Let Me Protect You (GirlxGirl)

♤Chapter 54

Emma's P.O.V.

The wind was blowing a bit harder than I would've liked, but can't complain much, it's nearly Christmas. I listened closely as the waves crashed into the pier. The load water rushed up the poles on impact and back down Into a fluid body of coldness, where it retracted back into itself.

I've always found the water to be a mysteriously comforting thing. It can hug you in your darkest moments but hurt you if you're not too careful.

I looked over at my sister, as she stared up at the dim sky. It played a faded blue as the orange sun fell just over the ocean. The stars were starting shined down on us in a solemn glow of peace.

"Cammy?"

"Yeah?" She answered, but didn't look at me. I decide it was best to look up too, then I reached out for her hand lacing our fingers together.

She squeezed for a second, causing a sigh to fall out of me into the salty air.

I swallowed, "we're going to be okay, right?"

She nodded a bit before taking a shallow breath, "We should be, we're pretty fluid, like-."

"The ocean, we move like the ocean," I finished the idea with a wide smile playing on my lips. We used to say that when we were moving around alot.

It was a comfort, a 'fake it until you make it' coping skill.

We move like the ocean.

She chuckled, "Just like the goddamn thing. We don't go down, we swim, Em; we always swim."

She saw me when she finally looked, and mean she really saw me. A gentle grin ripped through her features and we met eyes under the darkening sky.

"We'll be okay, we have to be, it's what we do," she whispered and it pulled me towards her. I latched onto her body and pressed my head against her chest.

"If we're not?" I mumble gently. She holds me closer, and I can feel her landing kisses on top of my head.

"I've got you, Emma, I've always got you."

My breath hitched in my thought for a second before I felt like now was the time to spill my guts.

I sighed, "Do you remember Derek?"

Silence.

My question hung in the air for more than minutes and just as I was about to take it back she spoke.

"I know," she declared making my breathing stop. I broke put of her embrace and sat up facing her. The waves hot louder as my heart hammered in my chest. I didn't have to say anything she took my shock as a response.

"You really thought I didn't know?" She asked sitting up too. I looked away as she continued, "it took a bit, but I knew by day three of you crying in the shower."

I pulled my hand up and stroked my arm as I rested my eyes on a bed of rocks by the shore.

She knew all this time and she didn't say anything.

She didn't do anything.

She didn't care.

Silence climbed between us again and the sky was falling into a deep navy when she broke it again.

"I-I wanted to hurt him so bad, but it was my fault, really," she whispered softly looking at the horizon.

My head snapped up to her, I was ready to deny it, because it wasn't anyone's fault. If anyone were to blame, it would've been Derek.

"If I would've been there, he never would've spoken to you; he never would've felt like he could touch you."

I shook my head drawingcloser to her,"It's not your fault, it's his."
I made her look at me with those soft chocolate eyes, before I pulled her in for a hug.

"I promised myself that I would never let that happen to you again. I promised to protect you," she spoke through clenched teeth. The sky was getting darker by the minute and the stars were shining on us.

"That couldn't happen again, there could never be a situation were I didn't know where you were or who you were with, just in caseyouneeded me."

And if I wasn't with her, I wasn't safe.

I get it now.

It was all to keep my safe, safe from him.

...From everything.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell u sooner," I squeezed her shirt holding back useless tears.

"I know it's hard, so I was prepared to never hear it. I didn't mind if you told me or not, it was always up to you," she pulled back with red eyes and landed a gentle kiss on my forehead.

The day was finally over and by the time I looked up again blackness shrouded us. The stars sparkled like diamonds in the light, and I held on tighter until it was time to go again.