As I slept, it felt like I was in heaven. But then I remembered something Eliza told me last time, "I hate you and I never want to see you ever again!". It had opened an old wound of mine, because it is the same thing that my last girlfriend said to me. I tried to forget it and went back to sleep.
Suddenly, I woke up to the sound of screaming and got hit in the chin by Eliza's head. She was having a nightmare. she tosses and turned and her arms and whole body was out of control and she was pushing me away. Her scream sounded like as if from a horror movie whenever a girl screams and is being chased by a monster or psycho killer. I got up quickly and pinned her down. She was crying and screaming for her dear life as she was sleeping and struggling against my strength, but she was no match for me. Her tears were dripping down and she was trying to release herself. It pains me to see her like this. "Eliza!" I yelled. "Eliza! WAKE UP!" I yelled.
Eliza finally woke up and she calmed down a great deal. The poor girl breathed in and out and each one of her breath flew into my face as her warm breath soothed me. I finally released her and I sat her up, then something caught my eye. Eliza has scars on her arms, cuts in this case. I'd not talk about that right now.
She was sobbing and looked at me for help.
"It's ok Eliza." I assured her. "Your alright now. I'm here for you." She then started crying and hugged me tight and hard as she placed her head on my shoulder. "It's alright... I'm here. There is nothing to fear anymore." I said once more.
She tried to calm herself and said, "Tim... I had a horrible nightmare." she cried. "I was so scared. You wern't there with me Tim. I was so scared. I tried to run away from these people, but they kept catching up to me... th-then they caught me. I tried to make them release me, but they wouldn't let go. You wern't there Tim." I felt her warm tears soaking through my shirt and I stroked her pitch black midnight hair and her gentle soft pale back. Then she looked up to me and said, "Tim, this might be too much to ask, but... can you be my protector please?"
My heart flew way up into the sky and tried to contain my smile. But I kept my cool and continued listening.
"I don't want to be much of a bother for you," she continued. "but I just want all of my nightmares to end... and you were like the first one who ever protected and help me out of these nightmares. Can you please protect me? Can you please be my protector?"
Thoughts started flashing into my mind and I knew that she needed my help. She needs love. She needs a loving family. She needs me... "Eliza. I promise that I will protect you. I shall be your protector and I promise not to fail ya. Because I shall be your Guardian." I stroked her hair and looked into her eyes.
She smiled at me and cuddled her head on my chest and hugged tight with her thin pale scarred arms. "Thank you, Tim. For everything." she said.
.
We couldn't sleep anymore, so we talked and talked about each other. "So... Tim, why do you have such a deep voice for your age?" she giggled.
I scoffed at her as I smiled. "Hey, it ain't my fault. God made me this way Eliza... come on." I chuckled as she laughed.
"Well your voice is deep and really calm... I like it." she smiled.
I smiled and wanted to say something back, so I said something without thinking. "Ya know, your laugh is real beautiful. Reminds me of an angel." I did my half smile.
She looked away as she blushed. Eliza stroked her dark hair a few times, then quietly said, "Thank you."
Then I try to think of something quick to say, "So... have you ever watched James Cameron's, 'Titanic'?" I asked
"No." she simply said. "Never heard of it."
I was surprised. I thought all girls knew the movie 'Titanic'. "Wait... so you've never watched it before?"
"No."
"Huh... then I gota borrow that movie, so you can watch it with me! How's that sound?" I did my half smile.
She pressed her lips into a small circle trying to not smile, but she couldn't stop it from happening and she smiled brightly showing her white teeth. She laughed and said, "Sure Tim, I would love to."
I smiled my usual half smile and said, "Cool"
Then it was her turn to ask me a question and she asked, "Tim, have you ever had anyone say something to you that broke your heart?"
My smile dissipated as I remembered what she said to me before.
"Because some guy did that to me before..." she said as Eliza lowered her head as if she was shamed of herself.
I have barley told anyone about this before, but I wanted to tell her everything. "Yes." I said.
She looked at me and said, "What did she say?"
I sighed and said, "What you said to me, before you ditched me."
Her eyes opened. "What?" she said alarmed. "What did I say?"
