Num6 Chapter F0u7

Chapter F0u7
IRU
It had been a week since the incident. I never brought up what happened. He had asked me the next morning, "How did I get in bed…?"
"I carried you." He looked at me shocked. Then looked away, shook his head, and proceeded to get his tea. And that was that.
I was currently in the bathroom wrapping up my wrist. Some members of 'Bad Boy Stone' who were trying to be 'bad' too, had cornered me in the bathroom and burned me with their cigarettes. I knew eventually that something like this was going to happen. All week long, the rumors started to get worse and turn into bullying. Mostly from the girls. William had an excellent poker face and continued to be emotionless at school, despite how alive he had started to become at home and the things said behind his back. I knew everyone was too afraid to get him as they had been getting me. And I envied him for that. I fumbled with the bandage to wrap it correctly and I was slowly becoming frustrated. I had five marks randomly placed on the back of my wrist. It hurt when they first did it, but now it was just somewhat annoying. I lathered them in A&D ointment and hydrocortisone, and most of my arm was numb.
"I'm home Shirley!" William called from the door. I made a tie in the bandage 'good enough', and went to greet my husband. I hid my arm behind my back casually.
"Welcome home!" I said with a forced smile. Then he looked at me with his psychic eyes. Darn it.
"You're hiding something."
"No, I'm not." I protested. He looked at me harder, pressuring me. "N-Nothing at all!"
"What's behind your back?"
"Nothing! See!" I held out my good arm.
"Other arm." There was no fooling him. I dropped my arm to the side.
"See? Nothing." He frowned and took my arm.
"What did you do this time?"
"I burnt it…" Half truth. He guided me over to the table.
"I swear you are a magnet for trouble. I'll rewrap it for you."
"No no! That's okay! I'll just…" Too late. He had unwrapped the bandages already. He examined the burns for a few seconds and slowly looked up at me. I looked away whistling. I heard him sigh and place a kiss on the wound. He rewrapped it taut and gave me a pat on the head.
"All better." He smiled. "I've got homework so I'll be in the office." He said standing up.
"Oh Will!" He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Er…William. Did you get rid of my art supplies? I kind of wanted to do some painting…"
"I didn't do anything with your art supplies…"
"You must have! They disappeared with my paintings the night you locked me in the closet!" He looked so confused. "Don't you remember?" I asked quietly.
"Closet…" He said, "I locked you in a closet?"
"Yes! How could you have forgotten!?" I shrieked. He put his head in his hands and rested his elbows on the table. He started mumbling to himself. Then he looked up and saw the painting of the rose. Light bulb.
"Oh! How could I forget?" He shook his head. "Come with me." I followed him down to the basement. The bottom level was separated into three parts. The first part was the laundry room, and the second part was a storage room, only separated by an archway. The third part took up half of the floor, blocked off by a dirty white wall and a dilapidated wooden door with 'PRIVATE' written in big black letters. Will grabbed the key to the lock from the top of the molding around the door, obviously, because I was too short to reach it. Why we kept this room locked, I had no idea. He turned on the light and a smile stretched across my face. On one wall, there were canvases, all different sizes. All my supplies were on a shelf and more paints like oil, and acrylic. I had more paintbrushes in a giant bucket on a table, and a large easel was set up in the middle of the room with a stool (with a back) next to it.
"William…" I started.
"Instead of hauling your supplies from the closet to the living room and back, you can just paint down here. You can drip on the floor and it won't matter. And we can put a radio down here, too. What do you think?" I silently walked over to him and hugged him gently.
"Thank you. You are so good to me." I really did admire this man. He made a lighthearted 'hmph' and patted my head.
"I try." He said slyly.           
The rest of the afternoon, while Will worked on homework, I painted. I accidently painted William again, but in his heartless mode this time. The look he had was so intense, so terrifying, it rivaled that of the first meeting. I thought back to then and my heart did a somersault. He was just so handsome! If only he wasn't crazy. I sighed. Ironically, at that moment he knocked on the door and came in.
"WAIT! DON'T-…" Too late. He was looking perplexed at the painting.
"Is this me again?"
"Yes…"
"When?"
"I…" 'Forget everything you just heard' I couldn't tell him! I shouldn't have done this painting.
"I just made it up, do you like?"
He was silent for a moment, his hand over his mouth, his weight shifted on one leg and his head turned to the side. "It looks exactly like me, but…" Please don't find out, please don't find out! "I look seductive…" I looked back at the painting. He WAS lying down, and looking at you intently…pulling you closer…He did look seductive! I groaned. "It's still good, don't worry." He smiled. "Anyways, I came down here to tell you something…a favor…or an invitation rather…"
"Okay." I said rinsing my brush.   
