Repairing the Hurt

Chapter 33

My eyes slowly open at the soft footsteps approaching my bed. "I can hear you," I whisper to Kota as his spice scent washes over me.

"I should've sent Luke in," he grumbles, walking normally now the last few feet to the end of my bed. He sits down and rubs my side, "How are you feeling?"

I sigh gently, enjoying the comfort of my bed, "You've been asking me that every single morning for the last week," I say as I crack an eye open and watch him straighten his glasses.

"You had us worried, sweetie. That job was too risky too soon while you still had a concussion. You could've gotten seriously hurt."

And that was what had caused all the check ins, and breakfasts, and constant contact for the last week since we finished the summer school job and Mr. Peters almost gave himself a death sentence.

But judging by the slight glare on Kota's face as he spoke about the job, Mr. Peters already had a death sentence.

I reach my hand over and place it on top of Kota's, "But I'm okay, and I've been resting for the past week. You guys have been making me breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and have been keeping me constant company. I haven't even been out of this apartment."

Kota's rising smile seems to pause for a moment, "Have we been too much? I know you got this place to give yourself some breathing room, but I figured with everything you went through on this last job and us still not knowing who attacked you at the festival, that you would feel safer with all of us around until you were better."

I smile gently at him. He's been so sweet, looking after me. And I do appreciate it, but as I recall the initial reason for moving into this sketchy apartment, I can't help but feel a tinge of guilt. Before I jumped from that shipping container, I had agonized about the times I would have to spend away from them, even when they kept that to a minimum.

I had so many mixed feelings about everything before, whether to keep them close and struggle with the suffocation I was feeling from being watched, after being watched for so long in fear. But after this last job, after feeling scared again and alone, I realized that I needed them. I would still need to adjust, but I was beginning to feel comfortable around them again. Slowly, they were washing away the evil memories, they were cleansing me of the darkness that had begun to corrode every ounce of goodness I used to have. Like with North, I was beginning to completely open up to them and let them take care of me and heal me.

"I spoke with Mr. Blackbourne, Kota. I told him I wanted to be with all of you again, all the time, like we were before. I'm sorry I moved out suddenly, I just needed to do something for myself that would give me a place to retreat and be by myself when I started getting overwhelmed. I told him I wanted to get out of the apartment and move back in with Nathan, taking turns having sleepovers with everyone like we used to."

Kota's smile continues to fully form on his face, "I think we'd all like that. But are you sure you want to get out of the apartment? You seemed to like having a place of your own."

I sit up and wrap my arms around his neck, crawling into his lap, "Mr. Blackbourne actually suggested I keep the apartment, so we all have a middle ground of sorts to go to, rather than me hopping from one place to another, instead everyone comes to me without having to worry about certain neighbors spying on us or family members who ask questions we're not ready to answer."

Kota looks thoughtful for a moment, "That's actually a really good idea. That way we don't have to worry about your family, or Nathan's dad, or my mom seeing anything she isn't ready for yet."

His validation makes my heart soar. I hadn't realized how worried I was about his response until he gave me approval and my shoulders began to feel lighter.