My head pops up at the thought. “No, no, no,” I mumble as I reach for my phone. Drake grabs my hand. I look up at him, tears blurring my vision. Drake’s eyebrows pull down in confusion.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He asks, but I shake my head. He can’t know.
“I just need to call my step-mother and tell her where I am,” I tell him, and he chuckles. This situation clearly isn’t funny. I’m not sure what Mason told her, but I need her to realize I couldn’t avoid this. I had no choice other than to come to the hospital. When she gets the ER bill, she’s going to freak.
“What?” He laces our fingers together. I stare at them for a second. Stare at the contrast. His hands even have tattoos on them, stretching down to his fingers; it’s a tribal design. They’re so much darker than my bare, undecorated skin.
“Your brother already told her what happened,” he says, effectively pulling me from my thoughts. Mason might’ve told her, but I’ll still have to answer to her anger. I look away, but I know he’s always watching at me. I don’t know why, but he likes to look at me.
“You hungry?” He questions. His hand slips out of mine, and I automatically miss the warmth. Drake grabs the tray of food he’d brought in earlier, comes over, and sits on the end of the bed. I tuck my legs up under me, giving him more room to set the tray down before passing me a plate. Scrambled eggs, sausage, and strawberries. Yum!
My stomach growls, and my cheeks heat, making me feel embarrassed that he heard my whale of a stomach crying out for food.
~*~
“So, what do you wanna do?” Drake asks, looking at me with interest. We finished breakfast and have been sitting here, in silence, for about twenty minutes. I shrug, and he groans, “Hospitals are so boring.” He’s right, too. There’s nothing fun about sitting around in a hospital bed all day.
“Yep,” I agree, hugging the elephant. Drake eyes the animal and sighs. Is that jealousy?
“Why do you like elephants?”
“Uh, I don’t know. They’re cute and totally cuddleable... cuddleable? Is that a word?” I question, narrowing my eyes and thinking about it. I’ve never really thought about it, but I always loved the movie Dumbo. Elephants are just cute with their big floppy ears and their cute trunks that reach out for peanuts.
Drake laughs and studies me. “I don’t think it is, but if you keep making that face, you can say whatever you want,” he tells me, so I turn my face into the elephant. What face am I making? I was just thinking!
“Last night, you said you had to work. Where do you work?” I change the subject, peeking out from behind the stuffed animal. Drake purses his lips, and he looks away, mumbling something. I lean forward a bit, raising my hand to my ear. “What did you say? I didn’t quite catch that,” I say, and he playfully glares at me.
“The flower shop a couple of blocks away,” he repeats. This time I hear him. Mrs. G has been searching for help for a while but didn’t know who to ask. The “help wanted” sign in the window didn’t get any results.
“Aw, so you’re helping Mrs. G. That’s great!” I exclaim, and his eyes widen in shock.
“You don’t think it’s stupid?”
I shake my head. “No! Mrs. G is a lovely lady, and she’s like a grandmother to me. I worked there during the summer. Actually, I go back to work again soon, so I guess we’ll be work buddies,” I inform him. “I’m glad you’ll be there. Mrs. G’s been looking for help with the heavy lifting and high shelving. Since I’m so short, it’s difficult for me,” I ramble, and instead of interrupting, he just sits and listens.
“It’s going to be great having you there. You can help keep the robbers away!” I exclaim, remembering the dark-clothed men I’ve seen walking past the windows frequently. Of course, until this point, I could handle things. But now, it’ll be great having him there. An extra set of hands never hurts. Drake’s eyebrows reach his hairline.
“Robbers?” He repeats, his voice hinting at his interest and worry. Since he’s helped me more than once, I have no doubt he’d be interested in helping others. Unless he just likes me. Like Mason said earlier. I don’t think that’s the case, though. He’s a good person.
“Oh, you know, the people who’d come in and rob a small place like the flower shop because the only workers are an old lady and a high school girl,” I tell him, and his eyebrows pull together.
“Well, I can tell you I’ll try my best to keep any ‘scary people’ away,” he promises, and I can’t help but pull him into a hug. He tenses, but after a second, he wraps his arms around me. His arms are solid and warm. They’d be suitable for protecting, and I already know he’s strong because of the fight.
