The Drowning Girl

nine

Coreys shower was white and black tiles, his curtain matching with some random guy with a dark mask on the center. I furrowed my eyebrows, I'd see this guy on t shirts at school before but I never had the courage to ask someone what it was.

It took me at least five minutes to figure out how to turn his shower on, and another minute after that to work the controls. I stood in front of the sink, using my finger and some toothpaste to brush my teeth before glancing up to myself.

"God I look like shit." My eyes looked hollow, a deep bruise running across my ribs that covered the scabbed over cuts. Another small bruise sat at my temple, I'm assuming from the asshat Volto, and a small cut on my bottom lip.

I forced myself away from my scrutiny, getting into the shower as quickly as I could force myself. I stood there, under the spray as my brain ran a million miles an hour. My eyes shut as I stood there, feeling my heart pound and my chest felt full. My breath came out ragged, and it took everything in me as I slowly fell onto my knees. 

I let out a guttural sob, everything thats happened within the last few days catching up to me. I was, alone and terrified. I had some random man attacking me simply because I associated with these people for less than a day. The water sprayed over my face, my skin barley stinging anymore. I looked up to the shower head, staring at the way the water left it. 

I stared at it, for I don't know how long before I forced myself up. I squirted some of the shampoo on my hands, smelling it before i started scrubbing my scalp with it. It was in a simple clear bottle, marked with the words 'Shampoo.' It smelt strange, like oranges and some type of spice. The conditioner smelt like it too, but it did make my hair feel incredible. The body wash was a simple clean smell, something that didn't leave behind much of a scent as I washed myself with it. I was thankful for that, my skin loved to break out in hives if there was too much scents in stuff. 

I stepped out after i shut the water off, wrapping myself in a towel. I really wanted to look through his stuff for clothes, but my body was so sore from things touching it. I tousled my hair with the towel, practically collapsing onto Coreys bed as soon as I saw it. The sheets were so soft, and in the back of my head I knew I shouldn't just lay on it wet but my brain was shutting down. 

And with that, I fell right back into my normal pattern. I'd always had nightmares, tonight wasn't different. I shot up from the bed and onto the floor, like I always did. My knees made a hollow sound on the wood panelling, my forearms helping to catch the brunt of it. I tried not letting out my sobs but I couldn't help it, my dream was just so real.

Volto was at least nine feel tall inside of my brain, stomping onto the boys that are slowly worming their way into my heart. I saw him picking them up by their heads, ripping them apart as I screamed and screamed. I could still feel their blood splattering over me, their screams echoing inside of my ears. I tried breathing out slowly, I knew no matter how hard I scrubbed my skin I'd still feel it. 

It never seemed to end. 

I grabbed the first t shirt I could find from Corey's cabinet, throwing it on as I opened his door. His apartment was silent, my ears straining as I listened for any signs of him. I walked into their living room, the light of the television illuminating an asleep Brandon on the couch. My lips quirked, for such a stubborn ass he sure was cute when he slept; and was quiet. 

I took the blanket off the back before laying it over him gently, padding into the separate kitchen. I opened their fridge, wondering even if they'd get upset with me rifling through their things in search of a midnight snack. I shrugged to myself, I really doubted they would and at this moment I didn't care. I took some asparagus and butter out, placing a skillet as quietly as possible on a burner. 

I was quick, chopping the ends off before melting butter in the skillet. Asparagus came next, before seasoning including one I'd never head of but it smelt nice, before the asparagus was browned and filling up a plate. I turned the burner off, removing the skillet off of the burner. I looked in about four drawers before I finally found silverware, padding to where an old true crime documentary played over Brandon's soft snores. 

I smiled as I watched him, sitting in the large chair next to the chair as I let myself slowly become absorbed into the documentary. "What are you doing up?"

My eyes snapped to where Brandon lay, his eyes half lidded as he stared at me. "I got hungry, hope you don't mind."

I held my plate up with a bit of an impish smile, his eyebrows furrowing as he sat himself up onto his elbows. "Is, is that asparagus?"

"Yeah, like I said, i hope you don't mind." He shrugs, laying back down. 

"I didn't even know we had asparagus. Come, feed me one." I snorted, standing up as I stepped over to him.

"Careful, you're starting to sound like Raven." I sat along the edge of the couch, spearing a piece with a fork before holding it out to him.

"Too much to ask you to feed me huh." I rolled my eyes, guiding the fork to his mouth as his eyebrows raised. 

"Eat it before I take it back and no asparagus for you." He chucked before leaning forward and taking the food off the fork with his teeth, a chill spreading down my spine. 

We sat like that for a few moments, alternating who ate a piece before the plate was empty. I stood up to bring the plate to the kitchen when I heard Brandon follow me, as soon as the plate left my hands and was placed into the sink I was lifted up. A sound escaped me, my eyes wide as I was set on the kitchen cabinet. 

"Now, tell me why you really came out here." I felt a spark of anger roll through me, but at the same time I had to force into my head that not everyone was out to get me. 

But hell, they hadn't exactly been the most welcoming. I couldn't decide what to do. 

"I see you arguing with yourself, please Rowena, I want to help." I bit my lip, looking up to his sad eyes. Those damn eyes got me every time.

"I had a bad dream." I murmured, glancing away slightly.

"Do you have those often?" I shrugged, looking back up to him. I wasn't short by any means, but even sitting on a cabinet he was still taller than me. "What was it about?"

"You, all of you, being ripped apart by Volto." I saw just how sad his eyes were, my hand moving against my will to cup his cheek. "It was a dream, I know that." 

"That means you have bad dreams all the time though, when I have bad dreams it takes me really long time to realize it's a bad dream." He gently picked me up again, surprising me as he moved us away from the kitchen. He laid me onto the couch, his body following not long after. I was warm, safe on that thread woven couch with Brandons body heat keeping me warm.

And I was surprised.

Surprised at myself, for letting him do this. Surprised at myself for not feeling bugs crawl across my skin at his touch. Surprised for liking it, was it okay to like it? Was it okay for me to find all of them attractive? Was it okay, for feeling such a rush of longing, to belong to a family like this. To not want to leave at the drop of a pin.

But this was temporary, both my heart and brain agreed on that. I was going to heal, to leave. For now though, for now I was going to enjoy this. Enjoy the warmth he gave me, a warmth I've never had before. A warmth, I don't know when I'll get next.