Beneath the safe embrace

Chapter 4

༺𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒂𝒍, 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒆𝒔 ༻

the day after his initial visit, he returned again this time buying a glass bottle of beer "two dollars and fifty cents" he takes out 5 dollars and gives it to me and I give him back his change and he then leaves without saying a word. next day he came again just buying a pack of cigarettes "oh..you again" I say and he chuckles "what? you don't like seeing me" he says and just give him his change "no it's just that all of a sudden you come here often" I reply while he takes out a cigarette out the pack and puts it in his mouth "guess I just like this store" is the last thing he says before walking away.

the next day he came again and I think this guy is stalking me and he just takes a pack of chips "you stalking me?" is what comes out of my mouth but it's a genuine question but he just shakes his head and chuckles "no.why you think that?"

"because you come here often"

"and that's why you think I'm stalking you?"

"maybe..are you?"

"no, cross my heart." he smirks and I squint my eyes not really believing him "alright.." I just give him his change and he takes it and I thought he was gonna leave but he opens the chips and looks at me for a moment "Zyren" what? "what?" I ask "my name is Zyren" Zyren huh.. "umm..oke?" "you looked like you wanna know who I am" he says "I did?-i- no how did I look like I wanna know who you are" I say confused "I don't know, why would you think I'm stalking you" I smile at that "oke fine..you got a point" I say still smiling a little and he looks at my mouth again and my smile faltered now looking at him confused "you should smile more often, it suits you" is the last thing he says before he leaves again.

"dad I'm home!" I yell out as I take off my shoes "dad?" I don't hear a response as I put away my shoes in the shoe rack, as I was gonna yell out his name again I hear some noises down the hall, confused I walk a little further and I hear a Retching sound coming from the bathroom and I immediately drop my bag and run toward the noise. when further open the bathroom door I see dad hunched over the toilet "DAD!" I quickly get on my knees next to him rubbing his back

hi pulls his head up a little and I look inside the toilet seeing blood and some clots, he puts his head down again puking up more and tears immediately fall down my cheeks trying to calm him down, rubbing his back as I don't know what else to do "daddy...its gonna be oke just please-" the gagging noises he makes makes me panick even more "dad-dad we have to-we have to get you to a hospital" but he shakes his head no as he keeps gagging "daddy please! this isn't oke we have to-" he pushes me away with his hand but I don't budge, I keep sobbing as I rub his back for a few minutes until he finally stops and heaves.

he moves his head away from the toilet and sits next to it heaving "dad...?" he shakes his head a little "i-im fine Liyah just...just go to bed I'm fine.." I look at him and a little blood drips down his chin and his nose is also bleeding, his face is pale and his hair really messy and he's shaking a little "dad..we have to get you to a hospital" "no.. I'm fine" "you're not fine! y-youre throwing up blood, you're face looks pale and there's blood dripping down you're nose this isn't oke! please dad you have to listen to me" I say as more tears fall down my cheek, god I'm crying like a little girl but I'm so worried.

"please Liyah I'm fine..just help me up and take me to my room, don't worry please.." I look at him for a moment still crying "please dad...i dont- I don't want you to go.." I sob out and look down, dad looks at me with guilt and he comes closer to me putting his hand around me "I'm sorry Liyah...i know how worried you are but I promise, I'm not leaving yet oke? hey look at me" brings his hand to my chin and pulls my face up to look at him, my eyes are red tears falling down and my nose stuffy by the crying "I'm not leaving yet oke? I'm sorry for worrying you...im the one that's supposed to take care of you, you're supposed to go off to college but because of me....im sorry daughter" some tears fall down his face and I sob out immediately hugging him "don't be sorry dad..i-its my choice and I wanna stay with you..please don't be sorry.."

we hug for a few minutes, sitting on the bathroom floor crying. I then help him up and wash his face, after that I give him a glass of water to drink and then his medicine. after that I put help him in his room and then go to mine but I don't sleep, I can't...i just look at my ceiling not even thinking about things just looking and lying down on my bed, for the whole night I don't sleep, my eyes staying open not even noticing that it's already morning until I hear my alarm going off. for a few more minutes I stay on my bed looking at the ceiling, the alarm going off in the background but I barely acknowledge it but I get out my thoughts and finally stand up.

I shower and then wear my clothes, I'm dressed in a loose white graphic T-shirt over a black strappy tank top paired with denim shorts and a silver cross necklace.i look at myself in the mirror and see that my eyes look so tired and I have small eyebags but I just ignore it. I go downstairs and make breakfast for dad, after that I go back upstairs and stand in front of his room "dad, you're breakfast is ready" I say as I knock on the door, but I don't hear a response I just hear the radio in his room but I knock again "dad? are you awake?" but still no response. it's one of these days I see..its where he just stays in his room all day ignoring everyone, even me... "um..if you're awake then I'm gonna put you're breakfast in the microwave" I say but still no response, I sigh and walk back down stairs putting the food in the microwave and after that I put on my shoes, take my bag and walk to the store.

I keep yawning as I open up the store and get behind the counter already wanting to sleep and tired by everything. today was normal though, normal costumers and all and it's almost closing time now, but I haven't seen him yet what's his name? Zyron? Zyren? Zyren I think, maybe he's not coming today why am I even thinking about him?. I look at the clock and see that it's time to close, I yawn again but I'm not sleepy tired I'm just...everything tired and I don't really wanna go home yet.