"You are invited to come to my Violin recital Thursday night" (Two days away.)
"Of course! I'd love to finally hear you play!" He had been taking lessons for a very long time, and was first chair Violin in the school symphony. He wasn't as good in cello yet, by what he told me at least.
He patted my head. "I'm glad. I have to be there at six, so be home by then."
"Sure, I have nothing planned on Thursday. But don't you have to work?"
"My father gave me the day off for it. He's not coming though…"
"Oh…" Awkward silence
"Well, I'm going to my room for the night. See you in the morning." He patted my head.
"Okay." I smiled. I watched him leave, but I didn't hear him whisper 'YES!' and punch the air with a huge smile when he closed the door.
The next day was a complete disaster. I wish I had played hooky or pretended to be sick. First thing when we walked through the doors, a freshman came up and asked the most awful question I've EVER heard in my life.
"Do you guys do it every night?" I was outraged!
"No. We haven't even 'done it' once. You can tell that to all your little friends. I assure you, it is the truth." William said calmly, but with hard merciless eyes. Then he patted my head and went to his locker. The freshman ran off in terror. Thankfully, William was there for that one.
I wasn't so fortunate to have that luxury all day. At lunch, some girl pushed my tray into me so I had spaghetti sauce and chocolate milk all over my favorite white sweater and in my hair. I was walking through the hall, carrying all my books, my thick binder, and a project I had just gotten back in art class. I had to go through the junior hallway to get to my next class. Oh! What do you know…the floor was just waxed! Oh cruel fate…Before I knew it, someone had stuck his or her foot out in front of me. My books scattered across the hall, my project was crushed, I had slid 10 feet, and my skirt flew up and everyone saw my panties. I scrambled across the hall, hastily retrieving my stuff as everyone laughed at me. I bit my lip to keep them from having the satisfaction of making me cry. I ran as fast I could to my next class, where I hid my face behind my book.
Gym class was the worst. People had pushed and shoved me around into other boys, mostly the big scary ones or the fat sweaty ones. Once, I had slammed into a wall. Then I caught a soccer ball…with my face, receiving a bloody nose. All in all, a pretty rotten day. I had to stay after for art club, but I barely got any farther in my project. I walked home dismally.
"I'm home…" I said quietly, dropping my bag and destroyed project on the floor.
"Welcome home!" William said from the living room. I said nothing and went to my room. I laid down face first, and started violently wailing into the soft mattress. I hadn't cried all day, which I was proud of, since I was such a crybaby. It felt so good to finally get it out.
"Shirley…? Are you alright?" William asking outside the door.
"I'm fine!" I sobbed.
"You sure don't sound fine."
"I'm just letting out some frustration! Go away!" Obviously, he wouldn't. He came in and sat next to me on the bed. He rubbed my back.
"It's okay…"
"If you're looking for an advantage in the bet you can forget it!" He stopped for a moment.
"Okay…" So he wrapped his arms tightly around me and lifted me to cradle in his embrace. "In that case, I'll do this instead."
"NO!" I pushed away. "Stop trying to play with me! I've had a bad enough day without you making it worse!" Why was I saying this? I really wanted his comfort right now. "Stop acting like you care…Cause I know you really don't…" I laid back down and curled into a ball facing away from him, still crying. Now I felt worse, I should have just let him comfort me. Who cares if it was an act? From his silence, I knew I had spoken the truth. I was just waiting for him to leave so I could scream in anguish. But instead, I felt his hand suddenly grab my waist. "What are you doing?" I asked wiping my eyes. He started spidering his fingers up my side.
"Aren't you ticklish?"
"No…"
"What? Impossible!" He attempted to tickle me behind my knees, my feet, my neck, armpits, and tummy. "Why don't you laugh?!"
"Because I'm immune." A smile sneaked onto my face. Was he trying legitimately to make me feel better? "Are you ticklish?" He paused and looked at me in slight fear. I smiled. He shook his head.
"You wouldn't."
"I would. HIYA!" I threw my arms out and poked him in the side. He jerked, but I tackled him before he could get away. I poked and prodded his ribs and stomach.
"N-n-no! Stop it! Hehe I can't *snort* breathe! HA!" He was giggling like a girl. It had me laughing too. "Please! Get hehe off! UNCLE!"   
"Well, that didn't last long." I scurried off of him. "Weakling."
"I'm sorry…I'm not…used to…that stuff…" He huffed and puffed.
"Thank you though, William." I nestled next to him. Surprise marched across his face. "I feel better…"
  "Ah, yes. All as planned." He chuckled.
That night, I was the only one eating again, but William sat with me and drank some tea. "Do you ever eat?" I asked.
