Trust Me (Finding my way)

by R. S Burnett

  “He’s struggling with what he saw last night. He thinks he should have gotten to you sooner. When he realised what was happening, you were already on the floor,” Sophie says quietly, while I run my bath.

  “It’s not his fault,” I sigh, stripping out of my clothes.

  “I don’t think anyone will change what he thinks,” she whispers before she leaves me to wash away the night before.

  I stay in the bathtub while the water drains away and watch horrified as my bruises are revealed one by one.

  The tears run down my face and I give in to the soft quiet sobs knowing no one can hear me.

  When I climb out of the bath, my vision is blurred from the tears and I slip on the tiles. I cry out in pain as I land on my side. Leaning up against the bath, I hang my head in between my legs and continue to cry.

  “Brooke?” Tucker shouts, sounding frantic as he bursts through the bathroom door.

  “I fell,” I tell him between sobs, lifting my face to look at him.

  “You should have called, I would have helped you. Sophie and Matt went out to grab something for dinner.” He takes a few cautious steps towards me, grabbing a towel on his way. He lays the towel on my shoulders.

  “Need a hand?” he asks, keeping his eyes on my face instead of my naked body. I nod up at him and wrap the towel around myself. He helps me out of the bathroom. When I turn to sit down on my bed, my towel slips. I make a grab for it but I’m not quick enough, I watch as it falls revealing my red and blue angry looking body.

  I hear a strange noise and look up at Tucker as I sit on the bed.

  “Brooke…” he chokes out.

  “It’s okay,” I shake my head at him, the tears falling freely once again.

  “It’s not. I should have been there sooner; I could have prevented this,” he sits next to me on the bed

  “I told you before, no one can stop what happens to me,” I nudge his shoulder with mine. “You saved me though, you stopped him when he was about to…” I trail off on a sob, thinking about what could have happened had he not been there.

  “When I saw him with that hammer…” he shakes his head not able to carry on; the light catches on a tear rolling down his cheek.

  “I’ve missed you,” I whisper, resting my head on his shoulder hating that I’ve caused him pain.

  “I’ve missed you too.”

  I turn my head to his as his arms wrap around me. I’m looking into his eyes hoping he can see the pure appreciation in them. “Thank you for saving me,” I whisper.

  “Always,” he whispers back, laying us down and pulling the side of the blanket up so it’s covering my naked body. Surprisingly, I’d forgotten that I’m naked in his arms, my front pressed against his. He places a soft kiss on the side of my mouth. “He won’t hurt you again, I’ll make sure of it.”

  “I owe you everything.”

  “You owe me nothing,” he shakes his head.

  “I do. What do you want? I’ll do anything,” I insist.

  “I just want you back; I want my Brooke back, the smart, funny and sarcastic Brooke, not the sad, empty girl you’ve been lately.”

  If there was ever a right answer to that question, that was it.

  I lean up to place a soft kiss on his lips. This is first time we’ve ever crossed the friend’s line, and even though it was just supposed to be a friendly, thank you kiss, we both linger for longer than we should.

  When we finally pull apart, Tucker sighs loudly and pulls me closer to him as if he’s never going to let me go.

  I’m not sure how long we lay like this, wrapped in each other’s arms in silence, apart from sniffing back sobs until the tears finally fade from both of us.

  “Right, you’re not staying in bed all day, Brooke. Tucker, help her over to the table; we bought her favourite,” Sophie announces, walking into the room followed by Matt. None of them blink an eye at our position; they are so used to us sleeping together.

  “Uhh…” Tucker looks down at me frowning. I look back up at him, but he turns his attention back to Sophie and Matt. “Matt, could I have a word outside with you a minute?” I watch as he waits for Matt to leave the room before he turns back to me. Sophie is watching us just as confused as me. “Will you help Brooke get dressed? She fell in the bathroom,” he says quietly to her.

  I blush as I remember my nakedness and Sophie’s eyes fall to the floor; her eyebrows shoot up and I assume she’s noticing my dropped towel for the first time.

