From Bad to Worse

(4:00 A.M.)

I was suddenly jolted awake by screaming. I run into my room where Rachel was. She was awake and siting with her knees to her chest and her head on them.

I join her on the bed and hold her, she looks at me and mumbles, "Where am I?"

"Your at my apartment, Aaron, tried to take advantage of you. I saved you. When I got you here, you only had very little on, so I put some some of my clothes on you, so you weren't cold or scared. I didn't want you thinking I did anything. Don't you remember?..." I say, afraid of her response.

I then sit down on the bed beside her. She stares blankly at me for a few moment, thinking I guess, then suddenly breaks into tears.

I take it she DOES remember.

"He tried to rape me...I remember...thank you so much, Danny. I owe you my life..." She whimpers. She snuggles back into the crevasse of my stomach. This feels so right...

"You don't owe me anything, just your safety. I don't know if you saw, but I demolished his face and body. I told him we quit because, lets face it, I nearly ended him." I say, slightly amused with myself. she looks at my with her soul piercing violet eyes.

" I needed that job, I...needed the money...now where will me and Ash...?" She says, but trails off at the end of the sentence.

I look at her, and murmur "Where will you and Ash what?"

She squeezes my abdomen tighter, and grumbles, "Live...?"

Don't do it Danny, she's only going to break you heart, don't open your mouth, she's going to take advantage of you, with those, sweet, violet eyes...

"Well, I have an extra room, you and her can stay with me. Take whatever money you have made and use it for yourselves. It has two twin beds in it, and a bathroom is connected to it. You don't have to pay rent. I want to help you."

She looks at me so sweetly, so her beautiful violet eyes stare into my soul, and she whimpers,
"I can't make you do that...it wouldn't be fai-"

"You aren't making me...I want to Rachel, for you, and Ashley, I care about you girls." I interrupted.

She lets go of me, sits right in front of me and just looks at me. I look around and try not to make it awkward, so I just lay down and close my eyes. I assume she got up, because her weight shifts off the bed. I open my eyes about to go look for her, but see her not even six inches away from my face.

She stares at me and says, "Thank you so much, Danny. This means so much to me and Ashley...But, mostly me..." She keeps inching closer, now hovering just an inch away from my lips.

Danny, don't kiss her, she means to much to you to do that. She might leave, she might hate you. But, does she want me to, why is she so close. I don't know what to-!!

I was interrupted from my thoughts. She had her lips just set on mine. She didn't move her mouth, I didn't move mine. They were just there. I couldn't take it anymore. It's obvious she wanted me to, so I put my hand behind her neck, and pull her whole body onto me. I gently kiss her. Like two butterflies kissing, she kissed me back ever so gently.

Her lips, their so soft. What the hell Danny?! She's gonna leave?! Stop!

I somehow am able to peel my lips of my hers, even thought I don't want to.

"Rachel we can't do this. Your so beautiful and your an awesome girl but I can't ju-"

"You don't like me...do you?" She whimpers, interrupting my sentence. "You hate me?"

"What...n-no! I don't hate you, your amazing. Why the Hell would I hate you if I offered you a place to stay and save you?! I didn't have to save you! I could have let him hurt you?! I wouldn't do that for some whore I see on the side of the road! I care so much for you and Ashley, but...I care about you...so much more!" I realized after my speech that i yelled the entire thing to her.

Yep, good job you fuck-tard, she's definitely gonna leave now.

I few minutes pass in silence. She is sitting beside me, on my bed, looking at her hands, and fiddling her thumbs. She finally breaks the deafening silence.

"Your right. I'm so sorry...Can I stay in here with you...tonight?" She mumbles.

"If you want...but I'm kind of pissed, so it's up to you..." i mumble still irritated.

I take off my shirt. Then remove my shorts, so im only in my boxers. I get under the covers and lie down, facing away from her. She waits a minute, but gets under the thin linen sheets as well. She rolls over. I know she's facing me, because I can feel her warm, soft breath on my back. It sent goosebumps throughout my entire body. She suddenly touches my back and starts drawing.

"What are you doing?" I mumbled.
"I'm tracing your tattoos. Do you mind?" she asked.
"No, i don't mind..." I trail off at the end of my sentence.

She continues to trace. The goose bumps didn't go away. I roll over to see her there. A good foot away from my face. She rolls over as well, almost in unison with me.

Danny, I know what your thinking, don't do it. But...she likes you...she made that quite clear...oh fuck it.

I reach my arm around her waist and pull her to my stomach. She's so cold, and I'm so warm. She rolls her head back which causes her to be looking at me.

"I thought you were still mad at me..." She says, slightly hurt.

"I was, but I can't stay mad at you..." I say, sweet and calmly. She kisses my chin and says goodnight Danny.

I know she wants me. And I want her too, but how do I get her? I don't want to ruin our friendship, if we break it off. But, why would we break it off. I would never hurt her...but I cant forget about J...

I start to doze off in my thoughts, but before I complete nod off, I kiss her forehead and say,

"Goodnight, Rachel."