After a minute, I pull away. “Thanks, Drake. You’re not that bad. I’m sorry I didn’t like you at first. You just seemed like...” I trail off, thinking for the right words that wouldn’t hurt him.
“Like an arrogant bad boy who plays with girl’s feelings?” He asks. I nod, looking down.
“I have to admit, I’m ashamed of judging you. I try not to judge people because I know they aren’t always what you see on the outside. I just... don’t know,” I tell him, putting my face in my hands. If I’d given him a chance, I might not be in this bed. It could’ve prevented the pain.
“It’s okay, Flower. I kind of judged you too. I thought you were the quiet little nerd, but you’re not. You’re strong from the crap that’s thrown at you every day. You’re smart and confident, and I can tell there’s a fighter in there,” he says, making me look up quickly. A fighter? Does he know? Mason noted that Drake was asking, but I didn’t think he’d figure it out.
“Thanks, but I-I don’t know if you’re right. I’m scared all the time. That’s not strong; that’s broken,” I whisper, thinking about what happened when I was young. I couldn’t fight back. It’s why I fight now… to make up for the horrible things that happened. I don’t fight my stepmother because I fear what she’ll do.
Drake grabs my hand and scoots closer. “Why are you so scared? Is it Lucas or Lexi?” He asks, and I shake my head. I wish it were Lucas. He’s a flea compared to my current problems.
“No, it’s not Lucas. I could handle Lucas if I wanted.” Drake purses his lips like he wants to say something, and I sigh. He did save me- twice- and helped me more than once. I owe him something. Here goes nothing.
“Both of my parents are dead. My mom died when I was eleven, then my dad died two years later,” I murmur as something wet runs down my face.
Drake brushes it away with his thumb, and I look up to find him watching me. “You don’t have to-“
“I want to. I trust you,” I cut Drake off, and he smiles, nodding for me to continue. Taking a deep breath, I continue. “My mom died from cancer, and my dad was a boxer. After my mom died, Dad remarried, and let me tell you, my stepmother is much worse than Cinderella’s,” I joke lamely, but he doesn’t laugh. I look down at my hands and fiddle with my fingers. “One night, before a fight, a man approached my dad and told him he’d pay my dad to throw the fight. I watched as my father refused. He wouldn’t do it,” I tell him, wiping another tear away.
“My father fought that night and won. I was so proud of him, screaming his name, and I remember jumping up and down. It was one of the few fights he let me go to,” I glance at him. “When the fight was over, we left, thinking we were going to get ice cream for a victory sundae. That wasn’t what happened, though. The man attacked us, grabbing me. It sent my dad into a rage, but before he could do anything, his men grabbed my dad. They took us to an empty warehouse.” I take a deep breath.
More tears are falling now, and I feel like I can’t breathe. My chest constricts. I try to swallow past the lump in my throat, closing my eyes.
“Th-they tied us to chairs, so we were facing each other. The man asked my dad why he didn’t throw the fight. My father m-may have been a f-fighter, but he didn’t cheat. He had morals. Th-that’s what he told the man,” I sniffle. I peer up at Drake, who has this solemn, almost pinched
expression on his face. I try to keep going while looking at him, but I can’t. Not with the way he’s staring into my soul.
Also, my tears make my contacts itch, so I lower my head and take them out.
Closing my eyes again, I continue with my story. “My father b-begged them not to hurt me. The man told my dad that they didn’t kill kids, which I’m extremely grateful for, but then they- he sh-shot my father r-right in f-front of me. I was o-only th-thirteen,” I stutter, my tears a waterfall. Strong, warm arms wrap around me, then pull me into his lap. My hands immediately find his shirt, and I clutch at the soft material.
“They took me out o-of the warehouse and s-stuffed me in the trunk of m-my father’s car. Th-they left me there, tied up and crying. It took the police days to find me and his body,” I mutter. The long hours of crying left me wondering if they’d change their mind and come back. I was torn between hoping they’d come back and praying they’d stay away.
