I locked the door on my way out and took the key with me. I couldn't help but think about what to say to Fletcher. Should i apologise for my dad throwing him out? Should i act as though it wasn't a big deal? It was kind of embarrassing, I never thought my dad would end up being so protective of me.
I walked round the corner of Starbucks carrying Fletchers blazer in one hand and my purse in the other. Walking inside, I let my eyes scan the shop. Mmm, no Fletcher.
He was probably just late.Or was i? I didn't want him thinking i'd 'stood him up'. Then i noticed an arm shooting up from the crowd of people, signalling me over. It was Fletcher. I sat down next to him and couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous sunglasses he had on his face.
"Fletch, what's with the weird sunglasses? Its freezing and your indoors." without a word, he lifted them down exposing a huge bruise covered his left eye.
He laughed and folded his arms together after placing the sunglasses gently back on top of his swollen nose.
"Your dad's got a pretty good punch!"
"My dad? My dad did that?!" My mouth dropped open and my eyes widened. How could he?!
"Yeah, it's not a big deal. He was just being a dad." He smirked and pushed over a cardboard cappucino cup. "There you go, i assumed you'd like it."
I was still in too much shock to respond to anything. How could my dad hurt Fletcher? He did nothing wrong! My dad didn't even know Fletch. This was obviously a time for apologising on my dads behalf.
"Fletcher, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't of even asked you over, look at your face! Have you been to the hospital? God, it looks so bad!"
"Calm down, calm down! My face is fine, i've had worse and i don't need to go to the hospital, I'm okay."
I couldn't help but break down in tears, who was I living with? What kind of person could do this to someone they didn't even know? I sometimes wonder if I'm even related to that man.
Fletcher stood up from his chair and came round the other side of the table, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tightly in to his chest.
"Hey, Crystal. It's okay!"
"Its not Fletcher. It's really not."
"Do you wanna come back to mine? So were not in public? I can make you some hot chocolate and you can tell me everything that's bothering you?"
I looked up at him, smiled through my running mascara and nodded. He lifted me off the seat gently by my hand and walked me out the door, leaving our cappuccino's behind.
The walk to Fletcher's house was short but it felt like it lasted hours. People were looking down at me, checking if i was okay. We looked like an insane couple that had just been through a dosmestic fight. Fletcher with his swollen nose and sunglasses to disguise his eyes, cuts all over his hands and a bruise coming down the side of his face and me crying my eyes out as he had to 'walk me home'.
When we reached Fletcher's house it suddenly occured to me that he lived alone. I wondered how lonely he must get by himself all the time. The same old thing all the time, same four walls. No one to talk to or watch movies with.
"You live alone?"
"Sometimes, my mates come and stop over now and again. I just needed space from my parents."
"I know how that feels!"
We walked in to Fletchers living room and he showed me towards the sofa, before going off in the kitchen to make us hot chocolates.
Fletcher had a nice house. It was a lot nicer than my dad's. It was organised and clean. It was well taken care of.
He had stacks and stacks of reading books in the corner where I assumed an Xbox would live and music CD's surrounding his docking station. It was nice here, almost as nice as Fletchers personality.
He came in and handed me my hot chocolate with marshmellows and whipped cream before sitting down next to me. It was a small sofa, so we were pretty close together.
Fletcher turned round and looked at me, "So, whats bothering you?"
"It's my dad. It's Tyler. It's Brendon. It's everything. I just ca-" he cut me off.
"Woah, hang on. What's Tyler done?"
"Just being Tyler."
"He hasn't done anything you didnt want him to do has he?"
"Oh, no. He hasn't." I wasn't lieing, because i kind of wanted him to do it.
"Good, i might be a cripple now but i still would of had a good go at kicking his head in." We both laughed at how he was being. Me because i was shy and wasn't really used to a guy standing up for me like that. Him because he knew inside he wouldn't have a chance against Tyler.
He pulled my head towards his chest and let me get comfy before pulling a blanket from behind the sofa and laying it on us.
"You can stay here tonight." he said. "Saves you a journey home."
He was being as nice i was last night, and i could really do with a night away from it all. Especially in such a lovely home.
"Id love to stay here Fletcher, thank-you."
"I'll go run you a bath later, but you'll have to let your dad or someone know your stopping out, as much as you don't like them right now someone needs to know your not lying in a ditch somewhere." He smiled at me and crossed his arms over my chest as we lay on his sofa.
"Yeah, Ill let them know."