"When I have to." He said mild mannered.
"When was the last time you ate?"
He thought a moment. "No idea."
"Then you should eat! I made a chicken potpie, half of which is still on the stove."
"Not hungry." He said with a sip of tea. The hollowness in his face started to show. I dropped the subject there because it seemingly annoyed him. "It smells good though." Was he trying to reassure me? I let out a huff as my reply.
The next morning I slammed off my alarm clock and rolled over. I didn't want to go to school, I wasn't going to go, and no one could make me. Soon enough though, William knocked on my door.
"Shirley? Are you getting up?"
"No…I don't feel good…" I faked an ill voice. I was so hoping he wouldn't come in and test me. One look and he would be hauling me off to school in my pajamas. "I'm going to stay home…I'll try to feel better by your concert…I promise…" That should keep him satisfied.
"I told you, you were going to get sick after that kiss." He chuckled. Oh harharhar. "Alright. Rest up." Score! I got some well-deserved sleep as commanded.
At about noon, I was sitting out on the couch in my pajamas, watching Spongebob, and finishing the potpie from last night. I should take sick days more often. Suddenly, the backdoor opened and I panicked. Burglar? Bully coming to kill me?! Or worse…William's mother?!
"I'm home!" William shouted. What the deuce was he doing home? He came into the living room and looked at me. I made a fake cough.
"I thought you'd be at school…why are you home?" I said groggily.
"Oh I was." He sat next to me, took my face in his hands, and looked at me deeply. Almost with concern, but more pity. Then he made a mock 'pouting face'. "But I thought I'd come home to take care of my SICK wife." He said squishing my face.
"Yom poo gine…" (You're too kind.) He smiled and put an arm around me.
"What are we watching?"
"Spongebob."
"Oh boy, my favorite." He was making me super nervous. I think he knew I was lying. "Is this the one with the sundae?"
"Yeah…" I tried to relax, but I just hated that guilty feeling about lying. "Did you by chance, get my homework?"
"Yeah, you only have math. It's in my bag."
"Okay, I'm going to the office to work on it." I felt his eyes on my back as I left. I sighed when I was out of sight and earshot. In the office, I opened my book, but I could care less about reading. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around my shoulders and I stopped breathing.
"Don't try to take everything on by yourself. What good am I if I can't help?" He whispered in my ear. I nodded silently.
"There's nothing wrong. I just didn't feel good…" I lied again!
"Hmph…" He kissed the back of my head. "Whatever you say." Then he left. Grr! I hate it when he does that! He makes me feel so…cared for. I didn't want to drag him into this.
That night, I went early with Will to the concert hall. He had me sit in a seat that was 'idealistic view' to where he was playing. The show was in an hour, so I brought a book to read while I waited. Soon enough, people filed into the auditorium. I was just a head in a sea of people and I hoped William would be able to see me.
The lights dimmed. The curtains rose. The music began. I closed my eyes and felt the music take me away again. Wrapping around me like a ribbon, the sounds filled my being. After the first piece, I looked at my program.
"I Talk to the Rain…Yuki Kajiura. Violin Solo: William Nový," was printed halfway through the show. The anticipation built up inside of me, making my hands tremble. I blinked, and William was standing at the microphone, Violin in hand, his eyes dark with passion. The music started softly and he pulled the bow slowly and gently, like a lullaby. Then the beat picked up and his eyes closed in concentration. He played expertly, the music becoming more and more overwhelming. His brow glistened in determination. Everything was just so beautiful…I cried. But it was happy tears. I was so proud of him.
"That violinist is very talented. And he's cute!" The older lady said next to me.
"He's my husband." I said with a smile, wiping away some tears.
"You are very lucky." Yes, I was…'Don't try to take everything on by yourself. What good am I if I can't help?' I sighed. 'I'll tell him tomorrow, after school.' I thought.
After the concert, I waited for him in the lobby. He came out fairly quick, and approached me with a smile. "What did you think? Wait…Have you been crying? What happened this time?"
"No, I loved the concert. In fact, your solo was so beautiful it moved me to tears."
"Oh stop. You're making me blush." He said with a smirk.
The next day at school, a few students that were at the concert gave William minimal praise. Other than that, everyone was somewhat quiet. It was a forbidding silence, and gave one the feeling that something terrible was about to ensue. On the other hand, maybe I was just paranoid. Towards the end of the day, I found a note in my locker from one of the girls.
'Let's settle this, come up to the roof.' Oh great, this could be bad. I took a few deep breaths and prayed. I had to be strong, and maybe now they would leave me alone. I made my way up the stairs from the second story and opened the door. Three girls stared at me maliciously.
"We have a bone to pick with you Dearhart!" The middle one shouted.
