Anjali!?! How did he find me here!?
Anjali looked at me with distressed wandering eyes. "OH MY GOSH!! ARE YOU HURT?! WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU!?! WHY ARE YOU AT THIS CRUMMY PLACE!?!" Anjali questioned.
I didn't answer any of the man's questions. I lay in my drenched clothes on the cold hard floor panting. I was already having trouble breathing, but all this stress was making it harder and harder to breathe.
"Taylor?" Anjali asked in a pressing matter.
After not responding a second time Anjali picks me up into his strong arms, and carries me bridal style out of the building. I hope he doesn't notice my wet clothing.
Anjali sets me in the back seat of his red sports car parked in front of my apartment complex. That's when it hit me, we're was this man taking me?
"A-Anjali" I make out in a shallow breath. He snaps my seat belt in place and then makes eye contact with me. "W-where are you t-taking m-me" I stutter. My speech was sorta slurred and shaky because I was very cold, scared, and still in sorta flight or flight mode. I wasn't completely terrified anymore though. My landlord has done stuff like this to me before.
"I'm taking you back you Asher's place baby" Anjali stated whilst getting into the driver's seat.
Shit!! I can't go back there!! First of all, Asher will probably kill me. Second of all, I'm WAY too embarrassed to face him.
"Um, it's okay, you don't have to. M-my a- apartment is in the c-complex we were just I-in" I shakily spit out.
"Your parents live here," He asked with a hint of confusion.
"Y-ya" I lie.
Anjali turns around and gives me a questioning stare, raising an eyebrow. That's when I lose it. This day has just been a complete roller coaster, and now this!! This is the final straw.
I put my head in my hands and let out a loud sob. I began to have a full meltdown in Asher's friend's car. It was quite embarrassing, but I don't care that much.
I felt Anjali reach over to rub my bare knee. He soothed and hushed me for a few minutes until I calmed down a bit. After my sobs turned into light tears with hiccups, Anjali drives off.
While sitting in the car Anjali makes a call to Asher telling him that we're safe and heading that way. Apparently, Asher and Anjali were searching for me for quite a while.
After 10ish minutes, we arrived at Asher's apartment. Anjali gets out of the car and comes over to my door. He unbuckles my belt and lifts me onto his hip so my head is lying on his shoulder. I would usually fight this, but I was way too tired, and still slightly out of breath.
We took the elevator up to Asher's room and knocked on the apartment door. The door was almost immediately opened by a panicked asher.
"TAYLOR!!" Asher cheered with delight. He took me out of Anjali's hands like I weighed nothing, and span around with me in his arms.
"Thank you Anjali!! I will never be able to thank you enough!!" Asher voiced with much gratitude.
"No problem asher, I'm just glad she's safe" expressed Anjali.
They both walked inside the apartment, with me still being held by asher, and sat on the sectional sofa. I lie limp on Asher's lap. After running many miles, being pushed to the ground, and having a meltdown, I was exhausted.
-------------------ASHER POV--------------------
I felt very emotional having Taylor sit on my lap. I can't believe she just ran off like that. I don't even know where Anjali found her. I don't know how far she ran. I needed answers.
I look down at the super sleepy girl laying floppy on my lap. The sun has almost completely set outside my large front room windows. I know I'm going to have to bathe Taylor because she has been wearing her urine-filled clothing all day.
I shot Anjali a telling glance from across the room. Then tilted my head toward the bathroom, signaling what needed to be done. Anjali nodded his head and walked toward the bathroom to start the bath.
I begin the bounce the almost asleep girl on my lap. "Don't fall asleep yet baby" I coo at the adorable little girl. "You need to get all nice and clean first."
Taylor groaned, then laid her head on my shoulder and began sucking her thumb. I chose to ignore the habit this time, knowing she was likely under a lot of stress.
Anjali came back into the room with his sleeves pulled up to his elbows. "Bath is ready" he announced cheerfully. I smiled, and began making my way over to him with Taylor in my arms. It sometimes scares me how light she feels when I pick her up, she can't be more than 90 pounds.
Me, Anjali, and Taylor make our way toward the bathroom. When we got to the medium-sized bathroom, I set the adorable little girl on the toilet so I can check the water's temperature. I made sure to have Anjali watch Taylor as I did so, I don't want her to run off a second time.
I poured some bubble mix in the bath, so it would cover anything Taylor wouldn't want me to see."You ready to get in the bath" I questioned with a cheery demeanor. Taylor's eyes opened wide with shock, and begin violently shaking her head no.
"How about this, Anjali and I will close our eyes while you get in the bath, but once you get in we will open our eyes." I compromised.
"We just want to keep you safe angel," Anjali added.
Again, Taylor shakes her head with tears starting to form in her big blue eyes.
"Sweetie, I'm not asking anymore. It's either me or Anjali undress you and gets you in the bath, or you do it yourself, which one do you choose."
"M-myself" Taylor managed to squeak out, with fresh tears rolling down her face.
Anjali and I closed our eyes while Taylor undresses and got into the tub. Once she got in a opened my eyes. My heart sank when I saw her shoulders, collarbone, and back. She was just bone, I didn't look like she had an ounce of fat on her whole body.
