The Six Month Contract

Its All Over

I'm shivering.

Rocky grabs my hands and rubs my palms with his to calm me down.

"It's okay," he says.

I almost got him killed. He sacrificed himself for my sake, I cannot let this happen to him.

I lift my eyes off the concrete floor and look up at him. I can see blood dripping down the side of his face and a cut across his torso.

So I'm not adopted and Aaron is alive. That's a lot to take in. Anger boils in me. How could my parents let this happen?

I watch the police scan the house, mark things and come in and out.

Rocky holds my hand and gives it a squeeze. "We're okay," he says. "That's all that matters."

But I know he's lying. The upstairs is completely trashed and I'm sitting here in the living room downstairs having what feels like a panic attack.

Taking deep breaths does not calm me down, in fact I begin shivering further.

His house is smashed, the one he worked so damn hard for. He nearly died and I'm the culprit.

Rocky lifts my chin so we're facing each other, eye to eye. "Don't," He says softly. "I know what you're thinking but don't you dare go down that path."

I shake my head. "I'm okay."

Another lie.

"You should get that cut checked out," I tell him.

He nods. "Later."

I know he won't leave until I'm okay but I don't think I can ever be okay causing this sort of harm to Rocky.

One day. That's all we have left.

One day, then I get to leave Rocky behind. I no longer have to drag him into my problems or drama. He will be free.

What would his life have been like before he met me? I imagine not this.

I throw my arms around him and hug him. Tears escape my eyes as he hugs me back. This may be the last hug we ever have.

I seem to no longer be shivering. Rocky seems to have that effect on me.

"We're good," he whispers in my ear as his hands run up and down my back in a comforting act.

The tension leaves my body and I ease into his arms further. He notices this because he hugs me tighter, his hand now running through my hair.

How he does it, I have no idea. How he seems to make me believe everything is and will be okay is beyond me but he somehow seems to be able to do it anyways.

"I love you," I whisper in his ears.

He kisses my forehead and then replies. "I love you too, Sky."

—————————

The police are gone, it's nine at night and I'm sitting by the fireplace with a hot cup of tea in my hands. Rocky places a blanket around me and sits beside me.

"You should go to bed," He says.

I look at him and smile. "It's too early for bed."

He nods. "I know but you've been through quite a day."

I frown. "So have you," I say motioning at his torso.

He smiles. "I don't care about myself, Sky," he says grabbing my free hand. "I thought for a minute there that if you didn't make it in the bathroom in time that I had lost you for good."