Then my mind flashed to my memories of the past. So I just told her, "You said to me that, 'You hate me and you never want to see me ever again'..." I looked into her eyes. I saw a haze of guilt in them. Eliza cupped her hands and covered her mouth in surprise. I knew she felt sorry saying that to me now.
She reached a hand toward mine and held it with gentle care, and brought my hand up and kissed it. It was wet and warm... and it felt so... right. Then she held it between her breasts. "I'm so sorry, Tim. I just didn't know what I was thinking."
"You know you've opened an old wound of mine?"
"An old wound?"
"Yea... My last girlfriend I loved so much before, said that to me nine months ago. She ripped my heart out and shattered my very soul."
She put my hand down onto her thigh. "She must have been an awful person then!" she assumed.
I shook my head. "No, she was the best person I've ever had. I knew she was 'The One'." Eliza then looked confused. "Well, we were both in love with each other, it's just because of her father."
"What happened?"
"Well, her father hated any race who was or is communists like my race, And I am Chinese. And he hates Germans and Russians and Koreans and Italians... well, you get the point. And as you know, right now China is still communists. So, after dating my girlfriend for more than one year, he got tired of me and said, 'I will shoot you and spill your guts all over the place, if you ever talk or come near my daughter again'."
Eliza cupped her mouth with one of her hands then replaced it on her chest. "I feel so sorry for you." she said. "So, what happened after that?"
"Well... when my girlfriend found out what her father said, I told her that I will take his bullet just to be with her. And I would run away with her. And that... I loved her..."
Eliza looked at me with her shining eyes. "That's... the most loving thing I've ever heard anyone say..."
"But, do you know what she said to me instead?" I continued.
Eliza shook her head side to side slowly.
She screamed at me, 'I hate you and I never want to see you ever again.' The same exact phrase you said just yesterday's morning.. So after that I never had any sleep. Hell... I barely got any sleep at all... Only about 1 to 5 hr.s of sleep only. Every single night. I just couldn't stop hearin' the same verse over and over, again and again." I then felt something in my throat. Something inside of me that I could not control and I had a tough time fighting it.
She stroked my right arm and said, "I'm sorry."
"I knew she was trying to save me. But just hearing that from her just kills me." Then, I felt a tear coming out of my eye. I tried to hold it back, but there was too much water in my tear. So one escaped from my eye and I tried to quickly wipe it off clean. "I just felt like... I've lost so much in one day..." my voice started breaking apart and I tried to fight it back to maintain my normal voice. "I just can't forget it... her face is seared into my eyes." I said angrily. I felt enraged and in my head I blamed my ex-girlfriend's Father. "I can't erase her off my mind... it's impossible..." I then felt another tear wanting to escape from my eye, but this time I was able to hold it back and all my sorrowful feelings attached to it. I then stood strong against my sad feelings and tried to forget about it once again. "I could have not given up on her, but now it's too late. I've waited too long, and she and her family moved to Florida anyways."
Eliza just stared at me. Looking at my enraged face full of pain and sorrow and anger. Eliza sat next to me by my left side and hugged my left arm. She cuddled her head on my shoulder and I felt her soft hair and her warm thin body. I felt myself calm down and I felt like my lightning's fury was washed away. I hugged her back with my right arm and felt her waist. As I felt her soft skin, I felt some of her ribs. And her arms didn't even look like they were healthy. It felt like she had no muscle or meat in her. I have never seen anyone my age that was this thin. I want to take care of her, and make her healthy.
"Tim?" she said.
"Yea?"
"I want to tell you something."
"What's up Eliza?"
She hesitated for a few seconds and said, "Your the first person who's not related to me, but cared and respected me like any other people. Don't I look different from other people? Why did you chose me as a friend?"
I turned my head to her. "Eliza... I don't judge people by their looks. I judge them on the way they act or who they are. My saying for anyone I meet is: 'Don't judge people by their book covers. Judge people by their pages'. Now do you see why I don't care how different you are? I just like you as yourself. Just be yourself Eliza and don't change who you are and the way you look. Cause I like you for who you are."
Eliza shined her eyes to me. "You... you really mean that? You actually... like me for who I am?" she said.