  “Sure,” she says blinking at how close we are and how Tucker’s arms are still wrapped around me.

  “You didn’t…” she starts once Tucker has left the room.

  “No!” I say horrified.

  She doesn’t say anything further; she just throws me some underwear and yoga pants that I manage to put on myself. I shake my head when she holds up a bra. I put the T-shirt over my head and pull it down while she helps put my bad arm through the hole.

  By the time the guys return back to the room, we are sat at the table waiting for the food to cook. Tucker takes a seat next me and I smile my appreciation at him for getting Matt out of the room while I got dressed without drawing the attention to the fact that I had no clothes on. He grins and winks at me.

  Through dinner we talk about parties and upcoming exams. My mood lifts along with everyone else’s as we move on to the sofas and watch a couple of comedies.

  Tuckers phone beeps but he ignores it. I then realize that Matt and Sophie have been ignoring their phones all day too. I don’t say anything straight away because I know that I have something I should have done by now, too.

  As if he can read my mind my phone rings, everyone watches me as I answer.

  “Hey,” I say into the phone, ignoring them.

  “Hey, yourself. You okay?”

  “Yeah, what are you doing later? I’d like to do it tonight please, if we could.”

  “Are you sure Brooke? You’ve had a hard week.”

  “I’m sure, trust me. It’s time; I’ve put it of for too long.”

  “Fine, I’ll be out front in an hour.”

  “Could you come up to my room instead?” I ask, biting my lip nervously.

  “I’m not going to like what I see, am I?” he asks, sighing.

  “No, I’ll see you in a bit.” I hang up and turn to the others who are still watching me.

  “Is something happening tonight?” Sophie is the first to speak.

  “I know you lot have been fielding messages all day and night and you all have somewhere to be. I really do appreciate you all being here and taking care of me, but I have something I need to do tonight. Something I should have done last weekend.”

  “With all due respect Brooke, the last time you said that to us you went a little crazy,” Matt says softly. Sophie glares at him, but I smirk.

  “It’s nothing like that. In fact, this is what I should have been doing when I said I had something to do last weekend instead of what I did. I’m not in any danger. I’m going to be fine.”

  “Can you tell me what you’re doing?” Sophie asks me pleadingly.

  “Luke’s going to help me do something, that’s all. It’s nothing to worry about and I’ll only be gone a few hours, it’s something we’ve done every year since we were sixteen.”

  “You’ve known Luke that long?” Tucker asks surprised, then I remember when he first spoke to me, he thought Luke and I were together.

  “Yeah, I’ve known him about ten years all together, why?”

  “I thought you met him through Sophie,” he frowns at me.

  “No, I met him when I met Brooke, he helped her move here,” Sophie tells him frowning. “Well, I suppose we could go out for a few hours. I like knowing your’re with Luke; he wouldn’t let anything happen to you.” Sophie smiles kindly at me, but I notice Tucker wince.

  “Sometimes it can’t be helped,” I tell her squeezing Tuckers thigh; he thinks last night was his fault, which is bad enough.

  I watch as Sophie and Ma
tt sort themselves out before they head out. “You’ll call me if you need anything, right?” she asks, leaning over the sofa to give me a quick hug.

  “Of course,” I assure her.

  They let Luke in as they leave. “He’s going to shout at me, just let him,” I quickly whisper to Tucker, knowing what Luke’s reaction will be once he sees me. He doesn’t have time to say anything back as Luke walks towards us.

  He doesn’t have to say anything; I already know the routine.

  “Could you help me up, please?” I ask Tucker once Luke has taken his place in front of us.

  He backs up a few steps as Tucker stands me up. Using my good hand, I lift my shirt up to just below my breasts.

  “You promised me, Brooke,” he shakes his head at me. “You promised you wouldn’t go back there no matter what. How many times does this have to happen to you?” he shouts.

  I lower myself back onto the sofa. Tucker helps when he notices me wince.

  “Did he…?” Luke asks quietly, flicking his eyes to Tucker. I know he’s not asking anything about him, he’s asking if my step dad finally raped me.

