Misfortune

Chapter 46

Over the next few days, I began seeing Shawn a lot more than my own parents. We spent countless hours together, learning about one another. Seeing as we were the same age as each other, everyone thought we were just getting along well when really, we were falling in love, or at least I was. I loved everything about him.

Back then, me and my mom were somewhat close to each other, though she spent most of her time with her husband, she made sure to check up on me. And when she did, she learned more and more about Shawn from me. Hearing how good I talked about him; she assigned him to be my own personal maid from now on. So now, he only had to listen to me, which he actually liked because he hated my father. My friends would call my house phone all the time asking for me, but I'd always tell them to have fun on their own or come visit because I refused to leave the house. When really, I just never wanted to be parted from Shawn.

Every night when it was time for him to go home, I'd walk him. Sometimes it was with Shelly and other times it was just us. I enjoyed our walks a lot because we didn't have to whisper to each other or stare at each other during breakfast and dinner awkwardly. On our walks, it was just us and the coolness of the wind. We could talk however loud we want and never have to worry about anyone listening.

And it turns out there was a way I could help him, every night I'd bring some food from our pantry for him to give to his siblings. He thanked me a lot for it, but I never actually seen any of his siblings because they'd be asleep by time we'd arrive to the barn house. Every night I'd walk him home, I'd tell him how much I like him and how much he means to me, but he'd always laugh, thinking I was joking when in reality I loved him.

Overtime I started noticing more and more things about him. He'd like to go paint in my family's garden when my parents weren't home, sing as he waited for me to get done taking showers, and laugh to himself when me and my friends wrestled outside.

Everything was going great for us, even though he didn't want me how I wanted him, I was just glad we were getting along. That was until the last day of spring break came around and my father decided to have his friends over for a drink in the back patio. That day, all of our maids were off because my father didn't like for them to be in the house when he was home, so I didn't get to see Shawn. The Barnhouse didn't have a house phone either so I couldn't call him and seeing him during the day was just way too risky. So, I was left with sitting on the balcony of our upstairs library. That balcony faced the Barnhouse so I could use my father's bird watching binoculars to stare off into the distance to see the maids outside.

My father and his drunk friends were just below me chatting away being all loud and shit, so I got bored easily and set the binocular's down. Just as I was about to go back inside, I hear a loud shriek coming from downstairs. I run over to the balcony railing to see what was going on, but it was just some lady screaming at a little girl whose ball flew onto the table, spilling her wine all over her dress.

As I shake my head ready to leave, I see Shawn running over to the little girl and picking her up saying it was his fault.

"I'm so sorry ma'am," he tries wiping her dress with his hand, but she backs away defensively shouting," Don't touch me boy!" She turns her attention to my father and shout," Is this the type of workers you have running around your home? "

When my father suddenly gets up from his seat, that's when I realize I can't just sit here anymore watching. I quickly rush inside and run downstairs to the back patio where my father is Infront of Shawn's face talking him down.

"Dad stop!" I yell. His friends turn to me as I run over to them. I stand right Infront of Shawn saying," It was an accident, I saw the whole thing from upstairs. The wind blew the ball from the girl's hands, she didn't intend for it to land over here."

"Stay out of grown folks' business son," he shouts but I stand my ground looking up at him because at the time he was taller than me.

I could see his fist clenching tightly as he stares down at me as if I'm nothing. I thought he wouldn't hit me because he has guest over but that wasn't the case at all. He raises his hand and strike my face hard causing me to fall onto the ground. The diamond rings he constantly wore left a scratch on my cheek causing me to groan out in pain. His guests gasp in horror, not expecting that reaction from my father at all but they don't say anything or try to help me. They just stand around pathetically as my father begins kicking, throwing punches and yelling at me.

Shawn tries to help but I shake my head quickly, not wanting him or his baby sister to be hurt. He can only stand there in fear covering his sister's eyes as I get the shit beat out of me by my own father.

With one last kick to the stomach, he decides he's done with me and leaves with his friends. Shawn puts down his sister and comes to my aid, helping me stand. I hold my stomach as I slowly grab the ball off the table and hand it to the little girl who trembled slightly," This is yours."

Shawns eyes are filled with tears as he watches me slowly walk away.

"James?"

"Take her home," I say before closing our back door. How humiliating it is to be beat right in front of someone you like, I couldn't even look him in the eye. My father and his friends all decided to leave which I'm thankful for. My mother was in the kitchen as I walked over to the stairs," James!" She screams as she sees me.

My face was fine except for the cut on my cheek but everything else hurt like hell. I leaned on the railing of our stairs as I looked at her," So you didn't hear him screaming as he beat me?"

Her eyes widen as she covers her mouth," I.........I'm sorry."

"Well sorry doesn't fix anything mother."

I can only shake my head as I slowly make my way upstairs. She doesn't even try to run after me or help me, like everyone else, she stands there and watches me as I wallow away in pain. Once I'm inside my room, I wobble over to my bed and gently lay down. I keep my legs against my chest because it hurts too much to even stretch. The blood from my cheek slipped onto my pillow making it turn red. I groan as I flip it to the other side but then that side gets covered too.

Suddenly someone comes into my room and runs over to my bed. I slowly sit up to see Shawn," Is she okay?"

His eyes were filled with absolute fear, I wanted to comfort him, but I also didn't want to move at all.

"She's fine, but you. You're not at all."

He rushes into my bathroom and gets a piece of tissue and damp it in alcohol," This is going to sting." He stands in between my legs and leans down a bit to reach my face. Him being this close to me was making my heart jump, God he was beautiful.

I watch him as he carefully rubs on my wound," Does it hurt?"

I only nod as a smile spread across my face, he raises a brow and asks," How can you literally be smiling at a time like this?"

Without answering I wrap my arms around his waist and pull him closer to me. He gasps as I rest my head on his stomach," Because I love you."

It was true, everything I've said to him up till now was true. I love him, I was in love with him, and I wanted him to know more than anything and understand my feelings.

"James," he says weakly as he pulls my shoulders away from him causing me to let go of his waist.

A lump starts to form in my throat as I look up at him," I don't care that you're my maid, looked down upon or poor. I can take care of you, I can kick anyone's ass if they talk shit about you, I can make it so that you never have to struggle again, just please stay by my side. I love you more than life itself. I just want to grow with you until we die, Shawn please."

I can see the answer in his eyes as he stared at me. More tears fill his eyes, he starts to back away, but I grab his wrist," Please, please don't run."

He shakes his head slowly before pulling away and running off.

I did it, I fucking ruined everything and scared him off.