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She was used to this; the yelling about something she did, the amount of money she spent, the bad grade she got. Yeah, she was used to this. That didn’t make it any less annoying to hear, and when her face would show that he would only scream louder- about how she needed to listen, how she needed to grow up- oh and now about her weight. Because she didn’t already have a complex about how she looked already, let's just add FAT to the list she had already made for herself. The man was absolutely infuriating to deal with and listen to. So what if he had anger management issues… He wasn’t the only person in the house who needed medication to deal with mental health. Still, she never said a word, just listened with annoyance at the man who could scream about any and everything before walking to her room and shutting the door behind her. A type of island she can escape to that gives her comfort. Only tonight the comfort she desperately needed couldn’t be found in her room.
Out the window she climbed, down the oak tree and to her redheaded friend. The one who could tell by looking at her what the issue was. Who would hold her and for once never said a word. These little moments that were all hers, moments she never had to share, spend money on, or hear annoying lectures about. Just a friend who is there for her when she needs one and God did she love Kyle for them. The knock she left on the door was answered by his mother, who informed her Kyle was in his room. That’s where she found him, sitting in front of his computer clicking away at the keyboard. She walked in the room like it was her own, wrapped her arms around him causing him to jump at the unwarned contact. Turning toward her, standing to pull her in closer; her adjusting her hold from his shoulders to his waist nuzzling her face in his chest.
He moved them to his bed, laid with her in silence till her breathing slowed telling him she was fast asleep. He didn’t mind though, it meant she was comfortable, she felt safe. The smile on his face hard to wipe away. Well, till the familiar ringtone on her phone blared out. He carefully picked up the call, the man on the other end none too happy to hear his voice. The boy simply gave an apology to the angry man before waking up the girl in his arms and handing her the phone. A shocked expression at her taking the device and hitting the end call button without so much as a word to her father. Giving the look a shrug stating ‘he was already angry, no use trying to fix it now.’ Sadly, he couldn’t argue with her, he didn’t even want to send her home to that kind of treatment. More or so scared for her safety. Instead he walked to his closet pulling out extra pillows and blankets for her to use for the night. “We’ll worry about your books in the morning. Tonight you can sleep here.”
The next morning, Kyle kept a lookout while she climbed up the tree to her bedroom window. He made sure she got inside safely and waited. His eyes shifting back up after her book bag landed beside him on the ground. “Even had time to change clothes I see.” he teased her. She stuck her tongue out at him before retrieving her bag off the ground and following him off to school both laughing at the other.
After all, they were used to this.