Squeezing past them, I grab the plate from the microwave and a spoon.
With that, I leave.
28
HOPE
Heath takeslong and I sit on his bed watching the relentless rain drench the town. The endless pitter patter of the raindrops brings a calm to the restless storm churning inside of me.
I’ve spent time in this room before—multiple times—yet spending the night here makes my nerves jittery. It feels like a ball is jumping between my heart and stomach, growing faster with each bounce. And all I’m doing is waiting for it to crash and burn.
What feels like forever, the door finally opens making me sit straight.
He walks in, holding a plate of rice and a glass of water. Setting it on the nigh stand, he takes a seat beside me and looks at me with those blue eyes that make my heart flutter.
Leaning over, he kisses me softly. I melt into him, surrendering myself because I feel safe with him.
Maybe it’s the fact that it’s late at night or perhaps I’ve been abandoned by my parents, but I just let it be. I don’t let myself think about anything.
“You okay?” he asks.
“You asked me earlier.”
He smiles. “Just making sure.”
I nod. “I am.”
Reaching for the plate, he places it on my lap and hand me the spoon. “Chicken rice. Mom made it.”
“Thank you.” My stomach squeezes in hunger at the sight of food that looks delicious.
I take a bite and chew quickly. The flavor dissolves into my mouth bringing a joy inside. “It tastes good.”
“Really?”
I offer him a bite and he eagerly takes it. “Fuck, thisisgood.”
“You seem surprised.”
He shrugs. “Can you blame me? I haven’t spent much time with them.”
“What about now?”
He groans. “I’m still avoiding them.”
A sad smile tugs on my lips. “I bet they aren’t as bad as my parents.”
Heath’s stare burns a hole in my face as I keep my head down and eat.
Uncomfortable silence fills the little space between us.
“You are wrong,” he says quietly. “They have hurt me by ignoring me and my sister for years. They didn’t hurt us by words or physical violence, but their ignorance was just as bad enough if not worse.”
I nod, feeling awful. “I’m sorry… I shouldn't’ have said that.”
He shakes his head. “You don’t need to be sorry.”
“You say they don’t care, but your mom… when I talked to her at the cafe, she seemed like she genuinely cared about you and wanted to know more about you.”