“N-now, I wake up and worry about when th-they’re going to come a-after me,” I tell him. It’s true. Sometimes I still have nightmares about the bald man coming after me. It’s one reason I change my appearance when I fight. Mason is the only other person who knows, and I want to keep it that way.
Drake’s arms tighten around me, oddly giving me the comfort I need. “Shh. You’re okay. I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispers, making me open my eyes and lift them. His eyes connect with mine, and he gapes in surprise.
“Not to be mean, but why do you care? Ever since we met, you haven’t stopped trying to be around me or trying to get to know me. Why?”
“Uh, I don’t know… just- there’s something in me that screams every time I see you. I feel the need to have you, to protect you, to call you mine. I can’t explain it, but it’s there, and I’ve tried fighting it. It doesn’t go away,” Drake breathes, looking into my eyes with confusion. There’s another emotion flicking through his eyes, but I can’t tell what it is.
“I feel the same.” And I do, I realize. “I keep trying to push you away, but you’re everywhere. You’re so freaking stubborn,” I narrow my eyes pointedly, and he cracks a smile. He brushes his thumb under my eye gently, his stare heating me.
“Why do you wear contacts?” He asks, catching me off guard. My eyes widen, and I turn my head away. I’d completely forgotten I don’t have them in. Stupid mistake, Thea. In that second, I find Drake didn’t like my turning away because his arm tightens around my waist, then he gently grabs my chin between his thumb and index finger, tilting my gaze to look at him. “I thought you trusted me.”
“Don’t you trust me, Athena?” He asks, gazing into my eyes. His blue-green eyes stare into my unhidden blue eyes. A seed of doubt digs into my gut, yet as I stare at him, I realize I can trust him. He’s done nothing to prove me otherwise. I’ve told him everything else, so why not this? I nod and open my mouth to explain but close it when my fear gets the better of me.
I can do this. Drake has been nothing but good to me, even when I wasn’t nice to him.
“I-I guess it’d be better if I just show you,” I tell him, and his face scrunches up in confusion. It’s so cute. I carefully slide off of his lap, and he watches as I drag myself to the bathroom.
Drake
Athena disappeared into the bathroom a few minutes ago, and I finally let out the breath I’d been holding. I can’t believe she went through that when she was so young. From personal experience, I know people can have a rough back story. I didn’t expect she’d be one of them, though.
If I ever figure out who hurt her, I’ll kill him. She shouldn’t have to experience anything awful ever again.
She puts herself down, even after everything that happened to her. I don’t know if it’s because of what kids at school say or what she’s been through. Maybe both. I stare at the bathroom door, praying that she’ll come out and give me some good news. Turning my body, I let my legs hang off of the bed.
Self-harm, my mind tells me, and I growl. If Athena comes out and shows me anything like that, I don’t know what I’ll do. No, I do. I’d freak out. Shaking my head, I push those thoughts away, attempting to think about anything else. I nervously run my hands through my hair, tugging at it. How long has she been in there? It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes. Right? Why does it feel like an eternity?
All I want to do is march up to her, hug and kiss her, and never let go. She deserves much more than the cards she was dealt, then and now. There’s fear in her eyes, no matter how much she tries to hide it. It hangs there. She’s afraid of that man- the one who killed her dad- and what he’ll do if he finds her.
The bathroom door opens, and my eyes zero in on the doorway. I wait for Athena to walk out, but she doesn’t. “W-will you close your e-eyes?” She asks, her voice shaking from what I assume are nerves, so I close them. For her. I don’t close my eyes around just anyone- only people I trust.
I hear her feet pad across the floor and fight the urge to open my eyes.
“I’ve never told, or showed, anyone what I’m about to show you; well, except Mason, but he knows everything about me,” she says, her voice getting softer the closer she comes. I can feel the heat of her presence in front of me. I keep my eyes closed as she steps between my legs and lays her hands on my knees.
“Okay, you can look.” I open my eyes to see her looking down. Her brown hair is now dark gray at the root that fades to a beautiful silver... a familiar silver.
