Trade

The next day Oli left early, helping me downstairs first.
"Sorry to make you get up so early, I didn't wanna leave you up there. If you get into any trouble, you can call me, or Jordan, he's just down the street today, so you can call him too. I'll see you later?" I nodded and he left. He didn't look happy, he had circles under his eyes and he was jumpy and tense. When he left he closed the front door too loudly, and the car pulled away with a harsh screech. Something had happened, something was wrong and it unnerved me.

By twelve o'clock he wasn't back.
By three o'clock he still wasn't back.
By five.
By six.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.

I tried to get to the downstairs bathroom and collapsed halfway. I had to sit there for half an hour, on the floor before I could make the rest of the journey. I figured then that I might as well get something to eat, there were leftovers from last night's pizza in the fridge. I tried to make myself a drink, and as I picked it up, my hands were so shaky that I dropped it, water and glass going everywhere. I panicked then, I don't know why, Oli wouldn't have been angry with me, and hurried to clean it up. I did it all, managing to cut my hand open in the process, and stayed in the kitchen, too wired and shaky to make the walk back to the living room.

It reached ten before Oli got back, he called out and I sighed a breath of relief that I didn't know I'd been holding in.
"Hi.." He came in and sat down.
"I'm so sorry I had no idea I'd be out that long - were you ok?" I nodded.
"What's wrong?" He looked at me for a long time before replying.
"I found your parents." I froze and Oli waited for a reaction that I didn't give before continuing.
"I found them, they've moved since you were taken, that's why it was difficult to find them." I couldn't find a response in me, I'd resigned myself to the thought that I'd never see them again.
"I went to see them, told them everything that had happened. They're...absolutely shocked, as you can understand, but..obviously happy, they can't believe you're here." I just couldn't say anything, Oli sat with me for ten minutes before speaking again.
"Kellin. Say something, please. Did I do the wrong thing? Should I not have told you?" I shook my head slowly.
"...thank you..."
"When you're strong again. I'll take you to see them."
"No." Oli looked at me.
"What?"
"I can't...I can't wait until I can walk properly again." Oli sighed.
"O-ok..." He looked slightly torn.
"What is it?"
"I...I'm not allowed, by law, to let you go back to your parents and live with them."
"What? Why?" As I asked I felt my heart sink and I knew Oli could tell, he looked terrible about it and I got how guilty he must've felt but I couldn't bring myself to go back on my question.
"Because...if I just give you back to your parents, or even sell you to them, then you'll be taken away and sold again."
"There has to be a way."
"Yes, they can but you from me, but they have to pay the government how much they ask them for for your freedom. That's the price, that's why so many people that have been sold as sex slaves don't get out of it because their parents just can't afford to buy them back, no matter how much they save." I felt completely devastated at that, thinking you'll never be back with your family is one thing, knowing it is entirely different. Oli suddenly came round the table and hugged me tightly.
"I'm so sorry." I didn't completely know what to do at first but I just put my arms up and hugged him back.
"'S ok." I shrugged, the news hadn't made me cry, maybe because I'd already thought that might be the case.
"Kellin listen to me though. I will take you to see them as often as you'd like, and once you're better you can go anywhere you want - I'm not keeping you here as a slave ok? I bought you to save you from that." My eyes watered slightly at his words and I nodded.
"Thank you. Really." He smiled weakly.
"I am sorry though, if there was a way, even if it meant me losing my money and more, I'd let you go back with them, I want you to know that." I nodded gratefully.
"So...when can I see them?"
"I told them I'd call them back about when, so it's up to you."
"I-I'm not sure...when are you free?"
"Pretty much always for now."
"Ok..."
"How about the day after tomorrow?" I nodded and he walked off to call them.

The next day I tried and failed to walk again, Oli sat with me the whole day, carrying me to the bathroom, to the kitchen, cooking for me, not being resentful or snappy at all, even though I knew I'd been in a bad mood.
"O-Oli?" I called when he'd taken me into bed that night.
"Yeah?" He turned back from the doorframe, looking at me.
"Thank you for helping me with everything...carrying me and cooking and stuff...I really appreciate it." He smiled.
"I know you do. Night."
"Yeah goodnight." As I lay there in bed that night, I looked out of the open door and saw that Oli had left his open. I watched silently, trying not to think as he took off his shirt, sitting on the edge of the bed for a few minutes before he went from his bedroom to the bathroom, and back again.

I listened to the boiler whir and the floorboards crack, there was a drippy tap in the bathroom that Oli got up to turn off, and I realised I felt genuinely safe here. That was worth more than anything to me now.