A Love Restored

Hts Eque Flower

(Then)

One thing I knew about Felix was that he would go any lengths to protect me. He’d do anything to anyone. It was sweet of him. He had always been that way. Even when we were kids. But it could become really scary really quick,

When we were younger it had just been small things. Like when we’d go to the park he’d always be circling around my friends and I. Once he had yelled at a little boy because his ball had accidentally hit me. The boy had cried.

When it got real was in high school. My second day of freshman year, he had walked me to class as usual. I went and sat inside, and then Louis Tibble yanked on my ponytail so hard I

let out a cry.

Felix had seen all this unfold.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Within the next few seconds, Louis Tibble was off his seat and in the air, with his collar in Felix’s hand, his face contorted with fear. I don’t know what he had whispered to poor Louis but he had almost passed out. And then Felix had dropped Louis to the floor

unceremoniously, his knee scraping on the wooden table. The whole class was looking at me. I remembered hearing someone whisper to their friend behind me, “Looks like she is Felix Corsino’s girlfriend. I won’t even go near her.”

It had worked. The gossip mill was efficient. Boys from school never bothered me, or event

gave me any attention.

I would have felt bad, but the only attention I ever needed was from Felix, and I got plenty

of it.

But it wasn’t just this possessive behavior of his. He was protective of me everywhere, in every sense of the word. He’d never let anyone hurt me, wrong me, even mistakenly.

He was so vigilant in everything. One time he’d even caught a cup and prevented it from smashing my feet.

He hated everyone who even tried to hurt me.

This is why I would never tell Felix the things going on at home.

Because I knew that he’d begin hating my family, my father especially. And things would

Hver be the same in. With all his meet petetive actions, Fette didn’t really we the nésoss in situations. Date Mack and white, right and wrong.

And that is why were afraid of hith finding out what had happened.

I

ms

Long story short, my Dad had hoved me.

Fells had a senior hark day that day. All the senere were going on an overnight trip to the

hunk

seniors

Beach. They had left the night before. So, my Dad was driving me to school. I didn’t even know what the fight between my parents that day had been about. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what they were fighting about each morning when they had barely spoken any

words to each other.

But they had fought, and my Dad was pi**d and annoyed.

He had shut the car door so loudly when he had gotten inside that I flinched. And so I knew not to do or say anything to p** him off.

1 tried my best.

But then when I was just getting out of the car in front of the school gates, Tilly showed up. She frolicked to the car and greeted my Dad. “Hi, Mr. White!” She chirped.

“Tilly.” He had greeted.

And it wasn’t Tilly’s fault, because she didn’t know not to talk about Felix in front of him. He hated him these days. Any mention of Felix pi**d him off. But Tilly had looked at me and asked, “Where’s Felix today?”

“On his trip.” I had answered, uncomfortable. Then Tilly saw a friend of hers and went away.

“That boy drives you to school every day, huh?” Dad’s voice had been filled with venom. His jaw clenched. “If his father didn’t own my life you’d never see him again.”

He had shoved me very lightly. I had felt it, but barely. Or maybe a bit more than that. But the door on my side had been ajar. And I’d fallen. It had been so embarrassing. Because Charlie had seen it. Charlie was Sam’s brother. Who was Felix’s best friend.

I’d quickly gotten up and ran to the school, afraid to meet Charlie’s eyes. Luckily, I wasn’t hurt, just a scrape on my elbow. It wasn’t even bleeding, the skin had just rubbed against the ground. But it looked like it would form a scab.

And it did.

I wore long sleeves to go hang out with Felix at his house once he was back from his trip.

He regaled me with stories of the trip and how Sam had gotten into a fight with an old man at the beach and how drunk they all got. He had had fun and I was glad for that.

We hung out for a bit after which I went home. I had some homework to do and had school the next day. Felix would only go to school with me for about another week. And then that

would be it

The next two years without him would feel so…weird and different and empty.

I got comfy in bed after completing my homework and reading a chapter of Moby Dick. There was never a book I wasn’t compelled to finish, but this one, man, what a snoozefest.

But it was a good thing because it was really putting me to sleep. I had almost dored off when I heard a commotion downstairs. God, my parents, again? At this ungodly hour?

I listened for a bit. It sounded like two men.

I ran downstairs, the voices from the living room were getting louder and louder. I peered inside, and was shocked to see the sight.

Felix was glaring down at my father. He was much taller than Dad, easily towering over him.

My heart raced as I watched the tension escalate between Felix and Dad.

Felix’s voice was low, but it carried a dangerous edge. “Mr. White, you better f***king listen to me carefully. I don’t care what’s going on with you. You don’t ever lay a hand on Flora again, or I promise you, you’ll regret it.”

So, Charlie had told Sam.

“Felix!” I yelled. “Stop it.”

Both men turned to me.