~*~
Driving back to drop her off to her house, Leo was glad to see his Aries happy and interacting, but the scene quickly changed. Suddenly Aries froze and petrified on the spot. He followed the direction of her gaze and saw a man. Leo looked back at Aries and saw panic growing in her eyes as she became nervous and looked pale. She jumped out of the car and ran carelessly.
Leo felt the same discomfort coming from her the same distress he’d felt earlier today in the morning. That made Leo angry, furious even. Aries was scared, scared of that man. 'Does he hurt her?’
Leo had read in the books, heard, and watched in the movies about the abuse. His stomach twisted in horror thoughts—
Fuck! He slammed his hand on the steering wheel. He knew there was something there, and that made him more restless.
Enough is enough; he decided to confront her tomorrow.
Home is where you are supposed to feel safe, not scared.
~xXx~
CHAPTER 7
I felt apprehensive about going inside the house. Skye was watching the news on TV. I was a little bit relaxed knowing she was around.
The TV news commentator was speaking, and the word 'Arietids' caught my attention.
"The Arietids are a strong meteor shower. Though the shower was for a short duration, it was the most intense meteor showers. The source of the shower is unknown, and there were no signs of such a shower would occur. It was completely unexpected, and the scientists have yet to understand this ..."
An unexpected meteor shower that had happened yesterday, slightly before the dawn. I pouted on how I missed it, too, with the rest of the world. Wait, this is what the text was talking about—
"You're home early," Ken asked me, distracting my attention from my thought. I remembered what happened in the morning, and I instantly felt disgusted.
"Yes," I answered him. I couldn't wait to rush into my room, shut the door, and lock it.
His head was buried in the refrigerator.
"Um... Are you hungry? I can make you a snack." I offered.
"No." He closed the door with a beer in his hand. I was internally happy to take leave.
"Who was that boy?" He asked, and I froze.
Ken saw me, he saw us in the car. I shut my eyes hard. I forced the lump in my throat. I never answered him and just lingered quietly.
"We don't want anybody to get hurt now... do we?" He continued.
I felt my stomach-churned. I always knew that my truth would someday destroy me, but I never wanted someone else's to get hurt because of me.
Ken left, closing the door between the house and the garage. My legs felt like jello while walking. My heart was scared of knowing if something happened to Leo.
I complained bitterly to the almighty. It took away my parents, left me to suffer, and now that I've found one person who likes me, it was getting ready to take Leo away from me. 'Just once in my life, why can't I be happy too? Don't I deserve a little happiness in my life?'
I'd locked myself in the bedroom for the rest of the day. Knowing Ken was in the house. I didn't want to run into him, so I never left my bedroom. I checked my phone, and it contained messages from Leo. Of course, he was worried since I ran out of the car as if the devil was behind me to get me. His caps letters in his text message were yelling and screaming, but they were gentle enough to reflect the worried and concerned state of his mind.
I smiled, reading his scolding words for being reckless.
'How did I get so lucky, given someone who cares for me so much?'
Keeping that smile of thinking of Leo, I went back to doing my homework while listening to some music.
~*~
Slowly I was drifting off to sleep while reading a book when a faint knock on my bedroom door made me jump. The knob rattled, and it scared me.
"Open the door. It's me, babydoll," it was Ken.
No. No. I backed up in the corner, tucked my knees into my body.
More knocks came. The door handle rattled again, and all I wanted was to melt through the wall behind me and break free.
"You know your uncle only wants to love you," He said.
No. No. I started to rock.
I've lived in constant fear since, after that night, when I was sleeping, Ken sneaked into my room. He laid next to me and stroked himself while running his hand over my thighs and groping my bottom, calling me babydoll. The horrible image still haunts me. I'd cried for months and months.
It became a twisted game for him; every time he gets drunk, he comes knocking on my door. I'd put three locks on my door. I didn't know how to work with the tools, but with the help of DIY videos on YouTube, I had fixed my problem.
He was grunting outside of my door, "I just want us to bond, open this damn door, babydoll." He was moaning and huffing. I knew what he was doing, and it grossed me out.
I blocked my ears with my hands.
"No...No...No...No...No...No...Neo...Neo...Leo...Leo...Leo...Leo...Leo...Leo..." I was chanting his name, bringing him in my mind - his kind, beautiful face, and charming smile.
I don't want to stay here. I want to leave, run away from this house. I hate living here. I hate it.
I didn't like what was happening behind that door. It was unbearable, getting on my nerves. I looked up and out the window. I felt rebellious and spontaneous to do the unlikely of me and I just did it.
I jumped out of the window and broke into a run. I kept running and running, further away
