Love poems

Dont stare

The knock on the front door echoed throughout the long dingy apartment. Sal got up from his bed, put down his guitar, and grabbed his prosthetic. He walked to the front door, glancing through the peephole before opening the door expecting Todd, or maybe even Lisa. Sal paused before grabbing the old slightly rusted door handle and swinging the door open. Standing there was Travis. His face was covered in dried blood, and his nose looked broken; it was still bleeding over his busted lip, and his black eye was still as prominent as ever.

"Travis, what the hell happened to you?" Sal opened the door further and motioned for Travis to come in, and he did. As Sal led him to the bathroom he answered "I don't want to talk about it" Travis' voice was strained and quiet, turning on the light to the restroom Sal made Travis sit on the toilet, "So you're just going to appear on my doorstep at 11 pm covered in blood and just not say to say anything?" he responded ducking under the sink and rummaging around for a bottle of hydrogen peroxide," Let's get you cleaned up." Sal mumbled to himself, noticing Travis shrink in on himself. " My dad got mad at me, I deserved it I just," he paused a grim look on his face," I don't want to talk about it Sally."

Sal got up off his knees and walked over to Travis, "It's okay man, you don't have to talk about it," there was a pause as he grabbed a rag and dapped some of the liquid on it "This is gonna sting" he warned Travis, "you don't have to do this Sally, I've been nothing but a douche to you man. I don't deserve your kindness." Sal paused the rag just inches from his face, "You're right I don't owe you shit, I just.. want to help you." he dabbed the rag onto Travis's lip, he didn't even flinch. "Why?" Sal gave a curious eyebrow raise though it couldn't be seen. "Why do I want to help you?" Travis gave a small nod. "I hate seeing people hurt, especially if there's something I can do," Sal said as he continued to clean his face. "You're a better person than I am."

"Alright done with that." Sal whispered to himself "Do you have any cuts or bruises I can help with?" He tilted his head to the side. "Not any you can help with," Travis replied with a distant look in his eyes. "What do you mean? If there's more I'll help, let me see."  there was no reply.
Sal got up from the rim of the bathtub and put the bloodied rag in the sink, "Travis?" he glanced over to see Travis hugging himself." if I show you..." his breath was shaky. "You have to promise me you won't tell a soul, nobody can know." he looked over staring Sal in the eye. " I won't tell anyone," Sal replied, preparing himself for whatever he was about to see. "Promise?" Travis gave him a desperate look. " I promise."

His entire body was littered with scars from all different types of things, his back was covered in lashes, words were engraved into his skin, and he had burns all over his body in the shape of a handheld iron press. " Holy shit dude." Sal stood still he knew Travis' home life wasn't the best but it looked like the poor boy had been tortured. Travis shrunk as Sal started. "Stop staring, I just... There are some cuts on my back, I usually patch myself up but I obviously can't reach or see back there." he turned around pulling his legs onto the toilet seat. " This is so embarrassing." Sal bent under the sink and grabbed an old first-aid kit. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, how long has this been going on?" Sal flicked the clips holding the box closed up. " Ever since my mom left," Travis mumbled to himself then a pause then he continued, "Of course this is embarrassing, I've never shown anybody my scars, they're fucking ugly. Im fucking ugly." Travis hugged his knees forcing himself to not cry, "I don't think your scars are ugly, mine are worse, and make me even uglier than you."

Sal sucked at comforting people. He decided to stop when he saw Travis's eyes well up with tears, he wasn't sure if he was making it better or worse. On the off chance that he was making it worse, he decided to stop, not wanting to do more damage than he may have already done. "You don't understand," Travis whispered to himself more than anybody. "Am I making it worse?" Sal asked, grabbing some cream to slather onto the scars and checking to make sure that he had enough gauze to cover Travis's back.

" I don't even know you like that. We aren't close. I don't even know your middle name." Travis barked anger was building up inside him he didn't want to let it overflow he didn't want to say or do anything to hurt Sal. He was gracious enough to not only let him inside his home and give him a place to stay away from his father but- his train of thought was interrupted by Sals laughs, " Is that how you determine whether or not you're close to someone?" Travis heard as he felt something cold hit his back he felt his face heat up he knew he was blushing," No, I mean like," he paused thinking of how to word his thought process." If I don't care to know your middle name, are you really that important to me?"

Sal finished with the cream and grabbed the gauze, " I mean I guess that makes sense." he replied, "put your arms up." Travis did as he was told and Sal started to wrap his back, "I don't know how you showed me." Sal said after a minute of silence, "If the way you feel about your body is the same way I feel about my face's scars, I don't think I could have done it." Sal finished wrapping his torso," You're very brave travis."

"Travis I don't think you should go home." Sal starts as he helps travis put on his sweater, Travis pauses wide eyes before responding "Are you crazy?" he furrows his brows. "Look at you, man," Sal responds with concern obvious in his voice, "This isn't normal, your body shouldn't be riddled with all of these scars." The boys make eye contact, the silence deafening. "Don't worry about me Sally, I'll be fine," Sal stands there stunned in disbelief why would he want to go back

Rage was building up in Travis, he had tried to be civil with Sal and his friends for almost a month now, but Sal was testing his luck. Travis sits on the toilet, his eyes squeezed shut and his hands balled into fists, his nails digging into his skin," Are you serious Travis," It boils over rage consumes him," Just drop it already!" he yells before storming out of the bathroom

Sally follows him out of the restroom just as his hand grips the doorknob sals catches his wrist. "I'm sorry," Travis pauses for a moment before turning around to meet Sals' gaze, he takes this as his queue to continue, "I shouldn't have pushed you like that, I'm just worried about you." Sally's hands fall to his sides. Travis' gaze falls to the floor "I'm sorry for yelling at you." Sal smiles as he plops down onto the couch he pats the empty spot next to him, "You don't have to leave yet, we can watch a movie together or something." Travis opens his mouth to protest but Sal interrupts him before he even starts, "I mean you've already been out of the house for at least an hour now not including the time it took you to walk here." Sal protested. Travis sits on the opposite side of the couch," sure."

{1347 words >u<}