This Unconventional Kind of Love

Chapter 10: Opening Up

Copyright © 2020, Nikki B. Lourie if you are reading this work on any other domain than Wattpad, it has been plagiarized.

Janessa awoke with Leslie's arms wrapped around her. It felt nice, but something felt off about him being there. She raised up on her elbow regarding him from head to toe. She thought he was asleep only to find his eyes open. He was lying on his back as if staring up at the ceiling. "What's wrong, Leslie?"

She noticed his red, puffy eyes and became even more alarmed. Tears streamed from the corner of his eyes confirming her suspicions. "Is it Lana? Has she..." she couldn't finish her sentence.

"I'm useless," he whimpered, turning onto his side to face her and hugging her pillow tightly.

"What happened?"

"You were having an episode. You could have hit your head on the counter and been seriously injured. Luckily, Raymond was near and he was able to stop you. And then my mother had an attack. Your mother was there to help, but there I was in the way. Like some stupid rock, I was sitting there unable to do a thing. I couldn't help you and I couldn't do anything for my mom. It's like, what exactly am I good for?"

Janessa laid back down and pulled him close. His warm breath heated her chest as he allowed himself to sob and be vulnerable in her arms. She should not be feeling tingles at that very moment, but warm shockwaves were coursing from her chest to her neck and down her back. She should be consoling him, not enjoying his vulnerability.

"I felt so helpless. If only I could see. I could have been more helpful."

"It's okay, we all have our moments of helplessness. Just look at me." Her fingers massaged his warm scalp as he gradually began to calm down.

"I had just entered my first year of middle school. I was excited because I felt like I was really becoming a big girl. I didn't have many friends in elementary school because of my narcolepsy. The kids didn't understand it and not many parents knew about it so they couldn't really school their kids about what to expect. So when I met Haley, I was happy to be friends with her. She didn't seem to care about my condition. She invited me to her eleventh birthday party and I begged for weeks to go.

"Eventually my parents caved and said I could go, but they would be there too. I was bummed about it but nonetheless excited. On the day of her party, I was full of excitement. Haley had a two-story house and a large basement where her party would be held. I had never been to a birthday celebration before so I was having the time of my life. The adults stayed upstairs while we all played party games downstairs. Haley's older brother and his friends were there to chaperone us. Haley insisted that she didn't want her parents there ruining our fun and so they figured it was a compromise to have some teenagers to keep an eye on us." She became nervous, her hands rubbing harder against his scalp.

"When I was younger, I didn't really understand how to tell when I was about to have an episode. I was having a blast and I realized I was getting tired, so I told Haley I going to find my parents. She was upset that I wanted to leave before we cut the cake and opened gifts. She showed me this private area in the room where I could go and rest until I felt better. Her parents often used it when they were taking a breather from their kids and she said they wouldn't mind if I used it too. I fell asleep," her voice cracked as her eyes began to water. She looked everywhere but at Leslie as if he could really see her.

When I came to, her brother was on top of me and his friends were holding me down. I remembered how much it hurt and how I started crying and asking him to leave me alone. He clamped his hand over my mouth and told me to shut up. I panicked and immediately had another episode. When I woke up again the party was over, the cops were in the room, the curtain was drawn back, and Haley's brother and his friends were handcuffed. Apparently, my parents had come looking for me to make sure I was okay. When they didn't see me, they found Haley and she brought them to me. They found him having his way with me while I was unconscious."