I've Been Here All Along

The night was calm and steady, unlike me. Frank was telling me all the embarrassing stories that he has had and it kept me laughing. The warmness I felt in my heart was welcomed, I felt like he actually cared for me, like he knew me. You know?

"You're going to be so tired tomorrow," Frank said laughing. "I shouldn't have let you stay up this late." He said playing with his shoelace. Frank sat down on the floor sometime through our night adventures. I was situated on the bed and I haven't moved since. Frank has gone to and from the kitchen to get me coffee, which I deeply appreciated.

"Since when did you become my mom?" I asked going to sip my coffee only to realize that it was gone. I frowned in sadness offering the cup to Frank, hoping he would take it back and get some more coffee for me.

"You've had like five cups now. It's time for sleep." He said standing up taking the cup out of my hands. He set it on my dresser and grabbed the covers at the end of the bed, signalling for me to lay down.

"But I'm not even that tired." I said laying down. I could feel my eyelids drooping from lack of sleep but I didn't let it show. The thing about me was that I never got bags under my eyes no matter how little I got to sleep. All my friends back at my old school got jealous for it but I didn't care.

"Olivia, I can read thoughts remember?" He asked pulling the black blankets over my feet and chest.

"Oh, whatever you jerk," I asked smiling. "You staying tonight?" I asked cuddling into my pillows.

"I don't go anywhere if you're not there." He said smiling, taking a seat back on the floor.

"You're not going to sleep?" I asked sitting up a little to face him.

"I don't sleep. Angel's don't need sleep." Frank said taking off his shoes to fix the tongue inside them, only to put them back on.

"Well, I don't want to sleep if you can't." I said sitting back up. He looked at me and shook his head.

"Lay back down, Olivia," He said smiling. I shook my head, protesting. "Do I have to hold the sheets down?" He asked before I felt his grace on both of my shoulders, lightly pushing me back down onto the bed. He pulled the covers back over me and held them down.

"What if I need to pee?" I asked smirking. He scoffed and chuckled.

"Now you're just being a little shit. It's time for bed. Don't yell at me if your late for school." He said throwing his hands up in defense. I felt the pressure on the sheets relieve and I smiled. I wouldn't test him because he could see what is going on inside my head and he could use it against me. I simply turned to the side and snuggled into the sheets as the lamp turned off.

"Goodnight, Frank." I said slowly shutting my eyes.

"Sleep tight , Olivia." He said leaning against the wall. I couldn't see but I could feel his eyes on me. It wasn't weird, it was just comforting and I knew Travis wasn't going to be coming into my room tonight. Speaking of the asshole, he was here tonight. Claire and him were in the basement like usual and there was no doubt that I would wake up in a couple hours. But, I ignored it and closed my eyes falling into a dark abyss. Only to be woken up to screaming.
Usually I would ignore the bangings and get a nice, hot, cup of coffee. But, this time it was different. Claire never screamed like this when it happened. It hit me like a lightning bolt and I sat upright in my bed. Frank was already standing up in front of my bed.

"Don't." He said reading my thoughts. He knew I was going to go try and help her.

"She needs my help." I said tears beginning to well up in my eyes.

"I know she does, but you're not safe if you go down there." He said sadly.

"Frank, please. She nevers screams like this she needs my help!" I whisper yelled to him before throwing the sheets off of my skinny legs. I wasn't going to stand by this any longer. What if she dies? I was up here doing nothing while she suffered. No. No longer I was going to put him in his place and I was going to save Claire no matter what it took. My parents door was shut and I didn't expect them to get up anytime soon. I ran swiftly down the wooden stairs slipping as I hit the middle section. Frank was right behind me trying to talk me out of it.

"Olivia, he's going to hurt you." Frank said frowning.

"He can hurt me all he wants," I said turning around to meets Frank's eyes. He was a few inches taller than me but, I still had to look up to meet his eyes. "But, I am done. Done! With him hurting Claire." I said walking over to the basement door before it was thrown open, and Frank was nowhere to be seen. Travis walked out, seeming perfectly sober. He grabbed his coat and walked out of our house like nothing happened. I gave him a death look the whole time he crossed the living room and he stared back at me. He didn't even fucking care that Claire was downstairs, probably knocked out.

I ran down the carpeted stairs towards Claire's room. The hallways were dark but I managed to make my way around in my frightened state. Frank's heavy footsteps were following me the whole way down muttering things under his breath. They didn't seem insulting to me or anything, they just sounded like he was trying to calm himself down, or at least convince himself of something. I opened Claire's door to find her on the bed, her lower half was naked and her eyes were closed.

"Claire!" I yelled running over to her. "Frank don't come in." I said holding a hand out to him to stop him from seeing Claire. I grabbed a blanket and covered her lower half and cradled her face in my hands. "Claire come on wake up.It's okay he's gone now." I said sobbing onto her knocked out body.

"Olivia, we need to get your parents." Frank said slowly walking into the room. I put my head on Claire's chest and listened for a heart beat just incase he hit her in the head too hard or something. The heartbeat was slow and steady, along with her breathing.

"Fuck, Frank please watch her." I said slowly crawling off the bed. I passed Frank and saw a look of pain on his face. I ran down the hall and up the stairs, falling and tripping on some steps. I banged on my parents door and it didn't take long for them to open.

"Olivia, is she alright?" My mother asked with a worried voice. Tears had already escaped her eyes and I noticed that the same expression was on his face.

"He raped her." I whispered looking at their faces with a horrified expression.

"What?" My mother asked in confusion.

"He fucking raped her!" I screamed to the floor pulling some strands of my hair. "Call 911 she's knocked out and I don't know what to do. Just ignore that Travis has power and help her, please." I said running back downstairs with them following me. My dad had his phone up to his ear even before I said call 911. He was talking panicky into the phone and hung up. My mother held me back before walking down the stairs telling me to stay. I sank to the floor and sobbed. Frank must've teleported up here because he was at my side comforting me.

"Shhh, it's okay. She'll be okay." He said pulling me in close. I sobbed in his white shirt getting mucus and tears all over it.

"I should've helped her when I first heard it. I was so scared but she said it would all be okay." I sobbed pulling Frank closer. He wrapped his hands under my legs and lifted me up rocking me as we walked back up the stairs. The door opened by itself and shut by itself as we made our way into my room.

"It's not your fault, Olivia. She'll love you no matter what happens." Frank said sitting on the bed. I was still laying on him and crying into his shirt while he stroked me hair. I cried for a long time. I didn't want Claire to be dead because we were to afraid to help her. ANd the thought of going to school without Frank being there scared the shit out of me.

"Please come tomorrow." I croaked out looking up at him through my lashes. "I don't want to be alone. Can't you come?" I asked sniffling. He smiled and looked down at me, nodding.

"Just, try and get some sleep for now." He said guiding my head back into his chest. His warm body and earthy scent sent me back into the abyss of the dream world. Even though I was asleep he never let go of me that night. Not once. And, I loved him for it.

Notes