When The Heart Heals

Chapter 1-4

Alyssa's tenuous control over her emotions slipped, and the longer Drew held her, the harder it became to hold on. When she felt his hand sliding through her hair, caressing her, she lost it completely. Try though she might, she couldn't hold in her sobs. He sat with his arms around her, petting her back and hair while she cried.

At last, the storm passed. Alyssa wanted to be embarrassed, but Drew wouldn't allow it. He handed her a tissue and asked, his voice filled with concern, “Is there anything I can do?”

Alyssa shook her head and blew her nose.

“Can you tell me what's going on? Is anyone… hurting you?”

Who is this boy with the gentle eyes? I think I preferred mean Drew. At least I understood him. “No. I'm not being abused. I'm fine.”

“That's a lie. You're not fine at all,” he said gently, wiping her cheeks with his thumbs.

She shook her head. “I'll get through. Sorry, but I don't want to talk about it. No one can help, so what's the point?”

Drew nodded. Then he did something she had never expected. He pressed the back of his hand against her cheek. She leaned into the soft touch that seemed to awaken warmth that thawed her frozen spirit. He stroked her skin for a moment, and then turned his hand over, his fingers on one side of her jaw, his thumb on the other, and he tilted her face up, so he could look into her eyes. She could see the hunger in those emerald depths. It startled her almost as much as when, a moment later, he leaned forward and touched his mouth gently to hers.

The couple shared a long sweet, innocent kiss. He made no attempt to penetrate her mouth. Who would have guessed, after all these years of animosity that I would be here, now, with Drew Peterson, and kissing him, of all things? And yet, it was the nicest kiss she had ever had. Granted her opportunities had been somewhat limited, but she did not completely lack experience. Then she remembered something important and pulled back. “Drew, don't.”

“What? Why?” He appeared bewildered.

She glared at him. “You're playing with me.”

“I'm not,” he protested.

The sun shone through the window, accentuating the ruddy strands that threaded through his light brown hair. Did I know he's this attractive? Until recently his face represented trouble. Trouble it, seemed, had not finished with Alyssa. “Yes, you are. What is this, take advantage of the poor girl? She'll be grateful for the attention? You have a girlfriend,” she reminded him, furious.

Understanding dawned. He stroked her cheek again as he explained in a soft, thoughtful voice, “It's not like that. And I don't have a girlfriend, not anymore. We broke up last week.”

“What?” Beautiful Marcie? The cheerleader with the big eyes and bigger boobs? Who would break up with her? “Why?”

“Because of you.”

She lowered her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“I had to cancel a date with her to work with you today. She took it the wrong way.”

Ah, that makes sense. Marcie has always been… touchy. “But once she sees the video, she'll understand it was just schoolwork.”

Drew shook his head. “No, Allie, it's over between Marcie and me. We weren't getting along well anyway, and it was past time.”

“But… but…” Alyssa spluttered, “she's crazy about you. I thought you two might be the ones to prove high school relationships can work out.”

His expression turned rueful. “I don't think she was crazy about me so much as about being with an athlete. She really didn't care much about what I wanted or felt.”

Alyssa looked at him quizzically.

“Okay, look, I'll tell you, but only if you promise never to say a word about it to anyone. I don't want people spreading rumors about Marcie, okay?”

Drew wants to confide in me? He dumped Marcie but doesn't want to spread rumors? Wow, what a gentleman. “Sure. I know how to keep things private.”

“She wanted more than I was willing to give.” He flushed.

“More what?” Alyssa asked, struggling to understand.

“More physical.” Drew was really blushing now.

Alyssa's eyes widened. “Really? A high school boy not willing to… get physical? How strange.”

Drew shrugged. “It's not a great mystery. My dad raised me to be a gentleman, and one thing that means a lot to me is treating my girl right. It's okay to date someone, but I would never go to bed with her if I didn't love her. I don't love Marcie.”

Alyssa blinked. What teenage boy thinks like that? “Wow. That's amazing, Drew. I'm impressed. Not too many guys would turn down an offer like that.”

“Well, that's just how it is.”

“So, you've never…” Her cheeks burned. What did you ask that for?

His face remained red, but he replied in a matter-of-fact tone, “Nope. Not yet. I'm not ready.”

Shaking her head at her own nosiness, she hastened to reassure him. “Me either. You're not the only one, Drew.”

“Thanks, Allie.” He grinned lopsidedly, making her stomach flutter. “So, at any rate, you can see I'm not playing games with you. Marcie and I are through, and I… well, suddenly I seem to like you. If you don't like me, could you please tell me, so I can stop pursuing you?”

“Is that what you're doing?” Alyssa's heart gave a wild thump and commenced to pounding.

“Yes.”

“Wow.” She gulped. What am I supposed to do about this? She felt a bit lightheaded. It's more than I can take in all at once. “Okay, um, can I think about this a couple of days?”

“Of course.” He smiled shyly.

How often did I make fun of those braces he just had removed? Now he has a perfect, movie star smile. She blinked. Don't get star struck. He's still the same Drew Peterson who made your life miserable since kindergarten. Confused, Alyssa blurted, “I need to go home.”

“Okay, but before you do, let me make you some sandwiches, okay?”

Alyssa's mouth watered, but her excitement gave way to shame. “No thanks, Drew. I don't want any charity.”

He thought for a moment. She could practically see the gears turning in his brain. “It's not charity. We bought too much lunchmeat at the store, and we won't be able to use it up before it spoils. You would be doing us a favor by taking it.”

She gave him a long look. Sure, Peterson. What happened to using all that creativity and intelligence to be annoying? But the lure of food could not be denied, nor could the excuse that spared her pride. “All right.”

He took her hand in his and led her into the kitchen. Whoa. This room is at least three times the size of ours, and just look at those granite countertops and wood cabinets. The longer she lingered in Drew's stylish home, the more uncomfortable she felt.

Drew pulled out a loaf of bread and opened the fridge. She could see he hadn't been lying. The meat drawer was piled with plastic tubs of lunchmeat, way too much for a small family like his. Way to go, Drew. I can almost accept it's not charity.

Drew made Alyssa enough sandwiches for three people for two days, along with carrot and celery sticks and apples. He piled the food into brown lunch bags and escorted her to the car.

They drove in silence, Alyssa digesting this new side of Drew, wondering what to make of it all.

* * * *

Alyssa is so pretty, Drew thought. It's sad she has to live in poverty so deep she doesn't have enough to eat, and no one knew. If she'd let me, I'll make an effort to change that. But I have to watch out for that stubborn pride of hers.

At her house, he noticed the scary man sitting on his chair again, this time swilling cheap beer. A six pack, half gone, sat at his feet, and empty cans littered the patchy snow. Disgusting. This is no environment for a teenage girl to grow up in. No environment for anyone, really. Drew walked Alyssa to her door. On the step, he turned to her. “Think about what I said.”

“As if I could think about anything else,” she replied. Her cheeks flushed with the cold and her lips looked nearly blue. He needed to get her inside. But first… “There's something else.”

“What's that, Drew?”

“This.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again… and again… and again. And then he pushed her through the door of her house and vaulted into his car.