These past few weeks have been absolute hell. The last time we chatted it was the first day of thanksgiving break and now it's the first day of Christmas break.
The house has been filled with athletes for weeks. It's a tradition that some of the guys have, they spend as much time during breaks together as possible and basically study sports.
I honestly don't know how else to describe it, they run plays all over the house, the backyard, the front yard, in the halls. Also for some reason this year we had three weeks in between thanksgiving and Christmas break instead of four.
School has been pretty crazy but also amazing. Student council is getting really involved with issues among the student body and we have received a lot of positive reinforcement. It's recruitment season so I don't have a job at the moment which is annoying. I'm having to spend every second that I'm not prepping or having meetings with these buffoons.
"Later Soph." Nate, one of the lacrosse players, says as he heads to the door.
"Later, and thanks for helping me clean up." I say as I follow him.
"No problem." He says with a smile and a pat on my head. I wait till his carpool drives off to close the door.
I start cleaning up the house, they left almost everything a mess. Pillows are on the floor, there's food wrappers everywhere, hooligans. As soon as I finish the dishes, which my brothers always neglect when there friends come over, the front door opens. I go to greet the person thinking it's my dad when I'm met with an ugly sight.
"What the hell happened to your face?" I ask Dayton while he balances a phone between his ear and shoulder.
"Hey um, I'll call you later. Yeah, yeah that's fine, tell him it wasn't too much trouble." He says and then hangs up.
"What's that smell?" He asks with a smile and walks past me.
"It's lasagna, I made some cause the guys came over - that's not important what happened to your face?"
The first thing I noticed was his eye, it was red and already swelling along with what looked like a cut right underneath his lower lashes. Next there's the jaw, its got a clean cut and some light bruising, which is sure to start turning green and purple in the next few days. Lastly his lips, the top is fine but his bottom one is busted and covered in dry blood.
He looks like shit, but I bet what I can't see under his clothes is even worse.
"Go sit in my room." I say looking at the counter
"But I'm hungry." He whines
"I'll bring it upstairs, it needs to be warmed up and I have to find the first aid kit anyway." I mumble to myself still not meeting his eyes.
He walks around the counter to stand beside me and gives me a kiss on the crown of my head. His hand is on my cheek and his face in my hair, I feel warm.
"Thank you." he whispers and let's me go, heading to my room.
God, I'm cold again, just like that.
I toss a piece of lasagna in the oven and go to find the first aid kit. By the time I make it back to the kitchen the lasagna is done. I make my way upstairs and into my room.
"It's ready." I say as I place the plate on my desk and walk to the bathroom.
"It's so good." Dayton hums with a mouth full of food.
"Stop talking with your mouth full, it's bad manners." I say laughing softly and he responds with a yes ma'am.
Once he finishes I have him come into the bathroom where everything is set up. I have him sit on the side of the bathtub as I clean up his face.
"You know I could've done this myself." He whispers
"I doubt it."
"I know how to clean up a busted face Soph."
"Well I wish that wasn't true." I say softly as I dab the cut on his jaw with a wet rag.
"You knowing how to do this isn't any better."
"It's just cause of my brothers, they always used to get in fights, you know how bad Beck was." I say and sigh, "mom and dad got tired of him and he was always horrible when it came to taking care of himself, so I stepped in to help." I say as I apply some Neosporin to his jaw and lip.
"I guess you'll be doing this for me a lot then." He says laughing
"That's not funny, and if you come in here looking like this again I won't help you."
"Why not?" He asks offended
"Dayton you probably feel like crap, but this," I say indicating his face, "hurts my heart."
"I know," he says looking down at the tile, "and I'm sorry."
"Just get in the shower, we can check your back when you get done." I say running a hand through his hair
...
When he walks out I'm just starting on some notes for the next student council meeting. He's wearing a pair of Luke's old sweats.
"Go lay on the bed mister, face down."
"Someone's being a little naughty." He teases and I make a face
"You're gross, but I can see the scrapes on your back from over here."
As I finish patching him up we start talking.
"So you gonna tell me who beat the life out of you and why?"
"It was just some idiots at a bar."
"Ok, and why were you at a bar?" At this he blushes
"No reason."
"Whatever, just know that if you get caught and they put you in jail for the night I'm not coming to save you." I say and he laughs "Now are you gonna tell me why?"
"Just over some stupid money."
"How much?"
"No." He says sternly
"What do you mean no?"
"I mean I'm not telling you because I don't want your pity money. This is my problem not yours."
"First of all you obviously need that money and second this wouldn't be out of pity. This is definitely my problem, I mean you came home looking like this and that isn't my problem how?"
"It's just some money, I'll have it worked out soon enough."
"At least tell me why you needed the money."
"Just some bills."
"What bills Dayton? What bills could be so important that you get the sh*t beat out of you."
"It doesn't matter."
"Tell me."
"Hospital bills."
"For?"
"My mom."
"Why couldn't you ask me for help?"
"Because I don't want your money Soph, we've already been through this." He says angrily
"I didn't have to give you money, I could've helped you look for a loan service or talked to the hospital. If this is for your mom you know my family would do anything to help, but now your in this mess and your mom doesn't even know does she?"
"No, and it's gonna stay that way."
"You are absolutely impossible."
"Sorry that I don't want to be some pretty rich girls charity case. If I needed that I would just go ask one of those thirsty girls at school."
Prick.
"Whatever Dayton, just go to bed." I say and go back to doing notes.
...
I finally finish and go to sit on my bed.
"When I said go to sleep, I kinda meant in here." I say to myself
When I lay down I place my hand on the empty space next to me.
I guess I can only blame myself, how was he supposed to know I wanted him to stay. I was scolding him and getting an attitude, of course he would think I wanted him to leave.
Looks like I'm sleeping alone tonight, I relax into my sheets and close my eyes.