I woke up to him kissing the back of my neck the way Pete did.
"Good morning" he said in my ear.
"M-Morning" I whispered.
"My meals gonna be ready when I get home from work right?" he asked. I nodded. "Good boy" He kissed my cheek "I'll see you soon okay? Don't worry, I'll be home soon. Don't be afraid. I'm sorry we fought last night" I didn't reply. "I love you honey"
"I love you too" I whispered. He got off the bed and left our room. When I knew he was gone I got off my bed to smoke a cigarette. I wrapped my blanket around myself and walked outside. I slammed into someone and looked up. They turned around like they were ready to slam me in the jaw.
"Patrick?"
"Pete" I said. He stared down at me then looked back at his friend.
"We'll talk later" he said to him. His friend closed his apartment door. I started downstairs and he followed me. "You live here?"
"Yes" I said. He sat down next to me on my usual spot on the porch. "I saw your phone number in my pack of cigarettes. Thank you for that"
"I was hoping you'd use it. Maybe, we could get a coffee" I closed my eyes guiltily and shook my head "Why? Gotta boyfriend" He smiled at me. I opened my mouth to respond but shut it. "What's wrong?" I shook my head again. "Talk to me"
"I don't even know you" I said.
"And talking is how you get to know someone" He said. "Okay, look, I'll tell you one thing about me, and you tell me one thing about you, deal?"
"Fine. Mr. Persistent" I said. He cracked a smile that made me smile back.
"I live two streets up the road. My address is 123 Cherry Lane" He said.
"I live in apartment B" I said. He smiled a little.
"My full names Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz the third"
"Patrick Martin Stump" I said.
"I'm single" he said.
"I-" I closed my mouth.
"You have a boyfriend don't you?" he asked. I didn't respond. "Woah" he said "Patrick you have a bruise" he went to touch it but I flinched away. "You have a boyfriend, does he hurt you"
"Too many questions" I said.
"Patrick-"
"Too many questions!" I yelled. He stayed quiet.
"Why don't you leave him?" he asked.
"I'm afraid" I whispered.
"Afraid of him?" he asked.
"You need to leave" I said.
"I'm just trying to understand-"
"I don't need you to understand! You were a one night stand and that's all you'll ever be!" I yelled. He stared at me like, like he wasn't going away no matter how hard I tried.
"Patrick" he said gently "Don't try to push me away okay?"
"You need to leave" I repeated "Now, before he gets home and beats the shit out of me because I didn't make his dinner, go"
"Runaway" he said.
"No" I said "I tried. He found me at my best friends house and beat the shit out of me for running"
"Come to my house" he said. I frowned.
"That'd put you in danger"
"He doesn't even know me Patrick, come on. I know you don't have much trust left okay? I was abused once too that's how I knew those bruises right away. I had the same ones. But, you don't have much time left either. Come on" I shook my head "Please" He begged.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked.
"I can't get you outta my damn head, and I know what this is like. Go get a bag, throw what you need in it, and come to my house" I frowned "I just wanna get you safe, one day it'll be too late" I nodded slowly.
"Okay" I whispered.
-----
He walked me inside.
"This is it" he motioned around the tiny house "Mi Casa"
"It's cute" I said smiling. My phone buzzed in my pocket.
"You have to throw that out" he said "It's traceable for all you know, he could be following you"
"What do I do with it?" I asked.
"I'll take care of it okay, use my phone and cancel the bill, we'll get you a track phone until we get you a new one. Here" I handed him my phone. Brand new fucking iPhone. "Who's Andy?"
"My best friend" I said. He nodded.
"Do you know his number by heart?" He asked.
"Yes"
"Is there any number you need that you don't know by heart?" He asked.
"Uhm, A-Andy's all I really have" I said.
"Okay" he mumbled "I'll take care of this, you take care of getting yourself off the bill, and then we'll get a new phone for you"
"Okay" I said. He walked out of the house and locked the door behind him. His phone was on the counter. No passwords. I dialed the first number I knew I should dial.
"Hello?"
"Andrew Hurley" I said.
"Patrick!"
"I'm alive I swear, I'm safe too. I finally left and I'm safe"
"Where are you?"
"I'm at a friends. I have to call you back later though I need to take care of something"
"Okay, I love you"
"I love you too"
-----
"So this is your phone now" he handed me a tiny black phone "Just until I can get you on my bill and get you your iPhone back"
"Okay" I said quietly. He sat down next to me.
"You're safe now okay? I promise I'll never let anything happen to you" He smiled at me.
"Who got you safe?" I asked.
"I went to a shelter, for abused victims. They cared for me and relocated me here" He said. Wow. Crazy.
"I don't like to be touched by people, are you the same way?" I asked. He smiled.
"You learn after a while that not everyones out to hurt you. May not seem that way but it's true. Watch" He slowly lifted his hand up. I flinched away "Don't worry, I won't hurt you" He said. He pressed his hand to my cheek and ran his thumb back and forth under my eye "See? You just have to get used to a gentle touch" I smiled a little bit. He smiled back.
"You have pretty eyes" I said quietly.
"And you have beautiful ones" he replied "Go to bed" He pressed a kiss to my forehead "You're safe now" he mumbled.
