One of the Boys.

I yawned and stretched out my arms, slowly pushing them forwards. I blinked a few times, fumbled around for my glasses then slid them over my nose.
I looked down and things suddenly came into focus. Emma was lying next to me, curled up tightly in a ball, shaking slightly. I wrapped my arms around her and brought her closer to me, throwing the sheets back over us.
“Emma?” I said quietly, pressing a kiss to her neck. “Emma, sweetie, are you okay?”
She stirred and turned over to face me. Her long lashes fluttered open to reveal her beaming blue eyes. “I’m fine now.” she smiled and cuddled into me.
I sighed happily and rubbed her back.
“Bren, I love you.” she whispered then kissed my bare chest.
“I know. I love you too.”
“Did all of this work, then?”
“What do you mean?”
“The change.” she said, looking up at me. “Y’know, my change of looks, being more affectionate… did it work?”
“You did all that, just for me?”
She blushed slightly and bit her bottom lip, then nodded.
I laughed lightly and pulled her back in to a hug. “I liked you before that, Emma. I mean sure, you’re insanely beautiful now but you always were. I don’t mind either way, but the affectionate side is a lot better.” I smiled.
“Really?”
“Do I look like I’m lying?”
She shook her head and placed her lips on mine. I sighed happily into it, so glad that us kissing wouldn’t just be the rare thing we did here and there; we were a couple now.
“Baby, are we… dating now?”
“I thought so.” she said. “Well, I assume so.”
“Good.” I grinned and kissed her cheek. “Fuck… you’re my actual girlfriend now. That’s insane.”
“Isn’t it? Hello, boyfriend.”
I picked her up and swung her over my body, so she was straddling my hips, and held her hands. “Emma, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but who beats you?”
She gulped and gave my left hand a squeeze. “Um, it’s kinda… my dad.”
I sat up quickly, my hands on the small of her back. “What? Why the hell would he do that?”
“Because, and I quote, I’m a lying, slutty, pathetic excuse for a daughter and need to be taught discipline.”
“Where is he? I’m gonna punch-”
“No! He can’t know that you know!”
“Why? I don’t want him hurting you!”
“He doesn’t do it so much anymore…”
I sighed and scratched the back of my neck. “Is there a time he does it the most? Or is it random.”
“Normally about now.” she nodded. “Before anyone else is awake.”
“What if I’m here every morning? That way he can’t beat you, because he probably won’t do it in front of me.”
“Yeah, that’s true… but the one day you won’t be there he’ll make up for it. But, you know, he has a good reason.”
“What? No he doesn’t!”
“But Bren, I am a slut.” she mumbled, tilting her head to the left.
I frowned and pulled her in to a hug. “No you are not.”
“But I was working my way through the list just because I could and-”
I cut off her ramblings by kissing her softly. I swept her bangs out of the way and broke away slowly.
“Emma, you’re not a slut.”
She sighed and got off of me and the bed entirely, so she was standing on the floor. Her long glossy locks flowed down the curves of her scarecly clad body, and yeah, she is pretty much the most beautiful girl I’ve ever set my eyes on.
She pulled on a dress to replace her thin night dress and began brushing her hair. It wasn’t long until she was completely dressed and ready, so she sat back on the edge of the bed, holding her hand in mine. I kissed it lightly.
“You promise?” she asked, a look of pure worry spread across her face. “You promise it’ll all be okay?”
I smiled and nodded. “I’m going to make sure you get the perfect life, after all, you are my perfect girl.”
“Brendon.” she chuckled. “Do you really have to be this cheesy?”
“Oh you know you love it.” I smiled again and kissed her nose. She cuddled into me and I held her tightly.
Her door burst open, with her dad on the other side. He had rage in his eyes and was obvious he wasn’t happy.
“Brendon? What are you doing here?” he boomed.
“I’m just cuddling your daughter. Nothing else, I promise.”
He slowly unclenched his fists and stretched out his arms. He rolled his head and left the room. As soon as the door shut, Emma bowled me over in a big hug, kissing my forehead repeatedly.
“Thank you! I was really worried about today. Are you sure it’s okay that you’re here in the morning, or if I go to yours first, or if-”
“Yes, yes and yes. I’m going to be here for you I always have been, haven’t I?”
“Well, yeah, but the last few months…” she trailed off and sat up.
“Don’t count them.”
“Then yes, you’ve always been there for me.”
“Exactly!” I smiled.
I held her hand in mine, holding it tightly. I kept on promising her all these things, and I’d try my very hardest, but I couldn’t help but feel that I’d let her down.