They sat there in silence for a while. "You better get some sleep." Toby said breaking the silence. Toby turned off the TV and the lights. Xoe quickly fell into a deep sleep; she started dreaming of what happened tonight.
"Where the hell were you?" Xoe's dad yelled.
"Hanging out with my boyfriend Toby." Xoe pointed at Toby. Her father grabbed her hair and pulled her closer, Xoe cried.
"Stop, you're hurting her!" Toby yelled trying to pull Xoe away from her father. Her father pushed Toby away.
"Get off my property. This is none of your concern!"
"She is my concern." Toby hit Xoe's father. He threw Xoe on the ground and threw a punch at Toby. They began to fight each other, they both started to bleed. Xoe was screaming and crying. Her father threw another punch, Toby fell to the ground. Xoe was watching her father beat Toby just like he does with her. Her father just kept hitting Toby with more force in each blow. She tried to scream to get her father to stop but nothing came out. She wanted to run over there and hold Toby and tell him it was okay but she couldn't move either!
"Xoe?" She heard someone call. "Xoe!" The voice said again. The voice just kept calling her name over and over again. Finally her eyes shot open. Her vision was filled with the sight of Toby's face. "You were having a nightmare." Toby said brushing Xoe's hair back with his fingers. "It's late, just go back to sleep."
Xoe woke up the next morning with her head resting on Toby's shoulder.
"Good morning beautiful." Toby said playing with a lock of Xoe's hair. "Did you sleep well?" Xoe yawned.
"I slept, okay." Xoe whispered.
"You're so cute when you sleep." Xoe laughed.
"Thanks," Xoe mumbled before touching her lips to Toby's. They kissed passionately. Toby loved Xoe, even though he hates the fact that her father beats her, but he is really happy that she is living at his house. He pulled his lips away from Xoe's.
"What's wrong?" Xoe asked sounding upset.
"What was your nightmare about?"
"My dad... and you."
"What happened?"
"Well instead of abusing me, he was abusing you."
"Oh." Xoe got an angry look on her face.
"Yeah. The worst part was I couldn't do anything about it! I was stuck there, forced to watch it like some kind of horror movie!"
"Xoe its okay, I'm okay. It was just a dream."
"I know, I'm sorry." Toby put his hand on Xoe's knee.
"You don't have anything to worry about. You are just stressed and confused."
"No, I mean I'm sorry for putting you and your family through all of this. This is my hill to climb."
"But it's still okay to let someone help you once in a while." Toby smiled. "Well let's get dressed."
"Umm I didn't really have time to pack if you know what I mean."
"Oh, well I'm sure I can find you something to wear." Toby jumped up and ran upstairs. He pulled out a purple V-neck t-shirt, a black cardigan, a pair of jeans, and a white scarf. He ran back downstairs and handed Xoe the clothes. "You can go change in the bathroom."
"Thanks," I went to the bathroom and Toby ran upstairs, they both changed. Toby ran back downstairs and saw Xoe sitting on the couch in his clothes.
"You still look beautiful in boy clothes." Toby smiled.
"Thanks," Xoe giggled.
"Come here." Toby commanded. Xoe stood up and ran in the opposite direction of Toby. She thought it would be fun to make a little game out of it. Toby chased Xoe around the room a few times till he was finally able to grab her by the waist and pull her into a tight embrace. Xoe got a little nervous as Toby rested his forehead on hers and their noses touched. They have kissed before but they were never this close. They have never been this intimate. Toby like the fact of their bodies being pressed together and that Xoe was so comfortable with it. Toby leaned in for a kiss but quickly retreated when they heard a bang from upstairs.
"Toby, can you please make the Christmas cookies?" Katie called from upstairs.
"Sure." Toby let out a sigh and grabbed Xoe's hand. "Do you want to make cookies with me?"
"I don't know how to cook." Toby giggled.
"I'll teach you." Toby dragged her into the kitchen. "You get the flour, sugar, and the baking soda. I'll get the salt, vanilla, and the eggs." They gathered the ingredients and Toby got to work, Xoe just sat there and watched. Toby looked up at Xoe and raised his eyebrow.
"Are you going to help?" Toby laughed.
"Oh yeah, sorry. What do I need to do?" Toby dusted the flour off his hands on to his apron.
"Can you get the cookie sheet a prepare it?"
"Yeah. How do I do that?"
"Okay, just spray it down with this." Toby handed Xoe non-stick cooking spray. "And just sprinkle some flour on the cutting board for me."
"Sounds easy." Xoe slowly sprayed some not-stick cooking spray on the tray, making sure she didn't mess up. She grabbed the bag of flour and began to walk over to the counter.
"Ahhh!" Xoe had fell on to the floor and the flour was all over her and the floor. Toby laughed
"You're a wreck." Toby cleaned the flour off of Xoe.
