Broken Together

Chapter Five: Relief

~Xavier~

My whole body is trembling. My hand is holding her face, looking into her eyes. Seeing all the hurt in her. I vow in this moment, that I will help her. I will save her just as she has unknowingly been saving me.

She seems so fragile. So sad but hopeful in my presence. Her face is bruised. My skin burns at the sight of it knowing someone has hurt her. I can feel how weak she felt. She is in pain. Why is my beautiful mate always in pain? 

"Xavier" I hear Aurora say, taking me back to her and out of my thoughts. I can hear the bus a few miles away. I needed more time with her though. I needed so much more damn time. I feel panic almost. She can sense it, I just know by how she is looking at me with her brows furrowed. She wants more time too, even if she won't admit it.

"I know we don't know each other much, but I'd like to fix that if you'll let me Aurora."

She looks confused almost. I can see she was conflicted. It's like she doesn't believe me, or is afraid to.

"Why?" She asks, staring down at the floor and fidgeting with her hands.

"I feel drawn to you. I want to get to know you."

She looks up at me with those big doe eyes. Her eyes tell me that she feels the same. 

Her phone goes off right when I think she is going to respond. Immediately, her whole body stiffens. It makes me uneasy. I still haven't figured out what has been going on to cause her so many bruises, and so much pain.

She backs away and I let my hand fall from holding her face. It hurt to let her go. All I want is to hold her. But I can't, not like I wanted to, not yet.

"I-goodbye." She says, trying to move around me to the door.

I grab her hand gently, trying to get her to stop.

"Aurora," I say, hoping she will look at me again.

"Xavier."

She keeps her head down, removes her hand from mine, and walks out of the room to the bus.

~Aurora~

I mentally yell at myself. I tell myself to stay away from him. I try I really do but he just, pulls me in and makes me feel things I never have before. Safety, and happiness.

I wanted to tell Xavier that I wanted to get to know him too. I wanted to tell him that would be okay, but Tom texted me to pick him up beer before coming home or else. After what he did, I do not want to find out what he will do if I not only arrive home late but late and without his beer.

I hurry down the hall to the bus. Knowing that if I miss it, Tom might kill me. He might really kill me.

On the way to the store after getting off of the bus, I think of Xavier. How he wants to get to know me...me. He said he felt drawn towards me. I just wonder why. Of all girls, why me? Ever since that day in the rain, I can not help but want to be near him. To touch him. None of it made sense to me.

Once I reach the store I hear the bell go off, signaling the guy behind the counter that a have come in. I use my fake ID to get a pack of beer as I always do. The guy at the counter is always too high to really question my age or ID. He never even looks at it. Taking the beer off the counter, I head out of the door but bump into someone and fall, dropping the beer all over the floor.

"I-I am s-sorr-I"

I look up to see Tom. Oh no, no, no, no. I try to stand up and he grabs my arm, dragging me out of the store.

"Where the fuck have you been! You made me have to come find you! Have you been whoring around huh? See that guy again! Do I need to remind you what happens to girls like you!?" He is screaming so loud I am afraid of who will see, who will hear.

He hits me across the face and I fall. He kicks me in my stomach. When I try to stand up he kicks me again but this time in my head and I scream.

"Fucking stay down! You can sleep here tonight for all I care you fucking bitch." He spat at me, spitting on me before walking away.

I stay there curled in a ball on the concrete ground in the alley beside the liquor store. Even when I know he is gone, I can not force myself to move. It hurt, it all hurt. I just want it all to stop. I am exhausted. From Tom, from missing my mom, from being confused about Xavier. I am just exhausted, drained, and alone.

I look up and watch as the sky turns darker and darker, covering itself with stars. I wonder if when you die if you become a star. If that is true, I hope to be up in the sky with my mom soon.

I begin to close my eyes when I heard footsteps running toward me.

"Aurora! No, no, baby, fuck!" 

I can hear him, but I can not respond. 

Xavier. I know it was him. I can feel it.

Everything just hurts too much, until it stops hurting at all. My body no longer responds to me. I let myself drift off as I watch the stars above me disappear with me. I finally feel relief.