I reached my hand to her face and ran through her hair and pushed the hair across her cheek slowly and brushed it to her ear so I could see her face. Then I brought my hand to her forehead and let my fingers drape over her face as I slowly brought my hand down. "Yes. Just as long as you like me for who I am." I smiled my half smile.
Eliza blushed again. "Thank you Tim."
Then I said, "So why did you think I just want to have sex with you?"
She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry, I'm just really used to guys wanting my virginity. My lfew boyfriends who dated me, just wanted to have sex with me. I hate those people so much. And... thanks for saving me from those guys."
I smiled at her and said, "No problem. They are just asses who are stupidly horny. And for that, they both got stabbed by me." I chuckled alittle.
Eliza smiled.
We talked for a few more hours, then sooner or later... Eliza started yawning as she was falling asleep on my shoulder. I smiled at her with my half smile and said, "Eliza, you seem real tired ya know. I think it's time to sleep now."
She just smiled at me and said, "No, it's ok. I still want to talk with you." She looked into my eyes and snuggled on my shoulder.
I laughed lightly. "Come on Eliza, lets go to sleep. I'm tired as well."
She nodded to me. Then all of a sudden, her face approached to mine really quickly and she kissed me on the cheek. I thought my skin was burning as it is warm and wet. She then asked me to lay down so she can sleep on me. So I did and watched her lie on me and once again she kissed my cheek. I wanted her to keep doing that, but she was tired and fell asleep fast as I waited to fall asleep myself.
.
The next day...
"Tim! Come on!!!" Eliza laughed.
I scoffed and rolled my eyes and chuckled. "Eliza! I'm wearin' heavy gear, so I can't run as fast as ya!" I said.
Eliza and I were taking a run to the public library while she's wearing my "Light as a Feather" clothing which are jeans, no girl or men underwear for her, and one of my shirt and my white jacket (Because it was kinda chilly today). While I was wearing my military pants with 20lbs. attached weights on both legs which equals 40lbs., wearing a very light shirt no sleeves, and a two waterbottles and a few snacks, AND 40lbs metal weights in my bag. I was already tired. "Eliza, hold on! Let me catch my breath!" I coughed for air and slowed down. I'm blaming my boxing coach for making me do this every Saturday...
As we ran to the library, cars passed by in the public streets and the drivers watched me run like a soldier. I'm used to this because I run around often. People who were also taking a run or just walking were watching a teenage soldier running. When we finally reached to our destination, I coughed and wheezed and hacked. My eyes were watery and my mouth was so dry.
I burst into the library's glass doors and went to the water fountain as quickly as possible. Everyone who were near got startled by the loud noise of the doors and watched me as I figuratively crawled to the water fountain. I drank as if I just came from a scorching hot desert (Los Angeles is an actual desert, but it's not too hot). It took at least one minute to finish drinking. As I looked up to the people, they were staring at me as if I was a lunatic. I was sweaty, wearing heavy clothing (except for my white shirt), my mouth was wet from the water as it dripped onto my neck down into my shirt, I was breathing hard, and I was staring back at them.
"What?" I said. "You've never seen a boxer training before? Never seen anyone just takin' a run in the neighborhood?"
I heard Eliza giggling a little behind me while other people looked away as if nothing had happened.
I was dog tired and had a lost of breath. We both walked around the library to find a good book as Eliza hung on my shoulder and arm, placing me close to her breasts. "So what do you want to read Eliza?" I asked.
"Anything you want. I don't really care what kind." she said.
"Ok, as you wish." I did my half smile.
We both walked together as I looked through the shelf full of books. Then, I finally caught a good book that was in my eyes, 'Eragon'. It was one of my favorite story too! We both sat on a couch in the library and read silently. I read a chapter, then she red the next one, and I read the next and repeat. Sooner or later it was late afternoon. So I borrowed the book and we walked back to my house.
And to my fear... my parents were back home. They wern't back this morning and last night for some reason. I have never introduced a girl to my parents before... and when they see me with a pretty girl, they just love to embarrass me. But... I have to show them the proper respect and had to shred away my dignity... So I introduce them to my new friend and things were not good...
My mother was smiling at me trying to keep a strait face and said, "Tim, is that your girlfriend?"
I blushed, and Eliza blushed, and we looked away from each other.
Shut up... I thought.
