𝘾𝙍𝘼𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙊 𝙔𝙊𝙐 ↣ 𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝘿𝙄𝙍𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉

STOLE MY HEART

"Yes," I said.

"I want you to be my girlfriend," Donte said. "I'm sick of just being your friend. This isn't the kind of things friends do." It's not the kind of thing boyfriends should do, I thought. "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you that you're my girlfriend. Got it?"

"Yes," I said again. Donte pushed me into the wall a final time before leaving me alone in the bathroom. I took a deep breath, and jumped when my phone started ringing. I answered it without looking at the contact.

"Hello?"

"I'm here, love. You coming?" Louis asked.

"Oh, yeah, right," I said. "I'm sorry, I just got caught up with-" I faltered when I couldn't think of an excuse, "-It's not important. I'm coming outside right now, sorry."

"No rush," Louis said. "I'm right out front, okay?"

I left the bathroom and started walking towards the exit. "Okay, I'll see you in a second," I said. I ended the call.

When I climbed into Louis' car, he gave me a worried look. "Why do you look like that?"

"Like what?" I asked amusedly.

"I don't know, like you're proper scared," Louis said. He put the car in drive and pulled away. "What's the deal?"

"There's no deal," I lied.

"What's wrong with your stomach?" Louis asked. I looked down at it and cursed the arm that was subconsciously holding my bruised rib cage. I pulled the arm away.

"Nothing," I said.

"You've been awfully quiet," Louis said.

"Lots of stuff on my mind," I mumbled.

"I know you don't want to talk about it," Louis said. "But if that changes, you know I'm here. I don't know if you don't want to talk me because of what we used to be, or whatever, but you can. If you want to talk to me, you can."

"It's not-" I cut myself off. "Thank you, Lou."

"Always," Louis said.

We pulled into the driveway a few minutes later. Louis reached over towards me and I fumbled to grab onto his wrist, stopping him. I looked at him with terrified eyes.

"Just want to grab your bag for you, love," Louis said gently. "Didn't mean you scare you."

"No, it's okay- I'm sorry, Lou, I-"

"It's alright," Louis said. He rested his hand on the knee of my prosthetic, and kept it there until I let go of my hold on his wrist.

"I have homework," I said. I grabbed onto my own book bag and climbed out of the car without looking back.

I walked inside, and jogged up the stairs to my room. I closed and locked the door behind me. At least I know I'm safe when I'm alone.

I walked into my closet and grabbed a change of more comfortable clothes. I changed into a pair of shorts first, before peeling my shirt off.

My ribs and stomach were covered in colorful bruises. Not cuts, bruises. I had been through worse. I could handle a few bruises.

I pulled on a jumper and messed with my hair a bit, before putting more concealer on my neck. The black eye was impossible to hide, but the fingerprints on my neck were easy.

I padded back to my bed and climbed into it. I wrapped myself tightly in the blanket and squeezed my eyes shut. What's wrong with me? Why is this my life again?