A Different Kind of Love, chapter 4
Billie sat beside Zach, feeling him shivering underneath the jacket. Zach's small hand was giving small shudders in Billie's own as he listened to him lightly cry. Billie blinked. He didn't know this kid. He knew his name, his age and that fact he didn't stand a chance if this abuse and bullying kept torturing him. Billie opened his dry mouth and almost whispered to Zach:
"Zach...what time do you have to be home?"
Underneath the quilting, Zach wiped his puffy eyes with his free hand.
"Five-ish. I don't think dad would really notice if I was late." said the jacket.
"Would you come back to my studio...so I can clean you up a bit?" Zach ripped off the jacket. His bewildered eyes and fluffy hair stared at Billie Joe's own saddened emerald eyes.
"I...I don't know you..." Zach replied, scanning Billie Joe up and down. Zach swallowed.
"And I don't know you either. But I know you probably can't walk and you need someone to take a look at those cuts and bruises before you go home, or you might really get hurt." Billie warned Zach, again peering at the scars on his face. Zach looked at the ground for a while, contemplating.
Billie Joe opened his mouth to say if Zach wanted, he would leave. But Zach pulled on the coat properly and raised his arms up painfully, signalling Billie Joe to pick him up. Billie gently curled his arms around Zach and Mike's huge jacket and cradled him. Zach peered up at Billie's face, looking right into his eyes.
"Promise me you aren't going to hurt me. Promise...promise you won't be like everyone else." at that moment Billie's heart broke, but he managed to stare Zach back in his bruised eyes and reply:
"I swear to you."
"Zach...what time do you have to be home?"
Underneath the quilting, Zach wiped his puffy eyes with his free hand.
"Five-ish. I don't think dad would really notice if I was late." said the jacket.
"Would you come back to my studio...so I can clean you up a bit?" Zach ripped off the jacket. His bewildered eyes and fluffy hair stared at Billie Joe's own saddened emerald eyes.
"I...I don't know you..." Zach replied, scanning Billie Joe up and down. Zach swallowed.
"And I don't know you either. But I know you probably can't walk and you need someone to take a look at those cuts and bruises before you go home, or you might really get hurt." Billie warned Zach, again peering at the scars on his face. Zach looked at the ground for a while, contemplating.
Billie Joe opened his mouth to say if Zach wanted, he would leave. But Zach pulled on the coat properly and raised his arms up painfully, signalling Billie Joe to pick him up. Billie gently curled his arms around Zach and Mike's huge jacket and cradled him. Zach peered up at Billie's face, looking right into his eyes.
"Promise me you aren't going to hurt me. Promise...promise you won't be like everyone else." at that moment Billie's heart broke, but he managed to stare Zach back in his bruised eyes and reply:
"I swear to you."