I sigh as I'm outside and I lock the door and as I turn around I gasp seeing a man, wait no that's.. "um...Zyren?" he's leaning against his car, a very expensive looking car "hey" he walks closer to me and stops "um..what are you doing here" he opens his mouth but his brows furrow as he looks at me "are you oke?" he asks "yea...um..are you?" "you just look, tired" I touch my face after he says that and I then clear my throat "um yea..just couldn't sleep" I look up at him "and you look angry" I chuckles "yea, people piss me off"

"so what are you doing here?"

"I don't know really...guess I was just waiting for you".

" waiting for me? alright stalker "

"I promise I'm not a stalker"

"yea I trust you" he smirks and looks down "you look like you need to talk to someone" my eyes widen slightly in shock "um..what?" "you just look, different and look like you need someone to talk to" I sigh and look down "just had a rough day.." "you wanna talk about it?" he sucks in his teeth after he says that.

I sigh and turn around walking back to the store and unlocking the door, he stands there looking at me confused "you gonna come in?" he looks at me surprised but then follows me inside.

I put my bag on the counter and turn the lights back on, I go to the drink cooler and take out a orange juice "you want a drink?" I ask "uh-yea..thanks" I take out a beer and close the cooler. after that I lean against it and slide down to the floor, Zyren looks at me for a moment but then follows my move and site next to me and I hand him drink.

for a few moments we just sit there in the ground not talking, it's quiet and the only thing you can hear is the hum of the lights and the ticking of the clock, it's a comforting silence as the floor beneath me is a little cold and cooling my legs. "Liyah" I say quietly after I took a sip of my drink, he turns his head toward me looking a little confused "what?" "my name is Liyah" I repeat and turn my head looking at him to, he smirks a little "pretty name, Liyah." I smile slightly and look down playing with the lid of the bottle in my hand, the juice inside it sloshing.

"you gonna tell me what happened?" my head turns to him looking a little baffled but he just looks back at me leaning his head against the cooler door, his eyes looming under the lights "I'm sorry- huh?" I ask "you look distraught, thought I might ask why. it's fine if you don't wanna tell me though" he explains and my eyes widen a little, whys he asking this like he cares about me?

I lean my head against the cooler and take a breath "I don't know I guess. just, life?" I scrunch my face after I said that but Zyren doesn't say anything, like he's waiting for me to say more. "it's just my dad, he's..not very well and I'm right now taking care of him, and his store, guess today was just a little to much for me right now" I explain not knowing why I'm telling all of this to a stranger that I only know the name of.

"guess you just need a break huh" I nod after he says that "I care about my dad don't get me wrong...but sometimes I just- I don't know, I don't know what I want but I just can't breath sometimes and I need some space but I can't have that.."

"maybe you should tell you're dad" I shake my head after he says that "I cant- I can't let him feel like he's a burden. after my mom died i-..." I stop and and turn my head to look at him but he just looks at me softly..like he's actually listening and my heart beats faster a little and I look down, a strand of my hair falling in front my face "maybe everything would be different if she was still alive..."

"maybe..but I don't know, what I do know is that you're doing everything you can to keep you and you're dad together" I nod, I can feel my eyes turning wet and I can't believe I'm about to cry in front of a stranger, I laugh bitterly "God I can't believe I'm opening up to a stranger" he just smiles "not really a stranger anymore am I" I rub my eyes with my shirt now feeling a little better.

I take a sip of my juice and look up, for a moment it's quiet again until I look at Zyren "you're not from here, are you?" he looks back at me "and what makes you think that" one of my eyebrows push up "the fancy clothes, expensive watch, expensive car. you're not from this neighborhood, you're from the more richer side" I chuckles "you caught me"

"so why are you all the way on this side?" he bites his lip before he responds "it's quiet, I like quiet. it's different then my neighbourhood" I nod "I understand.. "

I look in the front, at the open door and the night wind blowing inside the store, some leaves getting inside. "what about you?" "huh?" he asks a little lost "I told you my story...whats yours?" he gave out a low laugh "that day...you looked angry, when you first came here" he sighs and bites the inside of his cheek "my father...he runs a um-" he clears his throat "a business. and I'm supposed to be the next to follow after his footsteps.but...i don't want to, never did"

I look at him "can't you tell him that?" he chuckles "I did, plenty of times. but I don't have any other choice, my future had been decided since the moment I was born...cant really do anything about it and my father is an asshole" I nod and look down "I'm sorry about that.." "it's fine, been told that it's my destiny since I was small. my mother always tried to cheer me up but..shit she sometimes annoys me to"

"well then what do you wanna do? I mean- if you had a chance to not become a business owner what would you do?" he bites his lip and thinks "I don't know...a chef?" he chuckles lowly "I know it's weird but-" I shake my head giggling "no-no it isn't weird, it's normal. if my dad wasn't so sick I would...right now be at my dream college but..i guess we can't all have what we want, I don't-i don't know" I look away, my face scrunching. but I can feel his eyes looking at me

"your really different, you know? and I like you're smile" I look back at him "what's with you and my smile" he shrugs "it suits you" I chuckle.

I look at my watch and see that it's 11pm "oh s**t- I gotta, I gotta go home my dad's waiting i-" I quickly stand up, wiping my clothes and closing my drink, Zyren follows after me. "let me drive you" I look up at him "i-you don't have to.." he shakes his head "I want to" he looks down at me and for a moment it's like time stands still, is this what it feels like like in the movies? his eyes...they look pretty, his eyelashes are long and there's a small scar on his right cheek "i-...alright" he smirks and walks outside, I take my bag and turn of the lights locking the store again.