I scoot closer to the tub and grab a bottle of children's shampoo. "I'm going to wash your hair okay?" I asserted calmly. Taylor nodded her head, and suck her fingers in her mouth.
I'm aware that she's 14, and that she can wash her hair herself, but I'm just worried for her. I honestly would believe her if she said she was lying about her age, and that she was 9. She is so thin and underdeveloped. She also has quite a lot of bruises on her body, which worry's me.
"Anjali" I start. "Will you bring me some clothes for Taylor?"
"Of course" he quickly says while walking out of the bathroom."
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The outfit Anjali picked out 👇🏻
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A few minutes later, Anjali came back with Taylor's pajamas. I finished washing Taylor's blond hair. Then I grabbed a pink towel out of the bathroom cabinet.
"Okay, I'm going to close my eyes then you can get out of the tub, alright?." Taylor nodded her head and grabbed the towel from my hands. I closed my eyes and waited for her to finish.
After Taylor wrapped herself in the towel and stepped out of the tub, I opened my eyes. I looked at Anjali and signaled that it was okay for him to leave the bathroom. He nodded and exited the room, leaving just me and Taylor.
"If I close my eyes can you dress yourself?" I questioned.
Taylor again nodded and waited for me to close my eyes.
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"I-I'm done" I hear a high pitch mumble after a few minutes.
When I take my hands off my eyes, I was shocked at what I was seeing. Taylor's whole bottom portion of her body looked identical to her top half. Skin to the bone, and covered in bruises, and not just bruises, cuts as well.
I think Taylor noticed my intense stares because tears started to run down her face once she sat me looking. I turn my attention from her skinny bruised body, and direct it to the emotional little girl. I walk over to her and give her a big hug, and pick her up into my arms. Even though today is the only day I've ever interacted with Taylor, I feel this strong need to protect her. She's so precious to me. When she ran away, I was so terrified. I really truly care about her.
I carry the distressed girl up the stairs and into my master bedroom. I still haven't washed the dirty guest room sheets, and I also don't trust her sleeping alone after she ran off.
I sit with her on my bed and begin bouncing her up and down on my knee whilst humming little tunes. After only a minute or two, Taylor was fast asleep. Gently, I lay her down on my bed and pull up the covers. Then I walk out of the room, leaving the door slightly cracked.
I'm glad my little baby is clean, safe, and finally relaxed. Now it's time to talk to Anjali.
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I take a seat next to Anjali on the sofa downstairs. "What.happened.to.her" I say in a very direct tone .
Anjali looks at the ground and let's a a long sigh. "After you asked me to join the search for her, I had a idea of where she would be. I knew she wouldn't be able to get very far, and the only communal sidewalk was right by this creepy apartment complex, so I sorta assumed she was hanging around one of the alleyways in that area. I drove to the complex and parked my car, I was going to walk around a bit, but then I heard yelling. Yelling that sounded like it was coming from a angry male voice. Just as a pro-caution, I went to go check it out. I peeped through the window of the lobby, and that's when I saw Taylor, she was lying on the floor, and this old guy was screaming at her. So I bursted into the room and knocked the guy out."
I couldn't believe what Anjali was telling me. He said so much, but yet a lot of my questions were unanswered.
"I'm not done yet" Anjali added. "After I carried Taylor out of the building, she told me to take her back. I asked why, and she told me she lived there. Out of confusion of why her parents weren't with when that guy was yelling, I asked her if her parents lived with her. She said yes, but I could tell she was lying. Before I could say anything, she started sobbing. So, I'm starting to get the impression... she doesn't have parents."
This new piece of information shocked me. How could Taylor be living alone!? SHES 14!! She can't be living alone, you can't buy a house till your 18!!
"Who was the guy yelling at her!?" I asked with urgency.
"I'm not quite sure" informed Anjali. "But he was wearing some type of id on his shirt, so I'm assuming landlord?"
It was all stating to make since. Taylor must have some special relationship with the landlord, how else would she be able to live alone. I'm assuming she probably doesn't pay rent either, since she is 14, she can't work at any place that would pay her good.
"Tomorrow's Saturday, I don't have any work until 4:00pm. If you can babysit Taylor, I can go over to the apartment complex and find out more about this guy, and about Taylors parents. If she has any. There is no way I'm letting her go back there until I find the truth." I decided with confidence.
"Sound good to me!" Anjali agrees.
"All right then. I'm going to go to bed, your welcome to sleep in one of the guest rooms!" I concluded.
"Okay, that would be nice!" Anjali smiled. Anjali and I have been best friends for years. He's almost always sleeping over at my house. I always could use extra help with visitors. Especially visitors like Taylor.
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After showering and getting ready for bed, it was around 11:00pm. I was absolutely exhausted for today.
I walk into my bedroom, and am greeted my the cutest sight. Taylor was still sound asleep chewing on the bedsheets. At least it wasn't her thumb this time.
I lie on the side of my bed across form her and close my eyes. I can already tell, tomorrow is going to be a crazy day.