One of the Boys.

I ducked under the sheets and put my hands on her hips, slowly sliding them up her sides, over her camisole. My face hovered over hers and she broke into a smile.
“Emma, it’s school in a few minutes.” I mumbled, kissing up and down her neck with butterfly kisses. “We better get going.”
“But, Bren, I’m covered in bruises and I’m all scrawny.” she whispered, looking down. “I can’t go like this, people will get suspicious.”
I pushed up her camisole carefully, my eyes widening as I saw the state of her torso. I hadn’t noticed it until now, but she was unhealthily skinny, blue, black and yellow.
She bit her lip in worry as she saw my expression, and pulled her shirt back down.
“I can’t.” she whispered again, tears threatening her ocean eyes.
“Shh, it’s okay.” I cooed, pulling her into a hug. “We don’t have to go today, not until you’re better.”
“Thank you.” she sniffed, hugging me back.
“Let’s go somewhere far away from here. Somewhere where no one knows us and we can do whatever we want all day. That would be good, huh? Or we could stay here. Whatever you want.”
“That would be lovely. I just want to go far away.”
“Then sure, we’ll do that. I have some cash in my guitar case, and my card so we can go as far as you want. Just, y’know, not that far.”
She chuckled lightly and kissed my cheek. “Oh Brendon, you’re wonderful.”
I smiled and she slowly let go of me. I crawled off of her and out of bed, pulling off my shirt so I was just in my boxers. I took some fresh clothes out of my bag and turned around so I was looking at her. I smiled and she got the message, sliding under the covers so I could get changed into my skinny, black jeans and red, plaid shirt.
As soon as I was done I jumped onto the bed, making her squeal. She giggled and I kissed her soft lips once.
“Your turn to cover your eyes.” she said and I nodded, shoving my face into the pillows so she wasn’t being watched.
“Done!” she squealed and jumped on the bed, like I had done previously, lying across me. She smelled minty, she must’ve brushed her teeth, as had I.
“You’re squishing me!” I whined.
“Pfft, deal with it.”
I smirked and reached round, tickling her so she laughed and rolled off of me. I got off the bed and stood up, then hugged her tightly.
I kissed her forehead. “I love you, Ezme.”
“I love you too, Bdon. Thank you for coming back.”
“I never went.” I said. “I just, I was just blinded for a while.”
I let go and held her hand, putting all the necessities in my pockets, then we left her room, quietly creeping down the stairs.
“We won’t want to wake anyone.” I said quietly and she nodded. She grabbed some water bottles from the fridge and a few snacks, then we left the house almost silently. The sun was rising, the sky filled with every color, and I could tell today would be a good one.
I squeezed her hand lovingly and she smiled up at me. She was smiling again, I suspect it must’ve been a while since she’d been outside. I slipped my arm around her waist and pulled her close as we walked towards my car.
“I finally got enough money.” I beamed. “You know how I was telling you before prom that I could nearly get a car? Yeah, I have one now.”
“Oh, that’s cool.” she said quietly, still smiling.
It was like her usual, bubbly self had completely disappeared. She was now all quiet and secluded and… and not Emma. Hopefully she’ll come out of her shell soon enough.
I unlocked the car and we got in. As soon as we belted up, I held her hand again. I wanted to reassure her, to make her at ease. I was here for her now, and I was never going to leave / be blinded again.
“Where do you want to go?” I asked, pulling out on to the road.
“I really don’t mind. I think the Lagoon would be cool.”
“Vegas Lagoon?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
“Then sure, let’s go. It’ll be pretty quiet as it’s term time.” I smiled and she slipped off her flip-flops, bringing her feet up to her knees.
I turned on the radio, and Vampire Weekend played out of the speakers, being pretty apt. But even with a smile on my face, happy music and a beautiful sky, she still didn’t seem happy.
I sighed. “Emma, please honey.”
She turned to look at me, eyes wide. “What?”
“Please cheer up. I mean, I know you’ve been through a lot of shit, but you’re on the mend now, you can smile.”
“Just because you’re back Brendon, doesn’t mean everything is alright!” she shouted, hugging her knees.
“Well I’m sorry if I’m trying my very hardest to ensure everything is perfect for you!”
“I’m not as frail as you think!”
“But you are, Emma! You are! I love you so much but you look so damn miserable.”
She brought her head away from her knees, a few tears now rolling down her face.
“I’m still getting beaten, Bren. Depression isn’t something you suddenly overcome, nor is anorexia and people still hate me. I know that I have you to help me get better but a click of your fingers won’t make everything go away. A-and I love you too.”
I sighed, putting my hand on her knee. “I’m sorry, Em.”
“I’m sorry for shouting.”
“It’s okay.” I smiled, and she forced one back for me. I guess I had never really had these kind of problems, so I didn’t know how to deal with them, but I’m sure she’ll be fine soon.
I followed the signs for Vegas Lagoon, arriving there about twenty minutes later. The rest of the car ride was silent except for the music and occasional banter between songs. It was painfully awkward.
I walked out of the car and ran around to the other side so I could open the door for her. She smiled and thanked me, getting out, nearly tripping, but I helped her.
“You’re okay.” I smiled at her and she nodded, dusting herself down. She looked up at me again, vulnerability spread all over face.
I pressed my lips together and held her in my embrace. A staggered sob escaped her lips and she cried into my shirt. I ‘shhed’ and rubbed her back slowly. Hopefully she could get everything out now, so we could have fun later.
