Chapter 3

It's been 2 weeks since I last met her, I always went to the coffee shop but still, she never came there. It's 8 pm and I walk with my coffee on my left hand and my phone on my right hand. I walk to wherever my feet bring me to. Then I realized my cup is empty now. I throw it into the trash and continue to walk to wherever.

Suddenly I see a girl under a big tree in a empty park. Her shoulders are shaking and I saw her hold a......knife? I watch her, somehow I feel scared what would she do. I took 3 steps forward to clearly hear her say "Goodbye" loud enough. She put her knife up high and about to stabbed herself "Stop!" I yelled make her jumped and dropped her knife. She grabbed it and runaway. She passed a lamp and I realized her hair was red. The redhead. Valerie? I run after her, I really don't want her to kill herself. I don't know why but I want to be her safe place to forget her problems, but at least her shoulder to cry on. But now, I'm just a stranger for her.

I grabbed her wrist and make her dropped her knife once again. "You really know how to run" I said try to catch my breath. I grabbed her knife and throw it away to somewhere. "No!" She shout. I pull her into a big hug, and this time she hug me back without pull me away. She cry on my shirt which I don't mind at all. "What happened, Val?" I asked and stroking her hair, she shook her head against my chest. I can't push her to tell me, so I just hug her as long as she want to. I kissed the top of her head, her cry starts to stopped. "You want to talk about it?" I asked but she shook her head "Thanks" she whisper, loud enough for me to hear "For what?" I really don't feel like helping her at all "For the hug?" She said, almost like asking. "That's nothing, Val" I said and kiss her forehead. She nodded her head and give me her smile, but I can tell that's fake.

"You want me to walk you back home?" I asked"No no no, it's okay. I can walk by myself""But it's already late""It's just 9, Mikey. Really, I'm fine"I look deeply into her eyes like trying to steal her soul."Please. I need to make sure you're safe" I said and she finally give up. "Fine" she saidWe walk hand in hand to her place, she really don't live far away from me. "Thanks, and goodnight" she said and kissed my cheek. I froze and watch her get inside her house and close the door behind. She kissed me. She fucking kissed me on my cheek. Wow.

My phone take me back to reality, I pick it up and hear no one but Gerard. "Where were you?" He asked. I rolled my eyes at his annoyance "I'm walking back home. Stop worrying, okay?" I said and hung up. I turn around, about to walk back home but then I hear a shouting from inside her house. I texted Gee that I have something to do before going home. I walk closer to the front door and the shouting still won't stopped. I hear something is broken and a girl screaming.....in pain? I arguing with myself, should I knock or should I just left? But then I hear that girl scream again. I should get in there. I try to opened the door, it's not locked!

I stepped inside the house. "Please, don't" I hear a girl said between her sob. "I want it now, and you will give it now you little bitch" a guy said. I make my way to a room which I guess is living room. "Fuck" I murmured "Get the fuck off of her!" I yelled and push the guy off of her. I punched him several times and I think I broke his nose. Val pull me off of him and grabbed my hand to runaway. "Why you didn't tell me?!" I shout but still running with her. Still no sign of that guy, we stopped run and catch our breath. "I. Told. You. To. Stay. Away." She said and try to catch her breath. "Let's go home" I said and we walked to my home.

I stepped inside and saw Gee on the couch, watching TV "Hey, Gee" I said. Valerie hide behind myself, my body can cover her small body, she is a lot shorter than me. "Hey, Mikey. Where were you? And who's that?" He asked and point to Val. "I'm just walking around. And this is Valerie. She will stay with us, is it okay?" Valerie stood beside me and smile to Gerard. "Hey" she whisper "Oh hey! You are welcomed here. Are you his girlfriend? It's been forever since his last girlfriend. And you're so beautiful" Gee said, a little bit too excited like usual "Calm down, brother. You scared her. She's tired, I think she need to sleep" I said and waved to Gerard without answering his question about girlfriend thing.

"You can have the bed and I will sleep on the floor" I said"No no. I will sleep on the floor. You are the one who have this room" she said and smile. I look into her face and her lips were bleeding "Wait, you're bleeding. Let me, fix it" I said and walk to the bathroom beside my room with her. I help her to clean herself up. "You okay?" I asked and remove her hair from her face. "I'm fine. Really. Thanks. Like, thank you for all of this" she said. "It's fine. It's nothing" I said. "I will bring clean clothes and you can change here" I said and went to my room to grabbed some clean clothes.

She get inside my room which now we will shared until god knows when. "What?" She asked and look down to herself "Something's wrong?" She asked again but I shook my head. I must be staring at her too long. "Sleep here, I will be fine with the floor" I said and patted the bed "No, please. We can like share the bed, maybe? It have enough room for both of us. But that's just if you don't mind." She said and I nodded my head "That's fine" I said.

She lay down next to me and make a gap between us which I don't like. "Do you still don't want me to touch you?" I asked, make her turn her body and face me "What do you mean?" She asked me. I let a little laugh "You said you don't want me to touch you" "Did I?" She asked"Yes" I chuckle"Oh" that's all she said"So?" "What? Oh yes. I mean, no. Touch me as much as you want. Eh no! I mean. Arrghh" she messed with her hair causing me to laugh again "Okay okay. I get it I get it" I close the gap between us and hold her into my arms. She look up to me and give me her best smile "Goodnight" she said. I kissed her forehead "Goodnight, Val" I said and trying to sleep.