Chapter 7
We drove for a while. I was silent for the whole journey, and still freezing. He slowed down and got out of the car. He went into the back seat and got out a jumper of his. He came and opened the door on my side.
"You look cold, I thought you could borrow this?" He said kindly.
"Thanks..." I said putting it on and smiling at him appreciatively.
He got back in and carried on driving.
"So how come you were up by that estate? You'd looked at bit lost." He asked keeping his eyes on the road.
"Well, some stuff happened at school...and I just had to get out.." I said quitely.
"Ah right." He replied, not questioning anything more.
We drove into a 24hr café and he parked the car next to the door.
"You looked a bit hungry, they do some great nosh here, on me of course! The names Max by the way." He said, extending a hand.
"Good to meet you, I'm Rhi." I replied, shaking his hand. It was warm and soft, comforting, feeling his skin against mine. We sat, hand in eachothers for a while, until I suddenly remembered what I was doing, smiled and got out of the car.
It was windy outside, and the cold breeze was blowing forcefully. Luckily I was wearing the jumper Max lent me, which was keeping my warm. I felt safe.
We walked in and sat opposite one another on a small table. A waitress came over and asked us for our order. We both asked for some chips and water.
"Why did you have to get out of school Rhi?"
I hesitated. I wanted to tell him so much, but I didn't want him to think of me badly.
" Promise you won't judge?" I asked.
"Course not, we've all had some bad times in our lives." He replied, which made me want to tell him even more.
"Ok." I began.
"So things have always been bad at home. My mum died when I was young, which sent my Dad completely over board. He was always depressed, and practically forgot that me and my older sister even existed. She was always out getting hammered with her mates, who got her in to drugs. I don't even know who she is anymore. I was the only one that had coped. I'd had to cope! No one else was going to keep the house tidy, buy the food and cook the meals." I said. Telling this person I hardly knew everything about my life. He was so easy to talk to.
He sat and listened intensly to every word that I spoke.
I continued telling him about my self harming, and my uncle moving in with us.
"When he came to live with us, I thought it would only be a short term thing, but it became longer and longer. Then...yesterday morning he came home drunk when I was getting ready for school, he caught me watching him, so he came up into my room and..."
I paused, a single tear slowly ran down my face as I dropped my head in disgust.
"He what?" Max said, looking concerned.
"He came into my room and he..." I couldn't finish my sentence.
"What you mean he...!? He said shocked.
I nodded, not wanting to look him in the eye, I was ashamed.
I stood up and turned my back, trying to hide my tears.
He came over to me and lifted my head, and wiped away my tears with his sleeve.
The tears came heavily now, and I wasn't able to stop.
"I just can't stand to think that I have to go back there now." I spluttered.
He looked at me sympathetically and put his hand on my shoulder.
I stared at him, getting lost in chocolate brown eyes. I couldn't help myself. I ran over to him and hugged him tightly, resting my head on his shoulder, tears going all over to jumper. I could feel his body heat, he was so warm, so nice.
I let go after quite a while, and smiled at him through my tears.
"Well it was so great to meet you Max, thanks for the chips and everything, I'd love to see you again."
I walked away and out of the café quickly, before I remembered I was still wearing his jumper. I stopped and went back in.
"I er, forgot to give you back your jumper..." I said shyly.
"It's ok, you keep it, It's cold out there." He said.
I smiled and walked away.
"Rhi wait"
I paused and turned around.
"You can't go back there. Do you want to stay at mine tonight?" He asked generously.
" I....I'd love to if that's ok." I said quitely.
"Of course!"
I ran back up to him and hugged him, burrowing my head into his chest.
Tonight, I was going home with Max.
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