I Love You is a Horrible Thing to Say: A Tale of Two Mates

Chapter 8: Safety

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Chapter 8: Safety

Skyler's POV:

A month went by nothing really changed, my life was compiled of a routine.  I would wake up an hour early in the morning get ready and Leo would drive me to school. Then I would go into Justin’s office and file paper work. I would hear rude comments from his bitch of a secretary, then I would idly go through school half asleep just trying to get by. Then Leo would pick me up and drop me off at Maria’s. After work I would walk home and go to sleep.

But as boring as that was I was relieved, I was happy for the routine and the fact I had barely enough time to truly think about anything. I was glad that Justin only gave me lunch detention and morning work with him for a month. It was so much better than staying after school with Leah. But of course that gave me less time with my new friends and more time with the guy who took pure enjoyment out of my pain. I swear to god that Mr. Justin Steels’ detentions should be considered illegal. It was more mental and physical pain then I truly wanted to ever experience. But I felt comfortable, safe for the first time in my life. I felt like I could let down my walls and maybe trust people.

My father haunted me every step I took, I always felt like I was losing a sense of my sanity, it felt like it was slipping right between my fingers.  I felt like the more comfortable and safe I felt the closer I was to feeling the sting of hurt and torture that I had thought I had left back with my father. But I was kidding myself believing that I could be free like that. It wasn’t possible. I was forever trapped in my pain, I felt like whenever I took a step thorns would dig into my skin and I was stepping on fire.              

But as my bruises faded I felt like I was healing as well. Leo had become a somewhat important figure in my life. He would always be there when I needed him, he played with my younger brother and he was nice to my mom. He always kept me company whether I talked to him or not. I was beginning to think he might have become someone I cared about, but I knew those feelings couldn’t truly be what I was feeling, I wasn’t allowed to feel that.

I was currently sitting in Leo’s car staring out the window ignoring all my other thoughts and worries that threatened to reach the surface and thought about my younger brother Caden. He had been acting weird, the day after Justin visited he was either outside looking on edge as he stared at the woods worry filling his eyes. He marched around all day with a paint gun in one hand a water gun in the other, mumbling things about ‘I’ll get you dogs if you hurt my family.’ Or ‘I know you’re out there’ it was all too strange. He would also always ask about Justin, “Sissy, when is Justin coming over?” “Sister, do you talk to Justin?” “Can’t Justin come over?” it was getting annoying.

He even forgot his birthday was coming up in a few days. Normally about this time he would give me lists of things to buy for his birthday but this year he hasn’t brought it up once. I was becoming worried because his birthday was only two days away and it seemed like he has forgotten about it completely.

I was still in deep thought when Leo’s deep voice brought me out of them and into reality “Skyler? What are you thinking about?” he asked.

I didn’t answered for awhile debating if I should bother telling him, but I knew he cared about my brother just as much as I did. “He’s been acting weird. I don’t know what to do! He even forgot about his birthday. It’s just strange for me. My mother hasn’t thought a thing about it. She thinks he’s just excited because we moved some place, but I can’t help but think it’s more than that.” I said hesitantly, still unsure if it was the right move to tell him.