Dark Scene of the Crime

Rowan’s POV

It had been almost a week since I had spoken to Alex. I felt so empty. My dad beat me everyday and every night and I never even made a peep. I just let him do it. I felt I needed some punishment for hurting Alex. If Alex wouldn’t punish me, I would let my father do it for him. I cried every night, and every night I regretted it even more that I had told Alex we shouldn’t hang out anymore. It wasn’t so easy to avoid him at school. He was in one of my classes, so I had to sit as far away from him as I could. When I scurried past him, he would send me painful glances. At lunch, I didn’t eat. I would run to the library and stay there until the bell rang. I didn’t eat much, as my father thought I wasn’t worthy of food. All I did was sleep, go to school, and cry. I didn’t realize how much Alex had effected my life until he was gone.

It was Friday now, and I was in my last class--the class I had with Alex. It was chemistry, and we were mixing chemicals. I hadn’t been able to get so far away from Alex today, he was at the table diagonal from me. I hadn’t eaten in nearly three days and I was feeling extremely dizzy. My head was pounding and I could feel sweat running down my forehead.

“Rowan?” I looked up at the voice before my strength evaporated and my head dropped down on the table, banging on the cold, hard metal. I groaned as the pain spread through me.

“Miss Winters! Oh, Mr. Gaskarth, take her to the nurse please!” I heard a voice say frantically. I groaned again as I was picked up by two big strong arms. Not knowing who it was, I laid in the person’s arms with my eyes closed. There was loud noise around me, it sounded like people talking. I cringed away from the sound and into the person’s chest. The arms squeezed me and held me tighter.

“Its okay, Rowan,” a familiar voice whispered in my ear. I knew that voice. But I couldn’t quite remember who it belonged to; I couldn’t put a face to the voice. The arms that were once wrapped securely around me were now gone and I was set on something soft, perhaps a bed. Instantly missing the strong hold, I whined. A small, sad laugh came from somewhere around me. “I’m not leaving Rowan, I’m right here. But the nurse is going to help you.”

The nurse? Where was I? I must have hit my head pretty hard. The last thing I felt was a hand firmly grasping onto mine. Then I passed out.

I scrunched my eyes together tightly before they fluttered open. I looked around me. I was in a room that looked oddly familiar. I didn’t know where I had seen it, but I was pretty sure I had been in it before. I tried to sit up, but immediately regretted it. I winced as pain instantly rushed to my head and groaned.

“No no no, lay back down,” a voice said. I looked to where the voice came from. Alex. A rush of things came back to my mind. This was Alex’s room. I had fainted in chemistry. I hit my head on the desk. I was dizzy because I hadn’t eaten in nearly three days. I wasn’t eating because my father wouldn’t let me. My father beat me everyday and I just let him. I let him because I felt I needed punishment. I felt I needed punishment because I had hurt Alex. And myself. I didn’t want to be away from him. As I linked all my thoughts together, I stared at Alex. Suddenly, I jumped in his arms, ignoring the stabbing pain in my head. He was startled for a moment, but then he hesitantly and slowly put his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest, clutching on his arms and staying close to him. “What’s wrong?” he asked, rubbing my back with his hand.

“I missed you,” I whispered. He nodded.

“I missed you too,” he whispered back. I sighed in relief and clutched onto him tighter.

“Alex, I’m so sorry,” I whispered. He shook his head.

“No no, don’t be sorry. This wasn’t your fault,” he said quietly, kissing the top of my head. I shook my head and looked up at him.

“No Alex, you don’t understand. I hurt you. I didn’t want you. I just thought it was best. But I hurt myself too,” I whispered.

“I don’t understand. What are you saying?” he asked, a confused look on his face.

“I hurt you. And I needed to be punished for that. My dad was beating me everyday and every night, and I just let him. I thought I needed to be punished so I just let him beat me without saying a word. And then he wouldn’t let me eat because I thought I wasn’t worthy of food. I hadn’t eaten in nearly three days, that’s why I fainted in class. And every time you looked at me, with that pain in your eyes, I couldn’t take it. I’m so sorry I hurt you,” I whispered frantically, tears streaming down my face.

“Rowan, I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. I admit, it did hurt being away from you, and I thought you didn’t like me anymore-”

“It hurt me, too. Being away from you. I cried myself to sleep every night. I missed you so much,” I told him.

“All that matters is that you’re okay now. My mom said you can stay here whenever you want to, and whenever you need to. You don’t have to live with your asshole father, and you can stay here with me. And you still feel we shouldn’t hang out anymore, you can still stay here. As long as you’re safe and happy, I’m happy,” he said. I shook my head.