  “No. He tried but I fought back,” I say just as quietly. “Then Tucker showed up and stopped it.”

  “You went there?” Matt asks him, surprised.

  “It wasn’t at the house,” I answer before Tucker can.

  “Then where the hell were you? You told me he would never come here. I knew we should have moved further away,” he’s shouting again.

  “The grave yard,” is all I tell him.

  “Brooke,” he sits in the chair opposite us and runs his hands down his face.

  “He won’t go back there,” I try for reassuring, but I sound desperate, even to my own ears.

  “You’re going back there?” Tucker asks, clearly not happy with this.

  “Why were you there?” Luke asks him in return, turning on him now.

  “I was following her. She’d been spending the night there for the last week,” Tucker answers him calmly.

  “Well if you were there, why didn’t you stop him sooner? You know if you hadn’t…”

  “Enough,” I cut him off, not wanting them to get into a shouting match. “Luke, are you coming with me or not?”

  “Is he?” he asks, not breaking his glare at Tucker.

  I turn to Tucker, who is in return glaring at Luke. “Aren’t you going out?” He shakes his head in answer.

  “Okay, well I’m fine with him coming if you are?” I ask Luke, knowing he doesn’t like Tucker after last weekend.

  “It’s probably better if he comes anyway, just in case he does turn up again. That way one of us can stay with you,” Luke says finally looking at me. “If he is there, he won’t try anything if there’s two of us.”

  “I’ll make it quick, I promise” I assure him.

  “No, you take all the time you need for this. We’ll make sure it’s empty then wait by the gate for you.” Luke shakes his head at me, “Where is it?”

  “In the shoe box, under my bed.” I point to the box sticking out from under my bed and ignore the questioning look Tucker is sending me.

  “Are you ready?” Luke asks us, passing me my jacket.

  “Umm, I just need to use the bathroom and then I’m ready.” Tucker stands up and walks to the bathroom. Luke stands me up and helps get my bad arm in the jacket.

  “Brooke, what’s going on with you two?” he whispers, pulling me into a hug.

  “We’re just friends, Luke,” I whisper back.

  “He hurt you though; you shouldn’t let people that hurt you back into your life.”

  “He saved my life last night.”

  “I don’t trust him; promise me you won’t let him hurt you again.” Tucker clears his throat from the bathroom. I know he can’t hear us because we have been whispering for the very reason that he won’t hear us; he’s just letting us know he’s back. We pull apart and I smile at both of them, “Ready?”

  “Brooke,” Luke says sternly.

  “I promise,” I nod at him.

  Tucker sends me a strange look; I’m not sure what it’s supposed to mean so I just shake my head him. This seems to be the right answer because he smiles again.

  Nine

  It took a week for me to heal completely; Tucker only ever left my side to go to class. I know Sophie is bothered by the amount of time he spends in our room and with me, but she never mentions it. I think the only reason she never mentions it is because whenever we’re together, he’s there too.

  I haven’t heard from Luke since he took me to the graveyard, but I have heard from his dad. He rang me and gave me the number of a man that he says used to be my dad’s best friend. I haven’t called the number yet, simply because I don’t know what to say to him.

  Once I’ve paid for my lunch, I walk past the table where we usually sit and choose a table in the corner of the café to sit alone.

  Sophie looks at me and frowns from the other table, but I hold my hand up and indicate that I’ll be over in two minutes. She nods at me, but keeps watching me after she says something to both Matt and Tucker.

  I dial in the number that Luke’s dad gave me and hold my breath until I hear the deep voice of the man who used to be my dad’s best friend.

  “Hello?”

  “Umm…hi…I know this might sound strange but my friend’s dad gave me your number; he told me you knew my dad?” I stutter through and squeeze my eyes closed waiting for his reply because he’s silent for a few minutes.

  “Oh right. Brooke is that you?”

  I blink surprised, “Umm…yeah it’s me?” I didn’t mean for it to come out as a question, but to my surprise he laughs softly.

