Chapter 14 - Alone

People say it all the time, that they are alone. But really, I'm alone. The darkness that laid over me when my dad was here, is still looming over me.

It makes me wonder if I'll ever be happy again, or if it was too late. I guess I've always been a wimp, this is a prime example of it.

The smile in my face drops, I look away from Kingston.

Im alone.

It's all I can think. My dad is gone, he's the last one who at least recognized me as his family. My sister is dead. My mom left me. I'd rather be left with my dad than alone.

Kingston looks at me concerned from my peripherals. "Darling...." He looks at me as if he realized that I was sad immediately. He takes the blanket off of him when he sees the goosebumps rising on my arms from the cold weather.

Without speaking, his eyes search my face as I look at him. As if he can see straight through me. But right now I'm cold, tired, and utterly alone.

I curl up in a ball, Kingston staring at me as he holds one of my hands. And I know he can tell what's wrong, he can tell everything now. Because he knows my secret.

The music in his ears plays softly, loud enough for me to hear. But I can't pin down the song.

Maybe he wouldn't mind coming on the bed with me? Just so I could listen to the song...

Slowly I open my eyes, staring back at Kingston. "Can I listen?" I ask him, not realizing that I actually said it to him. "You would get a real kick out of getting me in your bed, huh?" He asks teasingly and I shake my head.

"Nope." I say, popping the 'p' which he just smiles and shakes his head to. "Fine, then I want to crawl onto it." He pouts and I smile, giggling like a smitten school girl. I haven't laughed in so long I guess that's just what it sounds like.

He smiles at me, loving my laughter.

His smile is amazing, his nose scrunching up and his eyes brighter than ever. He's happy with me.

He hands me an earbud and the song starts playing through my ears, teenager in love, a song I love. I haven't listened to music in so long, but I love older music: The Beach Boys, Paul Anka, the Beatles.

Slowly I close my eyes, humming to the song. I think so many girls in his position would want him to get onto their bed and put his arms around them. Probably do other things.

But I'm not like those girls. I don't want to be another one of the girls that he charms into getting into their bed.

He doesn't get me, maybe he is the person who is closest to understanding but he's Kingston.

He probably hates me And loves attention.
He's probably using me to get in the newspaper some more.
As if his rich family is not enough publicity.

He leaves his phone at my side, playing music quietly in my ears before he sits down on one of the chairs again, looking out the window.

Right before I fall asleep a light knock on the door rises my attention, groggily I rub my eyes and say, "Come in."

A young doctor comes in, her hair is a long and black with brown eyes. "Ms. Cynthia?" She asks but I just groggily say "Your hair is beautiful." she smiles at me, "Thank you hun." She says and I nod.

She goes to my side and checks something on a clip board. "You must be tired from the pain meds, but some police would like to talk to you ask you some questions about your situation. Also your visiting with Mister Brag should be over soon but... I won't say anything." She says with a wink and I giggle, "Why?"she sits down on a chair to the side of me and shrugs.

"I love teen romance, that's how I met my husband."

"Oh, me and him aren-"

Kingston cuts me off by whispering in my ear, "I'm not leaving you alone..."

"Dating, were planning on getting married soon after she turns eighteen." He says, and my doctor giggles in joy.

"Oh that's sounds great! Good for you two!! How did you not know she was getting abused?"

"Oh well, for one I had never been to her house before because she said she was uncomfortable there, I hadn't seen her body, and I didn't want to intrude. We would only love each other at school." He lies and the doctor shakes her head with a sigh.

"This is truly just a love story I want to keep hearing about, but... I need to talk to Ms. Cynthia about her wounds." She says and he nods, his hand rests softly on my stomach, and somehow his touch doesn't hurt.

"I'll tell them what my dad did, but I don't want to talk about why." I say and she nods, "You can take your time, but we will have to know eventually.

"Also, your wound was not infected though the weapon... it was used to chop green onions." She laughs a little before composing herself, realizing that was a little rude.

"Ms. Cynthia, you'll only have to stay in here a couple more days because you're healing amazingly well but you will be in bed rest with limited movement and you will have pain killers."

"You should be healed completely by the time your school starts again, despite your multiple ill-healed Broken ribs." She says before looking towards the door.

"Also, we want to have a look at your body, your scars and external bruising." She says and I look at Kingston for help, I hate people seeing me. He nods looking up to the doctor.

"I don't think she would be very comfortable with that." Kingston says, furrowing his eyebrows. The doctor sighs, "Yes but we'd like to see it as soon as possible so we can have correct results. You could stay here for that if you're comfortable." I say and look at Kingston to see a smirk on his face.

"I'm good." I say and she nods, "We'll see what we can do. The police want to ask some questions now." She says as she sits in the corner of the room, Kingston looks at me and I signal him to stay.

Kingston's arm wraps around my waist, gently as to not hurt me. His head resting on my shoulder as tears leak from his eyes with every word I say.

Does he really care about me ?

-----

The police leave, as well as Kingston, with a kiss on my cheek and a promise to come see me, cursing something about Madeline. Tears sting my eyes as I look down at myself, a large bandage around my stomach and tubes everywhere. The tears threaten to come out but I don't let them.

Slowly River walks into the room. "Why are you here?" I say, my eyes burning but I look up, trying to not let the tears fall. I can't. "You hate me." I mumble, more to myself.

"I do not hate you, I hated you." He says ashamed. "Why?" I look at him and he gives me a sad smile while looking at our hands which are holding each other.

"When I came to Denmore I was going through some stuff, and I thought nobody else was going through anything worse. I was selfish and full of self-pity. So you were there, you had no friends and you dressed in all black, I just could not imagine why somebody like you would have any problems. I thought you just wanted attention. But you were going for the opposite." He says and I look at him. "I am not going to do that any more. I can not, I just want to be here okay." He says a little defense full.

"Plus, Kingston wants to fuck you hard, so I gotta deal with you're annoying ass."

"I was fine by myself before, I don't need you here okay. It's fine. I'm alone." I say, mumbling the last part to myself. "You are not alone." He says before picking up his hoodie and leaving the room.

The darkness looming over me grows and grows, until it pulls me into a deep, dark sleep.