Bruises, Warm Hugs and Unanswered Questions

∞THEN∞

I woke up to the sound of rustling. Groggily rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I pressed one ear to the door of the cupboard. Was it Mr Steve?

But no, the drawers were closing softly, as if the person didn't want to disturb someone. I threw open the cupboard and climbed down onto the stone floor.

I released a breath when I saw Knight, his back to me.

"Go back to sleep, Angel." He said, voice rough, without turning back.

I ran to him and placing my hand on his arm, I tried to make him face me.

He gave in after a minute, sighing at my stubbornness. My stomach lurched.

"Knight?" I said, uncertainty and horror reflecting in my voice.

His face was covered in bruises; lip burst open from one side, one eyebrow bled from the end and various other bruises ran along his jaw and cheeks.

My breathing shallowed as I looked into those eyes. Something wasn't right. Although his face was aloof as usual, his eyes looked so sad. Like he was breaking from the inside.

This was all my fault. I never should've disobeyed Mr Steve and definitely should've never let Knight go. Had I not learnt my lesson from my past mistakes? But all I wanted was some food. I couldn't even remember how many days had gone by in hunger. Knight hadn't complained. He always got food for me in the end, though he never told me how. It was to prevent all of this from happening that I had gone to the kitchen myself.

Mr Steve had been with his friends, drinking from bottles Knight had told me was medicine. I didn't believe him but he didn't have to know that. The past two years spent in this foster home had taught me enough.

My vision blurred as tears formed in my eyes.

I heard Knight curse. He stepped forward and gathered me up in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his torso and pressed my cheek to his chest. Tears flowed down my face and onto his shirt.

"I'm fine, Angel. Don't worry about me." He murmured, stroking my hair soothingly.

Don't worry about him?

I drew back and slapped a hand across his chest.

"You're fine?" I pointed to his face. "Why did you have to . . ." My breath hitched as another series of sobs escaped. "Why-why did you . . . go?!"

He again wrapped me up in his warmth and I continued assaulting his chest.

"Shh, Angel. You know I hate it when you cry."

Raw emotion worked its way up my throat and I cried harder.

Knight patted my head.

When I drew back after several moments and looked at him, I died a little from within.

God, what had happened today to make him so sad?

"What happened, Knight?"

His eyes grew distant but he smiled when he looked at me. "I'm no Knight, Angel. I've told you not to call me that."

Really? Was he going to play the 'Let's change the topic' trick?

"I'm serious. Did Mr Steve-"

He cut me off. "Are you not going to fix me up? Do you want my flawless face to be bruised forever?"

Alright, Knight. Got the message. You don't want to talk about it.

So, I rolled my eyes, playing along with him. "You are self-obsessed, Sir. Did anyone ever tell you that?"

He pretended to think about it, then snapped his fingers. "She said the same thing."

My mouth dropped open. "Who?"

His lips curled beautifully at one side and he wiggled his eyebrows. "You are too young to know some things, baby."

I gasped. Did he just call me a baby?

"I'm telling you, Sir. I am ten and a half years old."

Knight pressed his lips together. "Wow! You are a big girl now. Aren't you?"

I crossed my arms over my chest, mimicking him. "Damn straight, I am."

Laughter bubbled out of him. Then, he gave me a stern look. "You're not supposed to use these words, okay? You're too young."

"But I learnt them from you."

His eyes widened. "Shit. What kind of words do you know?"

I listed them down and saw Knight's jaw hanging once I finished.

He led me to the bed and while I stitched him up, he taught me never to use such language and why it was bad. We talked about anything and everything.

But we never talked about what happened to him.