Love Lengths

Chapter Eleven

Maggie

It was like a dream, a very painful and hellish dream. I stared out at the police car driving away and wondered how different my life would have been if they had have been normal parents.

Relief washed through me and I shuddered, feeling the first of what I would assume is many tears slip silently down my cheeks. I had never been able to rely on my parents as parents; they were just not there until my Nanna died and then it was only to take hat was rightfully mine. It wasn’t he money that I wanted, I didn’t care about that; I wanted to be able to grieve, to live and to flourish on my own terms. Since she’d died I’d never been allowed to even eat without permission at home.

I quickly remembered that he was there; Kyle had his arm around me and I was suddenly very tired and felt very heavy; my eyelids drooped and I barely felt him pick me up and carry me out to my little blue car parked in the garage.

* * *

I had declined medical attention last night; I just wanted to sleep. Kyle had driven me to a house; his house? And tucked me into bed, I didn’t really wake until this morning. He knocked on the door at and a jumped, shaking with the pain that radiated through my side; maybe I should see a doctor.

“Maggie, are you awake?” he asked through the door. I looked at the time; 11:00am. s**t. Late for school. How was I going to explain the bruising? I needed to get out of here soon, would have to go and make a statement formally at the station; I’d have to make it a priority after seeing a doctor.

“Erm, y…yeah I’m awake.” I shifted to a sitting position and grunted with the shooting pain; no doubt I’d be sore for a few days at least, not to mention how long the bruises would take to heal. He opened the door, came in and closed it tentatively behind him and slowly approached the bed, I lift the covers all the way up to my chin and pull my knees to my chest, hugging myself and trying not to cry as the aching from my ribs throbbed through my body.

“I’m so sorry about last night,” I whispered, I started to get up, bending down and reaching for my pumps placed on the floor next to the bed; still wearing my jeans and t-shirt I grabbed my hoodie and tried to stand, swaying and going dizzy as I did, he caught me before I could fall and steadied me enough so that I could sit on the edge of the bed. I tried to block out his mental questions about my parents, how I could let them carry on like that and not tell anyone, how no-one had ever noticed, how long I’d been subjected to that kind of abuse.

“Please,” I shied away from him and cringed as he tried to reach for me again. I looked into his amber eyes and saw the hurt I’d caused; “Please don’t touch me.” He held his hands palm up in front of me and gave me a small but swift nod of his head in understanding.

“Maggie I need to explain about last night,” he started.

“No Kyle, I need to apologise. You should never have been in that position.” My voice barely a whisper, “I should have never touched you in that alley, then you’d not have followed me. I should have just left. I shouldn’t have said what I did when you had him detained. I’m so s…so…sorry.” The last part was a huge sob, tears flowing freely down my cold cheeks; I shook uncontrollably and shook my head, willing the tears to stop.

“Sh Maggie, stop, please don’t cry.” He reached out and rubbed my back, I shivered under his touch, even through my clothes. I’d never felt it before, although it had been a while since I’d let someone touch me; some people I had no say over but I’d not willingly let someone touch me for so long.

“I need you to know, it wasn’t my knife.” Wait, that’s what he was thinking about? How about how I’d nearly gotten him killed? How about how he’d had to defend a perfect stranger from her parents in her house? How about how he’d cradled me in his arms as I sobbed the fear and pain out of myself and exhausted myself into a long sleep? I shook my head in disbelief.

“I promise you,” he said, his voice pleading with me, I looked over and his eyes bore into mine, staring straight through me, willing me to believe him, “I would never hurt anyone intentionally, I swear to you.” Why was it so important that I believed him? Why did I feel like he wouldn’t ever lie to me? I slowly lifted my right hand and touched my index fingertip to the top of his hand and closed my eyes, opening the gates to let his thoughts rush into me.

“Honey I…” I cut him off before he could continue.

“I believe you Kyle. I’d better leave before you get in trouble. I’ve made you late for school and we had that test this morning.” Not that it mattered now, I’d never have made it anyway after last night, “I want to thank you. You didn’t have to do anything. You could have let them carry on and they would have killed me. Thank you for saving me, but I should go; I have so much to do now.”