Beautiful Pain

Chapter 6

Novalee

I finally walk through the door at 3:30. This day has gone by so slow. Every class seemed to take hours as I stared at the clock and wondered where my mate was. I know he's coming, but the suspense is killing me.

My leg needed to be re bandaged three times today. I guess I cut a little deeper in some parts, but I can't bring myself to care. It just reminds me that last night was real. The message was real.

The house is quiet, my father isn't home yet. I get cooking a stir fry, hoping the repetitive motions will help lull me into relaxation. I'm not the best cook, but I find it relaxes me. If I could I'd sign up for a class, but this town is so small I'd have to drive out of town for that. I only have a state ID because my father wanted me to be able to buy cigarettes for him on my way home from school.

I quickly finish and put together a salad and pull some dinner rolls from the pantry. I set the table and cover his plate so it stays warm and hurry up to my room by 4:30.

My mind can't focus on my homework, so I pace around my small room and fidget with my hair. I keep wondering where he is, what he looks like, what he does. Will he like me? What if he thinks I'm not pretty enough?

The slamming of the door interrupts my thoughts. My body stills and my mind goes blank as I hold my breath, listening to his footfalls. A chair scrapes over the floor and I know he's sat down to eat. After a few minutes, I know everything is ok for once. It's not often, but sometimes if I time things just right, I can have a peaceful night to myself. As long as his dinner is hot but not scalding and he doesn't have to see my face.

As I make another circuit around my room, I decide to start discreetly packing. Once my mate gets here, there's no way I'm staying. I pull a duffle bag from my closet and begin to fill it with my small collection of clothes. Once that's done, I slip in my notebook with my favorite recipes and the strand of pearls I snuck from the attic.

It's pathetic. All of my worldly items fit inside of one duffle bag. With a sigh, I slide the packed bag under my bed and lay down to wait. The clock reads 6:00 when the television turns on. My eyes begin to droop, and I let myself doze, but stay alert enough to hear the cars passing slowly on the street.

After a while, my eyes snap open. A loud engine pulled into our driveway. I spring up and run to my window, throwing the curtains wide to see outside.

Looking down, I see a dark charger parked next to my fathers ford sedan. I hold my breath as the drivers door opens, and a tall, broad shouldered man steps out. His black hair is slightly curly and wild, like he just got out of bed. He has to be at least a few inches over six feet, and when his eyes suddenly look up to my window, I'm struck dumb by how intense his bright green eyes are. If they look like this at this distance, how much better will they look up close?

I press my hand against the window in a wave and smile, the grin that takes over his face is breathtaking. I quickly turn away and grab my bag and tip toe to my door. I have no idea how I'll get passed my father, but one way or another, I'm leaving this house tonight.

Deacon

I pull up to her house at 6:50. For a minute I just sit in my car taking deep breaths, trying to calm myself before I walk up to her door. My plan is somewhat simple. I'm going to lie and say that I bumped into Novalee on her way home from school and that we know we are soulmates. Then I'll ask to speak to her, and when she comes to me I'll throw her over my shoulder and run away like a caveman.

Sawyer said it was a poorly thought out plan when he called to tell me what he learned about Novalee earlier. I didn't let him tell me much more than she's eighteen and live with her father. It doesn't feel right learning everything about my soulmate from anyone but her. But from what he told me, I'm now one hundred percent certain that her father is the one hurting her.

I take another deep breath, and then get out of my car. Immediately, I feel eyes on me and look up. I make eye contact with a beautiful girl with auburn hair and blue eyes. She looks tiny and delicate, but even from this distance I can see the bruise on her head and tell that she's not eating enough. I can fix that. I think to myself as she raises her hand and smiles. I don't even realize I'm grinning back before she's turning away and running from the window. Guess that's my cue.

I rush to the front door and knock firmly. There's some stumbling and a grunt on the other side of the door before it swings open to show a middle aged man with a beer belly and cold, angry eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" He barks, I can smell the alcohol on him, it's like he's bathed in it.

"I'm a friend of Novalee's, is she home?" I try to sound as civil as I can, but the way he sneers at her name makes it damn difficult.

"That bitch doesn't have any friends. So try again, what the fuck are you doing here?" He crosses his arms and tries to look intimidating. If he weren't shorter than me, and I didn't know he was beating the holy hell out of the future mother of my children, it might have worked. I grit my teeth and see her peek her head around the corner.

Stall him. She mouths, and creeps through the living room, headed for the kitchen with a medium sized duffle bag slung across her back.

"Ok," I clear my throats and frantically try to think of something to say. "My little sister goes to school with your daughter, I guess they've been having some problems and I was hoping we could all sit down and talk them out." I attempt to make myself look smaller, hoping that showing weakness and suggesting we talk about feelings will get this bastard good and foaming.

"What the fuck kind of pansy ass are you?!" Bingo. "You got a problem with your bitch you take care of it your damn self! You don't need to concern yourself with my brat, now get the hell of my porch and mind your own damn business!" He slams the door in my face as I see Novalee quickly shut what I pray is the back door. Her fathers footsteps can be heard stomping up the stairs, we don't have long before he realizes she's gone.

Before I can turn, a small hand wraps around mine and drags me to my car. She runs to the other side and throws her bag in the back seat before jumping in the passenger seat. I hop in beside her and start the engine just as the light to her room turns on and we hear her father start screaming. She takes my hand again and interlocks our fingers, setting my whole body on fire.

"Drive." is all she says, and I readily comply.