Keep Me Together

“Leni,” Seth said softly and placed the breakfast tray at the nightstand. “Wake up, pretty girl.” He sat down in the bed beside her and stroked her messy hair out of her face. He thought she was beautiful even though her eyes were puffy and red from crying them out the night before.
Elenia smiled a little bit and opened her eyes slowly. She knew she looked like a wreck, but she also knew Seth didn’t care.

“Aw, you brought me breakfast to the bed?” She sat up when so Seth could set it in her lap. “Thank you.”
“I was already up,” He told her and she noticed he was dressed.
Elenia ate the food in silence. She ignored Seth’s glances. He was probably afraid she would start crying again.

“What happened last night?” he asked when she was done eating. “Did he hurt you?”
“No, he didn’t,” Elenia said. “We just talked.”
“There are other boys out there, Leni, Just because one boy don’t want to be with you doesn’t mean there aren’t others.”
“Seth! Stop,” Elenia laughed a little. “He likes me, it’s not that. He told me about his dead sister.”
“Oh.”

“She was raped and killed. It made me think. About what happened to me and about…” She sighed and wiped her eyes. She too, was scared she would cry again. “About Olivia and I just didn’t handle it.”
“Did you tell him, about her and what happened t you last May?”
Elenia nodded. “Yeah, it seemed right. He is a good guy, Seth.”
“Okay.”
“I really like him.”
“Okay.”
“I don’t want you to think that I don’t love you.”

Seth let out a laugh. “Leni, you’re a teenager. I understand that you want to have a boyfriend. It’s okay.”
“But I-“
“I said you don’t have to feel pressured with the whole imprint thing. I can wait for you; and I will. Be waiting for you. I’ll be here to pick up the pieces if he breaks your heart,” He said and kissed her temple. “It’s okay.”
“Okay. I love you, always.”
“I know,” he smiled.

~~~

Elenia cleaned her face and got dressed after her talk with Seth and headed home around 10 am to take a shower before she had to study for a science test the next day. She jogged along the road side but stopped when she spotted a familiar face up ahead.

“Austin!” she shouted out with a grin.
He walked up to her, “Hey Elenia.”
“Just call me Leni,” She told him.
“What are you doing out so early?” he wondered.
Elenia shrugged. “Just went for a walk to clear my head,” She lied simply. She didn’t think it was suitable to tell a potential boyfriend she’d just spent the night in another man’s bed.

“How are you feeling? You were pretty upset last night,” Austin had worried about her; it was obvious.
“You don’t have to worry about me, Austin. I talked to my mom, cried a little and now I’m good.”
“All right. So what are you doing today?”
Elenia frowned. “I’m planning to study for the test tomorrow. I don’t know a thing about the stupid subject.”

“Science?” he asked and crossed his arms over his chest with a smug smile.
“Yeah…”
“Then I’ll come over and help you; it’s my favorite subject.”
Elenia laughed.
“I’m serious! It’s not only my body, I do have brains as well,” He gave her a serious look.
Elenia laughed again and put her hands up. “Fair enough, but let me take a shower first. Be at my place in thirty minutes.”
“Okay,” he said and gave her mouth a quick kiss. “I’ll prove my brains for you.”

He walked away and Elenia was left slightly in a daze and she let her fingers graze her lips for a second before she continued to her home.

~~~

“Elenia, some boy is here for you!” She heard her brother call from downstairs.
She hurriedly dried her hair with a towel before she practically ran down the stairs. Austin stood by the foot and Elenia stopped right in front of him.
“Hi,” she said a little out of breath and removed her damp hair from her face.
“Hi Leni,” he said and cupped her cheek with his right hand.

“Ew!” Robbie exclaimed just as their lips met. “Get a room!”
“Robbie!” Elenia yelled. “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you go with mom and dad?”
“Because I get car sick. You have to watch me.”
Elenia groaned. “But Austin and I have to study.”
“Oh really? It doesn’t look like your studying,” The stubborn ten year old said and eyed the two teenagers close embrace.

“It’s called biology,” Austin said and smirked at Elenia.
She pushed him a little away before she turned to her brother. “We have a test tomorrow. Go over till Daniel.”
“No. We had a fight.”
“Go to grandma, I know she home and I swear I smelled her fresh baked cookies earlier when I was outside.”
“Fine…” Robbie mumbled and walked over to the coat hanger.

He had grown, Elenia noticed. He managed to pick his raincoat down himself now. And he’s boots were new, probably a size bigger. He was sulking, and hurting. But Robbie hid it as much as he could from his sister before he put his cap on and let himself out.

“You should be nicer to your brother,” Austin commented as they sat down in the living room with their books.
“Shut up…” Elenia mumbled and found the right page. “We don’t like each other.”
“Fine. Biology, wasn’t it?”
Elenia rolled her eyes just a little bit. “Don’t use it as a pick up line, Austin.”

~~~

Austin stayed for most part of the day and they did study – in between the make out sessions – and Elenia felt prepared to the test; Austin really had brains.

Elenia decided to make dinner for her parents; they had driven up to Seattle for a Sunday car trip. She made spaghetti – her favorite. It was an Italian recipe that had been in the family for generations.

The front door opened just as she was done setting the table; her mother had called a few minutes earlier telling her they were close. Elenia smiled when she heard them entering the kitchen and looked up at them, expecting to see only her mother and father.

She gasped. Before she rushed through the room and threw her arms around the guest.
“Angelo!” she exclaimed in excitement and drew in the familiar smell of her favorite Italian uncle.