Shh, Just Kiss Me (18+)

n i n e

(Anna)

I ran out of my house into the darkness thinking of the crime I had just committed.

I didn't mean to hurt him. I did not mean to stab my father but I had enough of his abuse.

He had always laid a hand on me for as long as I could remember. Initially, I thought it was to discipline me, but he did a lot more than that. He touched me, harassed me, even threatened to violate me and sell me to the thugs on the street if I didn't listen to him. My own father.

Nobody knew I was afraid of everybody's judgmental looks. And far too independent to see the pity and sympathy in their eyes.

I could hear my footsteps pounding as I ran in the dead of night, my vision blinded with tears. My ribs hurt from where he had kicked me. New York had never been quieter.

I cried and cried until I reached Cole's house.

I banged on his door aggressively, bruising my knuckles, hoping that he hadn't fallen asleep yet.

The door opened, a cloud of light followed behind him.

"Anna?" his voice was groggy, laced with sleep. He was only wearing pajama pants. His hair was a mess and his eyes deeper than the deep blue sea.

He pulled me into a hug.

"What happened?" His voice laced with concern.

"I killed him."

"Killed whom?" He pulled me inside, shutting the door behind him.

"My dad." I began to panic, walking back and forth in circles in his living room.

"What are you saying?! Are you drunk or high?" He sounded anxious now.

"He's sick, crazy. I came back home and was putting my things away—" A sob wrecked through my body. "He attacked me, threw me on the bed. I tried to kick him off me, but he was too strong. He beat me, even knocked me out. My hands were tied to bed posts while h-he ra-raped me. I begged him not too...he tried to strangle me! His own daughter!" I was crying now, barely coherent.

The look on Cole's face made my insides quiver. He hugged me, but I knew he was beyond shocked. He couldn't imagine the kind and doting father, Mr. Mansonhing being a monster towards his own daughter.

"What did you do, Anna? Anna?!"

My voice was hard. "I freed myself, I don't know how. I took his swiss knife. H-He's lying on the floor, he's bleeding. Dead. I am scared Cole, I don't want to go to jail. Oh my god, what am I going to do! I am going to jail, aren't I-"

"It was self-defense." Cole interrupted me, his grip on my arm never slackening. His other hand weaved through my hair, soothing me. "I know it is difficult Anna, but you have to tell the cops everything you told me."

"No!"

"Anna, you can't just leave him there."

"I don't want to go to jail, Cole." He wrapped his hands around me, covering every part of my body like he was protecting me.

"You're not going to jail, I promise." He pulled away, allowing me to see the sincerity burning in his eyes.

Footsteps tumbled down the stairs. I turned my head to look at his sixteen-year-old sister, Madyson, cover herself with a robe.

"What's going on?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Maddy, do me a favor and go back to sleep." I could feel Cole tensing around me.

"What's wrong with Anna?"

"I-I should go." I forced myself out of Cole's hands but he tightened his grip, not letting my fingers slither way from his palms.

"Anna, where are you going?"

"Is she in trouble? Why are you sitting in the dark?" Madyson turned on the kitchen lights.

"Maddy, go back to bed. Now!"

"LET GO OF ME!" I screamed at Cole.

"Should I call for help?" Maddy sounded worried now.

I screamed at the top of my lungs, shouting at Madyson. She gasped, gripping her robe. Her mouth parted and eyes widened. She wasn't expecting me to come at her like that.

"Anna, calm down!" Cole's calming voice made no impact on my hysteria.

"Let me fucking go! I should've never told you!" I hissed.

He pulled me down to the floor. I am curled up in a ball under his huge muscles. He covers me again whispering a prayer in my ears.

"Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen."

He says this verbatim. I don't know what spell he puts me under but my head began feeling light and my body felt taken over by some kind of presence. He kept saying this prayer like a lullaby. I wasn't resisting him anymore. My hysteria was forgotten.

I looked up at Cole, staring into his eyes. My eyes began playing tricks on me, it looked like Cole's face was turning into God himself.

"My good Angel, Thou comest from heaven; God has sent thee to take care of me. Oh, shelter me under thy wings. Lighten my path, direct my steps. Do not leave me, stay quite near me and defend me against the spirit of evil. But above all come to my help in the last struggle of my life. Deliver my soul so that with thee it may praise, love and contemplate the goodness of God forever and ever.
Amen."

I was not a believer in Christ, but I was blown away at Cole. He said all these prayers I had no clue he even knew. I didn't know he was a believer. He never mentioned a thing about his relationship with God. Not even a hint. Most friends were strictly blunt about their beliefs but I think Cole is trying to live life and do secular things.

Who knew that underneath that goofy personality, Cole was a saint.

A.N: Thanks to bjpjv1 for editing this chapter :)