"She's not talking to anyone." Josh sighs, flopping down on the couch.
"Just give her some time, dear. She's upset." Mom sits next to him, wrapping Josh in her arms.
"I'm going to call CPS and see if they will let her stay with us." Dad sits next to Sam.
"Permanently?" Sam asks.
"Well at least until she's old enough to decide for her own." Dad answers.
"What if she stayed in Ronnie's room?" Josh asks, turning to mom. "Ronnie's not gonna be back until the end of summer, could she stay in there?"
"That's a wonderful idea Josh." Mom smiles at him.
They talk and vent about the whole situation, talking about what they want to do to help, and figuring out living situations. While they talked, I snuck away to the kitchen. Bailey loves tea. She always makes it when she's upset. It's the least I could do for her right now.
"Is that for her?" Sam asks. I look up, and see him softly smiling.
"Yeah." I answer.
"She hasn't said anything to Mom, Dad or Josh." He frowns. "How do you know if she will talk to you?"
"I don't." I pour the hot water into the mug, making her a cup of tea, just they way she likes it. "If she doesn't want to talk, she doesn't have to. She shouldn't have to. I'm just going to be there if she does, and if she doesn't, then I'm still going to be there." Sam softly chuckles. "What?"
"Nothing." He smiles. "Your just really good at this boyfriend thing." He smirks.
"I'm not her boyfriend." I roll my eyes, taking the warm mug down to my room. I knock on the door quietly, waiting for her to answer. But there isn't one. I open my door, and see her sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed, her knees tucked to her chest. Closing the door, I can't help but feel my heart break. She doesn't deserve to be in this whole mess. I sit down next to her.
"I brought you some tea." I hold the mug for her to take, but she doesn't move. I set it on my desk. "I'm here if you want to talk." I look down at her, but she doesn't move. "Or to hold you." She still doesn't move. I sigh, leaning over, I grab one of my blankets and carefully wrap it around her. As I tuck the blanket into place, I see red on her jeans. I look back up at her hands, seeing they are covered in blood. "At least let me look at your hands." I whisper. I sit there for a moment, waiting for her to move or say something. And she does. Still tucked away, she doesn't bring her head up, but instead just hold her hands out.
Her palms are all bloody. Most of it dried, but I can see little marks where her finger nails dug into her skin. I pull out the first aid kit under my bed, and shift to sit in front of her. She doesn't move when I wipe her hands with the alcohol wipes. Nothing. Doesn't flinch, nothing. Was it always like this? Her cleaning and mending her own wounds, waiting until Josh of mom picked her up. God. I feel like a major douche bag. All the times I could of helped, i instead stayed at home, acting too cool to help her. But that is all gone now.
I just want to help her. Make her feel at home again. She makes me feel at home when she sings, maybe I can do that for her.
"She's a woman in your dreams, one that makes you fall in love," I softly sing. "Though her face is never seen," I start to wrap her hands. As I do, I see her green eyes start to peek at me. "She is what this love is of," I smile, seeing her pick her head up a little more.
"Better?" I ask. She slowly nods. "Good." I gently grab her hands and kiss the back of them. "I know you were angry. You have every right to be. But please. Please promise me, you won't hurt yourself. Even if it's something like this." I squeeze her hands. "It kills me to see you hurting. Especially when you hurt yourself." Her eyes start to water. She slowly picks her head up all the way.
"Okay." She croaks out.
"Okay." I smile. "Come here." I open my arms and she crawls into my embrace. I just hold her. She sobs into my chest, clinging at my shirt, shaking and mumbling. "It's okay." I run my hands through her hair, shushing her, rubbing small circles on her back. I just hold her. Never wanting to let go.
"It's not fair." She mumbles into my chest, gripping at my shirt.
"I know, baby. I know." I kiss her hair. Rocking her back and forth, she starts to quiet.
"I hate her." She whispers. "I hate that she brought you all into this."
"It's okay. If she didn't, we wouldn't have been able to protect you." I lean back a little to look at her face. "Mom and Dad are trying to find a way to keep you here." She peeks up at me.
