To Make This Town Feel Okay

“Don’t worry Chloe,” It hurt to see her like this, so broken and so alone, almost. But that wouldn’t matter anymore, no he would be there for her and she wouldn’t have to be alone or broken. Shay held in his arms whispering and chanting sweet and calming things to her. Telling her things he’d never told anyone and things he’d told everyone; he’d tell her anything she wanted to hear. When he had finally stopped he realized that Chloe’s breathing had slowed and that she was nearly limp against him. “Chlo? You awake still Chloe?”

Chloe raised her head tiredly and wiped at her makeup stained eyes. With a yawn she answered, “Yeah, sorry, I’m just tired. That’s all.” In a way it seemed she was speaking more to herself than Shay but he didn’t let it bug him. He talked to himself every once in a while too.

“No prob, Chlo.” He raised a hand and ran his thumb under her eyes trying to wipe of some of her tear smeared makeup. “You want to tell me anything else?” Chloe stretched, raising her arms high above her head, before curling up against Shay’s body once more.

“I guess so, where did I leave off at?” She was tired but certainly much calmer than before. Shay answered with her younger brother’s name at which Chloe winced at. “Oh, yeah, that.” She reached up, removed her head band, and shook out her hair. That was one of her nervous habits Shay had noticed. “Well, Jake came in my room crying, his stupid little stuffed dog in his arm, which wasn’t much different then every other time, right?” Chloe looked up at Shay like he knew the story as he nodded his head. “Then he crawled up on my lap and t- told me,” She was going to cry again so Shay ran his hand through her hair, soothing her. “He told me that it was his fault our idiot parents were fighting. He said that he was a bad kid and that if he just went away then mom and dad wouldn’t fight anymore.” Chloe had started to breathe harder and tears had begun to roll down her cheeks.