Chapter 13
Drake
“You are her,” I mumble as she looks up at me. Her blue eyes stare into me with what I can only say is fear. Her now dark gray and silver hair tumbles over her shoulders and falls into her face. I reach up, brush her bangs away from her eyes, and tuck them behind her ear. “I’m so sorry,” I say softly and watch as her eyebrows furrow. She doesn’t notice why I’m apologizing, which also means she doesn’t realize this feeling is tearing me up inside.
“For what?” She asks, confused.
Sighing, I shove my hand through my hair and look into her eyes. “For this,” I point at her ribs. “I put you in the hospital!” Backing up, she shakes her head and takes a step back.
“No... well, yeah, but I chose to fight, so it’s not technically your fault,” she tries to convince me, but I won’t see it that way. In my mind, I hurt her, and it doesn’t matter how much she protests. I hurt her, and it’ll stick with me forever.
“No, Athena! I hurt you! I may not have known it was you, but I still hurt you. Because of me, you could have died,” I exclaim, and she looks down, letting out a sigh. I hop off the bed since she backed up and start pacing. I can’t believe this! The guys and I were right. This is all my fault.
The girl I like almost died because I’m dangerous. Usually, it wouldn’t bother me, but it’s Athena, and she makes me want to be different- more kind, specifically to her.
“Drake,” Athena calls, but I say nothing and continue pacing. “Drake!” I look at her. Her eyebrows create a v shape while her lips tighten in a line, and her fists clench, unclench, and clench again. Athena steps forward and grabs my shirt collar. “What’s gotten into you? This isn’t your fault! I choose to fight to get money. I choose to get hurt every day so that I can raise money and finally get my brother out of my stepmother’s grip. I fight because my father fought! I fight to be free!” She exclaims, her icy blue eyes burning into my soul.
There’s a big difference in her anger when she doesn’t wear the brown contacts. The blue is sharper, colder.
“I’m sorry. It’s just... I like you, and I don’t love that I’m the reason you’re in here,” I blurt out. After realizing what I said, her eyes widen slightly, and she releases my shirt.
Crap. What do I say? Should I have kept that to myself? I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. How do I explain this? She watches me, her eyebrows raising like she’s trying to coax an answer out of me. When she tilts her head to the side a bit, she looks curious.
“Yeah, I
just- I don’t know. There’s something about you that makes me want to know more, and I-“
“I know. You haven’t left me. You were always there trying to help me or talk to me. I thought you were just trying to build me up just to tear me down... just like everyone else,” Athena sighs, looking down and wrapping her arms around her stomach. She turns away from me and sighs, her shoulders slumping as she does. I can understand that. Everyone at school treats her like dirt. Now that I know it happens at home, too, it helps me understand why she’s always so alone.
“I’ve been hiding who I am for so long,” she murmurs, longing in her voice. “When you came, it got harder to hold it in, so that’s why I- she told you to leave me alone. I lied when I said I wanted you to leave me alone because you bring out the real me, and I like that,” she says, getting softer as she speaks.
She’s still turned away from me, and I appreciate that the nurse gave Athena some scrubs to wear. If they hadn’t, she’d still be wearing that paper gown, and the back would be open. Then, I definitely wouldn’t be able to concentrate.
Shaking the thought away, I slowly step up behind her and wrap my arms around her middle. When I pull her against my chest, she stiffens, but after a second, she relaxes. Another sigh escapes her, and she turns in my arms. “Why do I feel this way? How do you do it?” She murmurs.
I look down at her with confusion. “What do you mean?” I ask, and she bites her lip. That. God, focus, Drake. I focus as she gently takes my hand in hers and places it over her heart. My breath catches in my throat before the rapid beating of her heart catches my attention.
“You make me feel normal like I don’t have to hide. You make me want to show the real me instead of hiding behind fake contacts and fake glasses. Drake, you make my heart beat so fast it scares me. I told you about my past after knowing you for a week, I might add, and I’ve told no one else about this. I trust you when I normally only trust Mason and Ray. Anyway,” she pauses, “I think I like you too.” When she moves my hand, I feel the need to put it back; to feel the effect I have on her.
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