That Boy - Page 24

He was just a boy. I couldn't stop thinking that. A fourteen year old, abused, bullied, boy. "Am I the only one... who knows?" I asked.

"Yeah. Besides the nurse. And counselors, and principal, and police." He muttered, wincing.

Oh. Wait what!? The police!? "Were the police sirens tonight...?"

"Yeah."

I paused, thinking slowly, carefully. "You ran away?"

"Yeah... my, uh... my dad knew they were coming..." He breathed, calming his nerves.

Oh. Oh god. That made sense now. My stomach floated to my throat sickeningly. "Did you... call the police?"

He didn't answer. About ten different scenarios played in my head. Ten different feelings tortured my stomach, my heart, my head—every part of my body!

"That's a knife wound, isn't it?"

"..........Yeah...."

Silence.

"What are you going to do now?" I gripped the covers of my bed, asking my hands to stop sweating.

"I don't know."

"You can stay here." I offered.

"I don't think so. Its... its not safe."

I thought about that, finding the right thing to say. "It's the safest you'll ever find."

He looked at me, then lowered his eyes. It was almost two. I lay down on the end of my bed. After a long time of... oddly comfortable silence... I fell asleep.


*~*~*~*


He kept the towel pressed against his side, and waited for the stinging to fade away. She softly breathed in her sleep and he focused on the sound.

What would happen to me now? What will the police do at the house? What were my parents telling them? Would the police believe their lies? Will the police leave? Will my parents find me? Will Harley be in danger now?

What am I going to do tomorrow? I couldn't stay here. I can't go to school; my parents will look for me there. If the police let them go. Please don't let them go. Arrest them, kill them!!! Please...

His head hurt almost as much as his body. He focused on her breathing. He closed his eyes and focused on matching his breathing with hers.