"Um…Okay. But I think you should know…my last name isn't Dearhart, it got changed about a month ago to 'Nový'."
"So what?"
"Hey hey, what was Stone's last name? Wasn't it Nový?" One of the girls whispered.
"Yes." I replied. "William Scott Aldrich Nový."
"And so what are you saying? Are you his adopted sister or something?"
"I'm not supposed to tell…" Darn me and my corrective nature!
"Spit it out. You know we're going to find out anyway." I gulped.
I took off my ring and held it out. "It has to do with this…"
"You can't be serious! What kind of joke is this?!"
"It's not a joke! It was an arranged marriage…I didn't have any choice in the matter."
"Doesn't mean you have to hang on him everywhere. It's pathetic really. You're always oogling over him, it's disgusting!" Then what are you doing? "All you're doing is bugging him." They started coming towards me while I backed up closer to the edge. "He was better off before you started pestering him!"
"No. He wasn't. He was lonely, but since I'm his wife, he talks to me. And through that, we have grown a strong bond. I will not abandon him; it is my biblical duty to stick to his side."
"You sound so cheesy, really. He doesn't believe in God, so he is not following 'his biblical duties' and I doubt he cares if you do."
"That decision is between me and the Lord, and I refuse to be threatened by peers." I said bravely. They sneered at me and started coming closer until my ankle hit the small barrier around the edge.
"We're warning you. Stay away from Stone!"
"What are you going to do? I'm not scared of you." I was terrified.
"This." With the flick of the wrist, I lost my balance and fell backwards. Everything felt like slow motion, as if I was falling through water. I didn't scream, I didn't panic. I just fell. I should have told him. Why was I so insistent on leaving him out of it? Was that my name that I just heard? Someone was calling for me. I had no idea who and I didn't care. I was milliseconds from the ground and I closed my eyes. Instead of a hard impact and an ugly thud, I fell on something soft and I heard a strained 'OUF!' I peeled my eyes open to see William lying on the ground next to me with his arms outstretched to catch me.
"I swear I'm going to get killed trying to help you someday." He said standing up with me still in his arms. "Are you okay?"
I was still struck speechless. My lips quivered as I tried to make words. William just gave me a tender smile. "Oh William!" I finally managed out while holding him for dear life. "I-I-I-I th-thought I was going t-to d-d-d-d-die!"
"Yes, one tends to think that when pushed off a building." He said unsympathetically. "Now are you going to finally tell me?"
"I-I-I'm being bullied…"
"See was that so hard? Why didn't you let me know?"
"I didn't want you get involved…"
"And what do you call this?"
"You getting involved…" I spoke into his neck. "How long have you known?"
He set me on my feet, but held me by the waist to keep me steady. "I've known that we've both been getting ridiculed. But I had some theories when you were crying the other day. They were confirmed when I eaves-dropped on a conversation about someone tripping you in the hallway."
"You knew about that?"
"Yeah…I was pretty mad about it." He let me go to stand on my feet. "I didn't get to see your panties." I turned and punched him in the arm. "Well, you recovered fast." He smiled. "I don't know about me though, I might have to go to the chiropractor…" He said cracking his back.
"I'm sorry…" I sighed looking away.
He took my hand. "Let's go home." I nodded.
After we got our books and coats, we headed out the front entrance. "Hey look! It's Laverne and Shirley!" Some jock laughed. Ohcrapohcrapohcrapohcrap…
William turned around slowly and looked at him. "What was that?"
"Y-you heard me." I looked at William and his eyes sparked yellow. "You're not so tough." The jock taunted again. William took a step but I grabbed his arm.
"Don't give into him!" He looked at me, his eyes still yellow. Then he looked back. "He's not worth it." He started to smile. Then chuckle, then he was laughing manically.
"Next time." He said winking at the jock. Then he put an arm around me and led us away.
Only when we got a few blocks away did his eyes changed back. "Hello…how did we get here?"
"You don't remember?" He shook his head.
"I must have just blacked out…" I held my tongue. "Oh! Can we stop at the store? I'm out of Earl Grey."
"Oh, sure." That was the longest I had ever seen him in his heartless form, and it calmed me seeing him back to normal.
After that, we stood at the street corner and other students walking home had caught up with us. The road was unusually busy for this time of day, and we had to wait patiently. Suddenly, I felt someone touching my back. It wasn't William, he was busy looking at the sky. As I turned around, the pressure increased and I was pushed forward into a pair of headlights.
I fell on the pavement, pain covering my side. What was that noise? Where am I? What's going on? Who's touching me? "…ley…" Stop shaking me. It hurts. "SHIRLEY!" William? What's wrong?