  “I’m Will. You might not remember me, but I came to your tenth birthday party”

  “Oh,” I can’t remember my tenth birthday. As a matter of fact, I can’t remember any of my birthdays before my thirteenth. “No. I don’t remember, sorry.”

  “Not a problem. Gosh, you must be what, twenty now?”

  “Twenty one, two weeks ago,” I answer automatically.

  “You should visit. A few of your’s and your dad’s friends live up here. He was an amazing man, your father.”

  “I know,” I sniff, as the first tear runs down my cheek.

  “We had a lot of good times together; he always spoke about you. You meant the world to him. God…little Brooke. I can’t believe it’s you. Look, I have to go but feel free to call me anytime you want to talk or anything. I’m going to send you a picture to your phone in a minute, okay?”

  “Uh…sure…bye.”

  He hangs up the phone and I stare at it waiting for it to beep. What could he possibly want to send me a picture of?

  A few seconds pass and then my phone beeps; I open the picture message and watch amazed as the photo loads from top to bottom. It’s a photo of my dad running across the beach chasing a football with me in his arms. The tears fall freely now as I look at how happy we were. My phone beeps again and a photo fills my screen again; this time it’s of my dad swinging me around grinning.

  “Brooke, are you okay?” I jump up out of my seat and hug Luke tightly.

  “Thank your father for me, please?” is all I say to him and I guess that he knows what I’m talking about because he laughs softly.

  “Come on; let’s go sit with the others.”

  “Are you crying?” Sophie frowns at me when I take the seat between her and Tucker.

  “Yeah,” I laugh wiping away the tears from my cheeks. My phone beeps and I open the message from Will; it’s an address followed by the message that says it’s for a pub that was my dad’s favourite. I smile and shake my head before replying that I’ll be down this weekend.

  “Who’s that?” Sophie asks leaning over to try and see who I’m texting.

  “Will. I’m going on a road trip this weekend. There’s a pub I want to go to.”

  “Are you going alone?” Sophie asks me.

  I look across the table and ca
tch Luke’s eye. I grin at him; he rolls his eyes at me.

  ”I promise not to cry and I won’t get stupidly drunk. We can stay in a hotel.” He smirks at the hotel room comment and gestures to everyone around the table.

  “You can bring Kate. Please Luke, don’t make me go meet this man on my own.” I know I’m begging, but I don’t care.

  “Fine, we’ll all go. I want to meet this guy before you spend any time with him. As long as you promise not spend any time with him on your own; remember you don’t know him.”

  I squeal excitedly, drawing the attention of everyone else in the café. “I promise.” I smile now that I have something to look forward to, some way of being close my dad.

  “Okay. What’s going on?” Sophie asks looking between me and Luke.

  “The other day Luke’s dad sent me the number of a man who used to be best friends with my dad. I just rang him and he invited me up this weekend; he gave me the address of my dad’s favourite pub and sent me some photos. He said he knows me and he’s met me before, I just want to go up and have a look around. Its three hours away from here. Are you coming?”

  She looks at Matt who shrugs and then turns back to me grinning “Hell yes! Road trip.” She hi-fives me, making me laugh and shake my head at her.

  I turn to Tucker and raise an eyebrow, “Are you in?” I ask hopefully.

  “Sure,” he grins at me and puts his hand across my back to squeeze me. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  * * *

  He’s leaning over me; we’re touching, chest to chest, skin on skin. He lowers face to mine and our lips meet softy. I feel his hand move up my body from my leg and stopping to caress my bare breast. I let out a moan and his tongue slides in, moving against mine. I run my hand along his chest and down his back; I can feel his chest vibrating as he groans. He keeps moving inside me and I feel the pressure building up. I let out a moan when he shifts slightly, but he silences me with a kiss. I turn my head to the side as he trails kisses from my jaw to my neck. I call out his name as the orgasm takes over me.

  I feel myself convulse and I snap my eyes open. Tucker’s laying next me deep in sleep, fully clothed. “Shit, shit, shit, shit,” I groan and carefully, as to not disturb him get out of bed and sneak out of his room.