injecting then I'm hear to listen."

Dominic exhaled loudly, "Are you serious?!"

I frowned and nodded.

Dominic drank deeply then looked at me, "I just told you that my drug addict sister injected me with god knows what instead of taking me to hospital and you're ok with it?"

"No. I'm not. I understand though what you can put yourself through for someone you care about."

He eyed me skeptically.

Around us,the pub had began to fill up and the volume rose. Dominic leaned forward and tapped my empty glass.

"Another?" He asked.

I shook my head and he looked disappointed. I stood up and pulled my bag onto my shoulder.

"Let's go somewhere else."

                                      ***

Dominic

We sat in the taxi as we headed to my flat. Rosa was talking to the driver and laughing at something he said. I watched her as she smiled broadly and my stomach did a happy leap.

I hadn't expected this. For her to be sitting next to me after what I'd told her. I had watched her closely as I told her about Lola and instead of becoming judgemental and uncaring, Rosa had looked sad. She hadn't freaked out when I told her that Lola had injected me. She had just understood. Maybe she had gone through similar things with her dad. It was just another way that she wasn't like anyone else I'd met.

I hadn't told her everything. I couldn't. I had wanted to when she asked about Paul but I've seen what happens when Paul knows you have someone you care about. An image flashed before me of blood and a man on his knees weeping. I blinked it away and pressed my hands into fists.

I wasn't going to let that happen to Rosa.

We stopped outside the building and I paid the taxi then we headed up in the lift. The door opened and we stood in my living room. It felt awkward. I watched Rosa as she shrugged off her jacket and turned to look at me.

"Why don't you have any pictures?" She asked.

I made my way to the kitchen and took a bottle of whiskey out of a cupboard.

"I don't have any," I replied, pouring measures into two glasses.

"You don't have any?" Rosa took the glass from me and took a sip.

"No."

I didn't want to tell her why. I didn't want her to look at me with pity or judge me. I was embarrassed.

Rosa sat down on the chair and I sat opposite her on the sofa. We sat in silence and sipped our drinks.

My phone rang and I glanced at it - Lola. I silenced it.

"You can get it if you want," Rosa said.

"No. It doesn't matter," I switched my phone off and put it on the table.

"Rosa.." I started, at the same time Rosa started to speak.

"Dominic, I.."

We stopped and smiled at each other. I liked the way she smiled, her face lit up and her eyes lightened.

"You go," I said.

She smiled again and my stomach swooped. I wanted to kiss her.

"Dominic, I just want to say that it's nice to see you. I..missed you, isn't that strange? I feel like I'm used to you being there and I didn't like it when you weren't," She blushed and I grinned.

"I missed you too," I replied.

"Really?" She said.

I crossed over to her and sat on the edge of the coffee table. I took her hands in mine.

"I did, you have no idea the relief I felt when I saw you tonight. I didn't think you were going to come. I don't normally miss people. I don't really have anyone apart from Lols," I squeezed her hands gently. "Now I've got you too."

She smiled gently and kissed me softly on the cheek, "Good."