"Really?" More tears flood her eyes.
"Mhm." I smile down at her.
"Thank you." She wraps her arms around me, softly crying out thank yous, over and over again. She shouldn't have to ask to be saved. Every child should feel safe and loved. It puts literal pain in me to know that she never had that.
After what felt like no time at all, the windows were dark orange. Hours have passed, and I remember she hasn't eaten anything.
"You need to eat." I whisper in her hair.
"I don't want to see anyone." She answers. I understand that. When I get upset I don't want to see anyone either. But she needs to eat. I slowly stand up, feeling my body stiff from sitting on the floor for hours. Yep. Definitely sat too long. I rub my back, stretching everything out. She just looks up at me, confused. I smile at her, and I bend down and scoop her up, lifting her to the bed. I gently sit her down.
"While I'm getting us food, you need to drink something. I made you tea earlier, which is probably cold, but you need something." I tuck the wild hair around her face behind her ear, earning a small smile from her. She grabs the sides of my face and pulls me in.
A sweet, small, gentle kiss. It's all I need.
"Thank you." She runs her hands down my arms, holding my hands. "Thank you Jake." She smiles.
"Of course." I return the smile, kissing her cheek before I leave the room. Walking into the kitchen I see Mom standing there, wine glass in hand.
"Drinking wine already?" I chuckle.
"It's tequila." She answers, still staring out into space.
"Oh." I awkwardly smile. "Well. Enjoy your tequila." Mom hums, and walks out of the kitchen. I start rummaging through the fridge, trying to find something for us to eat, when I hear foot steps behind me.
"Where were you?" I turn around and see Josh.
"Uhm.." I try and think of an answer. "I was outside."
"Outside?" He questions. "All day?"
"Mhm." I nod. "Yeah. I just was pissed off and I didn't want to be in the way, so I just stayed outside." He nods.
"Okay." He sighs. "Have you talked to bailey?"
"No. Not yet." I turn back around, screaming at myself to find something quick so I can get out of here.
"Oh." I hear him behind me. "This whole thing sucks."
"It does." I answer, feeling myself start to feel angry again.
"I went to go check on her a little bit ago." He says. I spin around.
"Oh?" I stare at him.
"Yeah. She was crying. Like really crying. I wanted to go in and help her, but mom said to give her space." He starts fidgeting with the stuff on the counter.
"Well. I'm sure she will come out soon." I smile at him. "She's a tough girl. You just gotta give her time." He nods, a small smile on his face.
"I'm glad you guys are slowly becoming friends." He chuckles. Well, we are, 'friendly', to say the least.
"Yep. Friends." I awkwardly smile at him.
"Well. I gotta go do some stuff in the garage. See ya later Jakey." He leaves the room, and i outwardly exhale.
"Well. That was a close one." I hear from behind me. I spin around again and I'm met with Sam.
"Sam." I sigh.
"That for her too?" He nods to the plate.
"Yes." I look at him. He smirks, getting into the fridge, and finding a tucked away slice of single serve cheese cake. He slides it on the counter and nods.
"Tell her it's from me." He smiles.
"Will Do." I smile back. I start to leave the kitchen but Sam speaks up.
"By the way," I turn my head. "Earlier, I told Josh you were outside." He smirks, and points to the cheesecake, then to me before walking away. I definitely need to give Sam a raise.
I walk back into my room, handing Bailey the plate of food.
"Thank you." She nods at me.
"Oh." I place the cheesecake next to her. "From Sam." She looks up at me and smiles.
"I'll tell him thank you." She starts with the cheesecake first, shoving it in her mouth like she hasn't eaten for days.
We just sit like that. Munching on food, quietly talking. Just enjoying each other's company. She slowly started to feel like home. Like I belonged wherever she was. It was crazy how I felt what ever she felt. I only had that with Josh, but now it's with her. It's surreal how much you fall for someone. It's scary, not knowing how far you'll fall, or even, if they fall for you. But at the same time, it's exciting. Feeling everything bloom with new meanings and purpose, all because of that one person. And there's no other person I rather experience this with. She's becoming my person. My world. And she doesn't even know.