One Night To Change A Life Chapter 2

                I was awoken by the sun shining brightly through the curtains piercing into my once blissful world of dreams. I reached up and yanked the curtain over my head shut relieved to be back in the darkness of my silent room. I was right about to slip back into the show inside my imagination when I remembered last night. More specifically, what was waiting for me down stairs. With that single thought I reluctantly climbed out of the warm heaven that most people would call a bed.        

                 I realized I hadn't even changed clothes since last night, but I just didn't feel like wearing actual clothes much less taking the time to get ready. I grabbed a pair of comfortable sweat pants and a lose jersey and decided that would just be my clothes for the morning. After getting dressed I slowly inched my way down the stairs in an attempt to be quiet just in case my mysterious guest was still asleep. As the couch came into view I saw him, he was finally awake. He was sitting up, knees pulled up to his chest, reading what looked like "Fallout" by Ellen Hopkins, hmmm he must have scavenged my bookcase. I wonder how long he's been up?   I began to step down on the last step when it emitted a loud crash, the little boy looked up wide eyed and quickly pulled his knees even closer as he starred at me. I was just at a total loss for words but I knew I had to say something or this awkward silence would go on forever.

                "So, um, that author, Ellen Hopkins. She's one of my favorites. Do you like her writing?" I asked awkwardly.           

                 "Who are you?" He whispered suspiciously.

                 Fuck how do I even begin to explain this? "Well, my name's David Torres, but most people know me as Dahvie."

                 "Where am I?"  He asked as he slowly looked around the room.

                 "Well, you're at my hou-"

                "Why?"

                 "Last night some stuff happened and you got hurt pretty bad. You were passed out for hours and I wasn't going to leave you passed out on the side walk downtown. Not to mention that you might have gotten much worse from those stupid guys."

                "I'm not your problem. Why didn't you just mind your own business?" He signed and put the book down on the coffee table in front of the couch.

                "Because you were getting the shit beaten out of you by a bunch of huge guys! I don't know if you've realized this yet but you're kind of small."

                 He began laughing and slowly stretched out his legs across the couch. "You have no room to be talking I've got a good 6 or 7 inches over you dude." He replied with a cocky smirk.

                “There’s no way. I carried you in last night, you weigh like nothing!"

                 At that he stood up off the couch to prove just how tall he was. Damn the boy was about 6 feet easily.

 "You know you're not very observant. Just because I don't weigh much doesn't mean I'm sorry. If you carried me you should have noticed I'm just skinny as fuck." he chucked lightly still wearing that little smirk.

                 "Ok fine whatever, what's your name anyway?"

                 "Just call me Jayy."

                 “Oh ok, so Jayy, how old are you?"

                "16. Now don't you think it's time that I learn something about you? I did after all wake up in your house with no memory of the previous night."

                 Sighing I walked over and say on the couch. "Ask me anything. But after that we need to figure out how to get you home."

                 "Well, how old are you? You're not some old creeper that going to try and rape me right?"

                 "Um no I'm not going to rape you, and I'm 23."

                 "Why exactly am I here? Not the first time that’s happened, the guys wouldn’t have left me there. They clean up after their selves. Can’t get themselves in trouble. I’m the only one not on parole at the moment.” He said once again with his cocky little smirk.

                “Well once again, you were hurt; you looked a lot smaller than the rest of those guys so I thought maybe you were just some poor kid that got caught at the wrong place wrong time. I stopped them and then since you were knocked out I had no idea who you were, how old you were, or where the hell I was supposed to take you.  So, with no other choice I brought you here. You scared the hell out of me when you wouldn’t wake up so I even made a friend come over around midnight just to make sure I didn’t need to take you to the hospital or something. But what do you mean it’s not the first time?”

                “Wow, well aren’t you just a caring little house wife. No, that’s not the first time it’s happened and I’m pretty sure it won’t be the last.”

                “Why has it happened before? And why would it happen again? “

                “You don’t want to know, it’s a really long, really stupid story. “ He said as he sat back down on the couch with a loud sigh.

                “Well I have time; actually I have as much time as you do. So, it just depends on when you need to be home but truthfully, I’m interested now.”

                “I’m not going home.” He said nonchalantly.

                “Wait what?” Then where are you going? What do you want me to take you?”

                “Well, I’ll call Isaac find out where he is then I guess I’ll just meet up with him.”

                “Who’s Isaac?”

                “Well you know the biggest guy that was most likely hitting me when you stepped in? That my friend is Isaac” He said with a small laugh.

                “Why the fuck do you expect me to take you to him? I took you away from him last night because he hurt you! So now you want me to take you back to the jackass?” I said without realizing that my voice was rising.

                “Because he’s the only person that I have now!” He yelled back.

                “I am not taking you to meet him. I’d let you fucking live here before you go back into that situation. It’s just not right” I whispered as memories washed over me and my voice began to fail.

                “You don’t even know what kind of situation I’m in. I’ll admit it isn’t too great but I’m alive aren’t I? I’ll be fine. Besides, he has everything I own at his house and he’d find me if I ever left. It’s not exactly a choice. But that’s not your problem.”

                “I don’t want you going back there. I understand more than you think. Maybe, you could stay here for a little while. You know, just until you find a safer place to stay. I don’t really know you, I know and I don’t mean to make in weird or anything but something tells me I shouldn’t let you go. Something will happen. I need you to stay here. I need to know you’re safe. “I said as I walked over and sat on the opposite side of the couch trying t give him space.

                “I-I don’t know. Isaac he, he would find out. Things would get worse. You don’t know him. “He said pulling his knees up to his chest.

                “Look I got you away from those guys last night, I can keep you safe from them now. There’s a lot I don’t know about you or your past, but there’s also a lot you don’t know about me and my past. Just trust me. I have a spare bedroom upstairs that you can use, we can get your stuff from that guy or if you don’t want t we could always just go to the mall, I’ll get you whatever you need. You just need out of there. Those bruises from last night, there not the only ones you’ve got are they?”

                He looked up at me slowly, “No they’re not. But if I’m not going staying there I can’t go back. He’ll be suspicious.”

                “Ok well go to the mall later, I just need to get ready. I’m sorry,  I just need to know you’re safe. I haven’t exactly figured out what it is about you, but I just can’t let you go.”