"Thank you." Xoe smiled. Toby reached out his hand to help Xoe off the floor.
"Toby can you come here for a moment?" Steve called from upstairs.
"Sure. Can you put the cookies in the oven?"
"Yeah." Toby ran upstairs and Xoe walked over to the counter. Xoe's phone buzzed. Xoe looked at her phone and on the screen read; new message from Dad. "What?!" Xoe's heart jumped. " It can't be him, he's in jail." Xoe clicked read.
I am going to get you! Watch your back! I will kill you! Xoe read the message over and over in terror. Xoe didn't know what to do so she just screamed.
"Xoe!" Toby and Steve screamed, they ran down the stairs. They both ran into the kitchen to see Xoe sitting in the corner of the room. Steve rushed over to help her up and helped her into a chair in the living room.
"Xoe what happened?" Toby asked while grabbing hand tight.
"He's going to kill me." Xoe said under her breath.
"Who going to kill you?" Steve asked.
"My father! He just sent me a text saying he was going to kill me."
"Xoe, your father is in prison. He can't even send you a text."
"Look! It's on my phone!" Xoe dropped the phone into Steve's hand. Steve read what was on the phone and Toby read over his shoulder. Steve looked up at Xoe concerned.
"Xoe? There are no texts on her from your father on here."
"What! Yes there is. There has to be!" Xoe snatched the phone from Steve's hand and read the latest texts in her inbox. It was from Toby. How are the cookies coming? It read. She released grip on the phone and it hit the floor. "B-but there was a text from him! He texted me!"
"Xoe calm down. It's okay. You just imagined it. You're going to be okay." Toby sat down next to her putting his hand on her leg.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Xoe shouted, swatting Toby's hand off her leg. Toby jumped back in shock. Tears welling in her eyes. Xoe stood up and ran upstairs sobbing. Toby followed her. Xoe slammed Toby's bedroom door behind her.
"Xoe please open the door." Toby can hear Xoe's cries through the door. "Please let me in." Toby begged. Xoe opened the door red faced and teary eyed. "Can I come in?" Xoe nodded and stepped aside, letting Toby in.
"Toby I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lash out on you like that. I was confused, scared, and angry. Please don't hate me." Xoe sat on Toby's bed and played with one of his pillows.
"I could never hate you." He mumbled.
"Good because you are everything to me. I love you."
"I love you too." Toby exchanged. He looked longingly at his girlfriend and just had the sudden urge to tackle her onto the bed and kiss her,
"Can I sit?" Toby asked.
"Of course." Toby took a seat next to Xoe. Xoe sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"Everything."
"Even me?"
"Oh no, just everything else."
"You're dad?"
"Yeah, mostly my dad."
"I'm sorry Xoe."
"It's not your fault."
"I know, I just feel so bad." They both sat in utter silence. Xoe was getting tired of this. Why wouldn't Toby make a move already? She debated with herself for a minute on whether or not she should make the first move. She finally decided that she would make Toby want her enough to make the first move. Xoe lied on the bed and stretched just enough to reveal her stomach. Toby's eyes practically bugged out of his head. He had never seen her stomach before, even when they went swimming. "Can I..." Toby muttered, pointing to the empty space on the bed next to Xoe.
"Of course." Xoe smiled. Toby cautiously lied down. He wrapped his arms around Xoe. They were both laying on their side staring out the window. Toby's hand started to wonder up towards Xoe's breasts. He had the dying urge to touch them.
Xoe flipped over and laid on her other side so she can face Toby. "Do it." She sexily whispered into Toby's ear. Finally. Toby gently grabbed her breasts. Xoe sighed and leaned into kiss Toby, Toby backed away.
"What's wrong?" Xoe asked.
"I just... you never wanted to be this intimate before. Why all of a sudden do you want my hands all over you?"
"I just love you."
"No, that's not the reason. We have always loved each other. What's the real reason?"
"Why are you pushing this?"
"Because I feel like were growing apart." Toby laid on his back.
"What do you mean?"
"I feel like you don't trust me."
"What are you talking about? Wait. Is this because I didn't tell you about my dad?"
Toby sat up. "Well kind of. I mean, I'm your boyfriends and you're my girlfriend. Aren't we obligated to tell each other everything?"
"well yeah, but there are limits."
"I told you about my problems before we started sating. I told you my whole life story! And you kept all of your life from me!"
"I kept it from everyone! And being abused isn't a life! It feels like every day you're walking through a maze and there is no way out. "Xoe cried.
"Well I... I just..."
"You what?!"
"I don't want to fight anymore, it's two days till Christmas and were fighting like an old married couple."
" I don't want to fight either." Toby lied back down with Xoe.
"Then its settled . No more fighting. "Toby cupped Xoe's face with his hand. "Now let's go finish those cookies."