Internally Dead

It was around one that Dylan reminded me that Danny got off around this time.

"Looks like it is about time for me to go in for my shift," Dylan said, stretching and standing up from her seat on a swing.

"Oh yeah, Danny gets off around this time. I should probably be heading back to my house." I said.

Anna ran up to me. "Oh no, please stay a little longer Sophie."

I smiled sadly at her. " I have to go. I don't want Danny to be worried about me. I'll see you tomorrow okay?"

"Oh okay. Bye then" Anna gave me a quick hug and took Dylan's seat.

I waved at everyone and started to make my way out of the park, following behind Dylan.

Just as I got to the sidewalk though, someone called out to me. "Hey Sophie, wait up!"

Turning around I saw that it was Adrian. He ran and came up beside me.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Oh nothing, I just figured I walk you home."

"That's alright. You don't have to do that."

He smiled. "It is alright Sophie, I live right across the street from you. Plus, today is your first actual day here and I am pretty sure you won't be able to find your way back home."

I nodded and grinned. "Yeah probably not."

We started walking and it was really peacful. I always like walks back at my old home because they got me away from my parents a little while.

"So I didn't want to ask for the sake of coming off as rude, but my curiosity is getting the best of me. What are all those bruises on your arm from?"

And just like that the peacfulness was gone. How could I be so careless and wear a short sleeve shirt? It left my bruises completely exposed. The others must have noticed.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry Sophie. I didn't mean to pry. Gosh I am so stupid."

Adrian stopped walking and put his hand over his eyes. I stopped and forgot about my bruises for a moment. Adrian seemed really upset.

"Hey its alright. You don't have to feel bad. I just...its just I can't exactly tell you where they from. At least not right now."

Adrian put his hands down and looked at me with his pretty blue eyes. He looked genuinely upset. "I still apologize. Its none of my business. I hardly know."

"Well let's get to our houses. I really need to get home. I got some things I still need to unpack."

He nodded and began to walk again. Soon we had made it back to my house. Danny's truck was in the driveway.

"Well, I guess I will see you tomorrow. " I said.

"Yeah, guess so. I really am sorry though about that" Adrian said again.

"It really is alright, Adrian, seriously." And it was. No matter how self-concious I was about my bruises, I knew he hadn't meant anything by it when he asked.

"Well okay, bye." He said and turned and jogged across the street to his house.

I shook my head and made my way into my own house. Danny was standing in the kitchen drinking water.

"Hey Danny."

"Hey. How was your day?"

I smiled. "It was good. I met this girl named Anna Maria. And some other friends. Oh and I met Dylan."

He nodded. "Was that one of the other friends you made today? That boy?"

"Yeah. That was Adrian," I said. "He offered to help me get back home since he lives right across the street."

"Oh, that so?"

I looked at him. " Danny don't go all super annoying protective older brother on me. He just was being polite."

He smiled a little. This was this first time he had done so since I had been here. It transformed his face and made him look younger. Which in all honesty he wasn't that old. He was 21 but looked so tired and worn you couldn't quite tell it.

"Okay, okay, sorry."

I made my way to my room. When I laid back on my bed, I realized how tired I was. So for the first time in almost seven years, I took an afternoon nap.