My dog Sunny was barking with fury madness at Eliza as usual with any other random strangers he sees. So I quiet him down by putting and stroking Sunny to calm him down.
Then my father just came out of nowhere and asked Eliza, "So what is your name?"
And she simply answered, "Eliza."
And to my greatest fear... my dad started asking more and more questions... question after question after question. It is what he does with every single friend of mine. Kind of embarrassing. "How did you meet Timothy? Are you his best friend? You are so beautiful! How are your Parents? Do you want to sit down? How is school?"
I groaned in embarassment... And so I went into the backyard and took a nap on my hammock because I was tired and finally fell asleep.
Later, when I woke up, I found Eliza sleeping on me with a small smile on her face as she was breathing in and out, deep in her sleep. I am surprised that I didn't wake up when she climbed on the hammock, because usually I will wake up and react. Then I wondered what she was dreaming... maybe it's me that she is seeing? I will never know... So she stayed in my house for another sleepover again. With my parents' permission of course... I dislike my parents... a little...
.
The next day...
It's Sunday. At 1312 hours, we were walking around the neighborhood. We were once again talking like a couple of love birds. But all that changed...
"Tim." she said. "Can you follow me to my house?"
I was confused. "Wait... What? To your parents house?."
She nodded. "I just want to get some things so I can live in your place."
I got taken back a little. She never said anything about living with me. " Wait... You didn't say anythin' about livin' at my place. Why did you tell me this now?"
She then pulled on my arm to go to a quiet place around the corner of the block. "Please Tim. I'll owe you so much! I just can't stand living with my awful foster parents... They both treat me like dirt. I just can't stand it anymore... I am about to lose it when ever I go to there..." She then pulled my hand to her lips and pressed on it. I felt that her scabs were dissipating and the wounds were healing well. Then she looked at my eyes with hers and she gave me a face I could never forget... She looked like she was about to cry and her eyes were filled with water. "Please... Tim?... I will never forget this..."
I knew she needed help from me, and only me... No one else would help her. Only me. I thought for a minute in silence as I looked at her shining eyes. I sighed and stroked her dark hair away from her left eye and placed it on her cheek. Besides, how can I say no to a face like that? I made my decision... "As you wish, Eliza." I did my half smile.
She did a small squeal of joy and jumped on me and hugged real tight. Then she kissed me on both cheeks as her legs locked around my waist. Then next I thought this: My screaming mother and my critical and strict angry father will KILL me for this...
.
We crept to her foster parents' house. She then told me to wait here. Eliza walked normally to the doors of her own hell and opened and closed it as she walked in. I hid behind a car parked in front of the house. As I waited, I took out my 'Greaser' from my pocket and flipped it open and closed and repeat.
.
It’s been five minutes now and I was already starting to get worried. Is Eliza alright? What is going on in there? What will her parents do to her? It just kills me when I think about bad things that will happen to her, but I know that she’ll be alright. But sooner or later, I found myself worried sick. I was thinking what is going on now. What did they do to her? I put my knife back in my pocket-jeans and approached the house.
Eliza then came bursting out of the house with a school bag fully stuffed. I heard loud angry screaming coming out from the home and an angry woman ran outside chasing Eliza away, which I believed was her mother.
"Run Tim! Run!" I ran to her and helped her with her bag as she grabbed my hand.
We both ran like hell until her foster mother gave up and returned to her house cursing. I looked at Eliza as I carried her large and heavy school bag. She was wearing her heavy make up once again and the "Maskara" make up was all but ruined and heavy for she was crying. Her body was and face were bruised. I felt my fists clenched and my anger risen to a height.
When we got to a distance away, we slowed down. "Eliza, what happened?" I tried to say calmly.
She looked away. "Nothing... I don't want to talk about it..."
I nodded. "You want to go anywhere?"
"Anywhere, but Here..."
We walked back to my own house. My fist clenched and I felt my heart pumping iron hot blood as anger ran through my veins. I now knew that she is DESPERATE for help and I am her only hope. As we walked, I wondered what can I do to convince my parents to let her stay with me. I have no idea what to do, but to pray and hope. I just wish that my parents can treat her like one of their own. I hope that she would not go back to that horrid place ever again...