Stay

Part two. Chapter two

Sprinting into the park, I hear Layla shouting in frustration from behind. 

Finally reaching the man, he's lead flat on the floor, his long hair covering his face. I kneel down, brushing his hair back, he groans in pain.

"Is he conscious?" Layla asks between breaths. "Should we call someone?" 

"No, he's fine." His cheeks are ash white, with a bruise beginning to rise to the surface of his skin. The purple becoming more prominant as time goes on. Daylight gets sucked from the sky in a matter of seconds as night falls, the temperature dropping.  "We can't leave him out here to die. Help me." I grab one of his arms, hooking it around my shoulder and noticing the sheer size of him, it's clear he used to be very fit as the added weight makes it almost impossible to hold him on my own. Layla takes the other side, helping me move him by doing the same. "What's your name, sir?" 

I'm not expecting him to reply, but before I take someone into my home I would like to know who they are first. He continues to fall in and out of copiousness before uttering, "Blake." 

We manage to haul him into the backseat, Layla shoots me a glare as she starts the car. "Trust you to pick up homeless people off the streets." 

"There is nothing wrong with doing something nice, Layla. If it were you how would you feel?" I look behind towards him, and for a second he manages to keep his eyes open, looking at me as if I were the very line between life or death, his piercing green eyes begin to close as his body seems to relax. 

That look haunts my dreams that entire night.

The next morning I'm woken up by pots and pans clashing in the kitchen, sighing, I wrap my dressing gown around myself and rub my eyes. 

"What is going o-" Every draw and cupboard is open, pans covering the sides, and my fridge emptied. "What have you done!!" I yell, attempting to put everything back.

"I was trying to make breakfast." He grabs a packet of bacon out of the fridge and takes a pan off the side, "Don't worry I won't burn the house down." 

Breakfast? This complete stranger has decided to make me breakfast. 

"Oh and by the way, your eggs are out of date." He adds, brushing his hair back with his fingertips. 

Feeling a little bit embarrassed, I take the eggs off the counter and throw them in the bin, "Anything else you want to add about my home?" 

"You need a new sofa, the springs are broken on that one." He smirks. 

"You should be grateful I didn't leave you out there to die!" Feeling the anger rise, I decide the safest thing for me to do is to leave the room, that or slap him silly. 

Storming out the room, I undo and throw my dressing gown onto my messy bed and close the bathroom door. Turning the shower on I let the hot water beat against my back, massaging my muscles. 

How dare he mess up my kitchen, he doesn't even know me. I saved his goddamn life and he repays me with smug comments. Not only that but he get enjoyment out of it. 

I'll just ask him to be out of here by this afternoon. That's plenty of time. 

Feeling refreshed and more like myself, I finish getting ready for the day. Closing the top draw, I notice an old hoodie. Picking it up, the soft material cuts into my chest, I lift it up to my nose and remember the smell that left a long time ago, along with him. I hold it for a second longer, remember the kiss one last time before leaving my room with it. 

"Here, put this on." I say, throwing it at Blake. 

"Is this your boyfriends?" His words hurt more then he'd ever know. 

"It's an old friends, you can keep it. I don't need it anymore." I check my phone quickly before putting it in my back pocket. 

Still nothing. 

"I want you out by this afternoon." I add, trying to look as stern as I can. 

"I understand but I have no where to go." His voice hardly audible and his eyes going glossy. "I'm sorry about earlier, I thought I'd have a bit of fun. I won't do it again. You won't even know I'm here. Please whoever you are, you saved me, just let me stay a few nights to get sorted." Clenching his jaw, he adds "I'm begging you." 

My chest aches seeing someone this desperate. I can't just leave him. But I don't even know who he is, he could have a whole plan to kidnap me or worse, kill me. 

And yet: "Fine, but we need to get you more clothes. You can call me Maddison."

I swear, I have no backbone.