“Emma, I promise to protect you from everything. I really do. Before anything gets you, it has to get through me first. And I will do everything in my power to make sure it doesn’t get through me. Okay, Em? It’s all fine now. I love you, you love me, and soon you can leave your dad completely and we can have independence.”
She rest her hand on my chest and nodded slowly. “Thank you so much, Bdon. Thank you.”
I smiled and kissed her forehead, wiping away her tears delicately with my thumb. I held her face in my hands, and her sobs turned into small laughs. She placed her hand on top of mine and smiled genuinely for once.
“I’m not going to bring you down, Brendon.” she said quietly. “I won’t be negative anymore. I’ll get better for you, I swear.”
“That’s all I ask.” I grinned and kissed her softly. It was a wonderful, loving kiss, and if it was possible, a happier one. I broke away slowly.
“All, temporarily, better now?”
“Yes.” she grinned, nodding.
“Great!” I chimed and took my rucksack from the car, with snacks and anything else I’d packed in it. I slung it over one shoulder, and used my other arm to drape around Emma’s shoulders. She smiled up at me and we began walking down the stone pathway, down to the Lagoon.
“I packed your bikini and a towel.” I said and her eyes widened.
“But the water will be freezing!”
“So?”
“Do I really have to go in?” she pouted and I nodded, laughing lightly.
“Either you go in yourself or I push you in. Your choice, babe.”
“Gah. I’ll go in myself, it’s alright.” she smirked. “But why did you know where my bikini was?”
“I just did.”
She smirked again, causing a slight blush to creep across my face.
“I bet you know where all my underwear is, too.”
“Where you keep your bikinis.” I nodded, and she raised her eyebrows.
“Brendon, you pervert you.” she giggled and prodded my cheek.
“I just know where they are, I don’t go searching through your drawers to find your underwear!”
“Pfft, sure you don’t.”
“Hey, you. I’ll push you in the water fully clothed, then you’ll have to spend the rest of the day in your bikini.”
“Oh and you’d love that, wouldn’t you.”
I blushed a little more. “Yeah, actually I would.”
She laughed. “At least you’re honest.”
“That’s all I’ll ever be.” I smiled and put my fingers under her chin, catching her lips in a kiss. She smiled into it and we soon arrived at the main building. I began walking up the steps, but Emma stayed put.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Hiring a cabin for the day.”
“Oh Bren, you don’t need to do that. I thought we were just going to sit by the edge of the Lagoon.”
“Yeah, but we can go in the Lagoon, then get dry in the cabin. Maybe even stay the night if you want. If we text your mom I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”
She smiled. “I’d love to, but my dad would think, that, um, we would be getting up to something and probably hit me.”
“Getting up to something?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Sex, Brendon. Sex.”
“Oh.” I blushed. “But we won’t, so there’s no reason for him to-”
“That doesn’t matter to him.”
“I’ll protect you, okay? You know how my parents love you, you can stay at mine until we can move out together.”
“That, well, alright. But I’m helping pay, okay?”
“This one’s on me.” I smiled, kissed her lips then ran up the stairs, pushing through the door to reception. There were two people behind the desk, one woman a little younger than my mother and one woman who looked like the typical slutty receptionist, twirling her hair with her fingers, chewing gum.
“Hey, can I book a cabin for two, please? Just for the one night.”
“Shouldn’t you be at school?” spat the slutty one.
“Stacey.” scowled the other receptionist. “Yes sir, is there anything you want especially, like a pool or non-smoking?”
“No, I’m not picky.” I smiled. Stacey rolled her eyes and walked in to the backroom. As soon as she was out of hearing range, the woman leaned closer towards me.
“You should be at school, shouldn’t you?”
“Well, yeah, I guess I should.” I said honestly.
“My guess is you’re here with your girlfriend to have sex with her. But that’s only a guess.”
“Oh, no!” I blushed deeply. “No, it’s not like that at all. She’s really upset so I told her I’d take her wherever she wanted to go. And here we are. So, one two person cabin please.”
She smiled and sat back down, backing away. “Honestly?”
“I’m an awful liar.” I shrugged. “That’s why I owned up to skipping. Not to be rude, but the cabin please.”
She smiled again and nodded, swiping a card with the keys for a cabin. She keyed in a few numbers and I put my card on the table. I was hoping it wasn’t too expensive, and didn’t cut into the house fund too much.
“As long as you’re quiet.” she whispered. “And it’s only one night.”
“Only one.” I nodded.
“Then it’s free. But keep quiet about this.”
“Really? I can’t do that, it’s like stealing, I-”
“Think of it as a gift.” she smiled. “It’s comforting that there are boys like you still out there. Your girlfriend is a lucky one.”
I laughed nervously. “Thank you.”
“Have fun!” she beamed, giving me the key and another smile. I thanked her again and walked back out, galloping down the stairs. Emma was sat on the last stair, her hair blowing slightly with the wind, twirling a daisy between her fingers, and her whole face illuminated by the early morning sun.
“I don’t care what you say.” I smiled, slipping my arms around her waist. “But you’re the most beautiful person to grace this Earth.”
“Even when I’m-”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t know what I was going to say.” she smiled, kissing my nose.
“I didn’t need to. No matter what, you’d still be beautiful.”
She blushed a deep red and cuddled into me.
“Come on.” I nodded, shaking the keys in front of her face. “Let’s go to the cabin.”