“I was miserable without you. I couldn’t take it. I didn’t realize how much you had impacted my life until you were gone and I had pushed you away. You were the reason I was so happy. I can’t be happy without you anymore,” I whispered. He nodded.

“I can’t be happy without you either. I was miserable, too,” he told me.

“I don’t want to lose you like that again. I can’t. I need you. I need you in my life. You’re essential to me now. You’re the reason I’m happy. I can’t lose you again. I can’t-” Alex put a finger to my lips and shushed me.

“Shh, Rowan. Its okay. I’m not going anywhere. I promise. You mean to much to me. I would never just leave.” I nodded.

“Good.” I hugged him tightly, pulling his body closer to mine. “I love you,” I whispered under my breath, quietly so he wouldn’t hear.

“What?” he asked. My eyes widened. Did he really just hear that?

“What do you mean what?” I asked quickly.

“What did you just say?” he asked.

“I didn’t say anything,” I said nervously.

“I could have sworn you mumbled something under your breath…,” he said. I shook my head. He eyed me suspiciously before nodding. “Okay.” I nodded quickly as I yawned. “Still tired?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I said, nodding again.

“I don’t see how you could still be tired, you were knocked out for a couple hours,” he muttered. “But it is 11. Do you want to go to bed?”

“Not yet.”

“What do you want to do then? Watch a movie?” he asked. I nodded.

“Sure.”

“What movie?” he asked, getting up and kneeling in front of a shelf holding tons of movies. I got up and walked over to him, kneeling down next to him.

“You have the Harry Potter movies?” I asked, running my finger over each movie. He nodded.

“Yeah,” he said quietly, his cheeks turning pink in embarrassment. I smiled.

“I love Harry Potter. The fifth one is my favorite,” I said, pulling out Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He smiled and took it from me, putting it in the DVD player.

“That’s my favorite, too. I’ll be right back, I’m gonna go get some popcorn and soda, okay?” he said as he left the room. I nodded and got up, walking back to his bed and sitting down. My head was still throbbing and it hurt badly. I groaned and put my hand on my head. I must have really hit my head hard. Or the beatings to the head were just effecting it worse. I sighed and looked around Alex’s room. It was so comfortable, and I felt safe here. He had a very homey house, and his mom was so sweet and motherly. I liked being at his house. And I felt like I belonged in his bed with him. It felt right to lay there in his arms and just fall asleep without a care in the world. I sighed happily and smiled just as Alex came back into his room.

“What are you smiling about?” he asked, a smiling spreading across his lips as he crossed the room. He sat down next to me and put the popcorn and sodas on his desk.

“Nothing,” I told him, my smile widening. He laughed.

“Ya know, you’re adorable when you smile,” he said. I blushed and he smiled again putting his arm around me as he picked up the DVD player remote and pressed play. I smiled and leaned into him, nuzzling my head into his chest and bringing myself closer to him. “Well you sure are cuddly tonight.”

“Yes I am. I just want to be close to you,” I told him with a smile.

“Well your wish is my command,” he said and pulled me into his lap. I smiled and nuzzled my head into his chest again, sighing contentedly. As I looked up at the TV, he kissed the top of my head and looked up at the TV, too.

About two hours later, the movie was over and we were both yawning.

“I love that movie,” I said as a big yawn escaped my lips.

“Me too,” Alex said, picking me up and standing up. He held me with one arm and pulled the covers back then laid me down. I had changed earlier and was now in one of Alex’s shirts and his boxers. He took off his shirt, leaving him in just his boxers, and crawled under the covers with me. He put his arms around me and hugged me to his chest. I snuggled into him happily, slinging one of own my arms around his waist. “You seem a lot happier,” he said, twirling a piece of my hair between his fingers.

“I am,” I told him. He looked at me curiously.

“Can I ask why?”

“I like being around you. You give me a happy atmosphere. I like your house. Its nice and homey. And your mom. She’s really sweet and motherly. I feel like belong in your arms, it feels right. I like it,” I told him. He smiled.

“Glad I can make you feel that way,” he said, leaning down and leaving a sweet kiss on my lips. I sighed happily when he pulled it away. After not kissing him for a week, his lips tasted bested than ever. Electricity surged through me when our lips met. It was pure ecstasy. I smiled.

“So am I. Now I’m tired, lets go to bed.” He nodded and pulled me up against his chest. I sighed contentedly for the fourth time that night and let me eyes droop closed.

And just before I fell asleep, I could have sworn I heard him whisper, “I love you, too.”