My head was spinning when I woke up. Everything was just a blur and I felt disoriented. Is this what it's like to have a hangover? Probably because I definitely feel like shit. After a while my blurry vision subsided and I was greeted with a warm, beige colored ceiling. I furrowed my brow out of confusion. My apartment didn't have a beige ceiling, though it would've eventually faded to that color because of how rundown it was. Where the hell am I?

I got up only to have a striking pain run up my arm and my stomach. I winced and fell back down. What happened before I passed out? Oh right, I got beat up by some lousy street gang and they took all of my stuff. Again? God dammit. I sighed and looked down at myself. I had bandages wrapped around my stomach and around the arm that was wounded by a bullet. I touched my face and felt a square bandage on my jaw and a band-aid on the bridge of my nose. Who treated me? At least they kept my bra and pants on. I looked around the room for a bit and saw my jacket and shirt on some table at the foot of my bed. But as I looked around I noticed how...lavish the room was. I was lying in a well made bed with nice covers and pillows that a shit apartment could never provide. The walls were a nice Crimson color with faint rose and vine patterns on it. There was a window next to my bed with silk curtains the same color as the walls with the same faint pattern. And even the trim of the walls were embroidered with a fancy design. I scratched my head, really, really wondering where the hell I am. "What kind of place is this...?" I mumbled under my breath.

I rubbed my tired eyes and that's when I realized that I didn't have my sunglasses or anything to hide my face. I was exposed. My face was revealed to whoever took me here. "Fuck," I cursed and looked around for some way out of here. I checked the window and smiled, knowing I can make my escape through there. But when I looked out I noticed that I was in a two story building and I'm not too big on heights. Plus, I don't think my injuries could sustain a drop. I scoot away from the window and think. What do I do? Whoever took me here has already seen my face. It will be a matter of time before red and blue lights start flashing and police officers come barging through the bedroom door. I can't stay here for too long. I have to sneak out of here some other way.

Just as I was thinking of a plan, I heard a knock on the door and I froze in my spot. I stared at the door with wide eyes and then looked around for something to use as a weapon to defend myself. I am NOT going to prison without taking someone down! I need to establish myself before I run into that one big, bitchy, thug lady in a prison cell. I will not be dominated! She'll say, "Bitch this is my prison" and I'll be like, "BITCH it's mine now" and I could like do a huge wrestle mania trick and EVERYONE will have to be my bitch! Then we'll overtake the entire prison and then take down the government through the penal system until eventually I can become stronger than any dictator in history and I'll start a world-wide genocide! Jeez, that's oddly vivid.

During the middle of my thoughts, the door opened and a figure came in. I panicked and I turned to the nightstand next to my bedside. I didn't know what to do so I grabbed the lamp on the nightstand and threw it at the figure. They yelped and ducked under the projectile lamp. A loud smash sounded behind them and I just sat there. The figure stood up straight and my eyes widened. Holy crap, I can't believe it. What the hell? "Freckles?" I mumbled.

The red haired boy, Elijah, looked at the broken lamp behind him and then at me. "Did you just throw a lamp at me?" he asked. I shrugged and scratched my head. Elijah looked back at me and put on his usual smile. "Well, at least you're awake," he said. It took me a moment to notice that he was holding a silver tray with a teapot and a teacup the entire time. He walked over and placed the tray on the nightstand. He poured some hot tea from the teapot to the teacup and gave me a smile as he did this. I stared skeptically at him and waited for him to finish. Once he was done he handed me the teacup with a little plate under it. I cautiously took it in my hands and stared into the honey brown color of the herbal brew. Hesitantly I took a sip of it and I could immediately feel my body relax little by little. I took the cup away from my lips and looked down into an empty cup. I was actually surprised that I drank it all down so quickly. I handed it back to Elijah and he took it from my hands and set it down on the silver tray that was still on the nightstand. "I'm glad you liked it," he said. "So, how are your wounds?" He sat down at the edge of the bed and waited for my response.

I just sat there and stared at him. "I'm fine," I answered. He nodded and said, "That's good to hear. I'm glad you're okay. It's good that I came along when I did. You would've bled out if I hadn't. Thank god you only had a graze on your arm. I'm not too skilled in pulling a bullet out."

My eyes narrowed. "How do you know I was shot at," I asked suspiciously. Elijah's face grew red and he looked away. "Well, I might've...," he started, "...followed you last night..."

"You what?!" I growled.

"I-I'm not a stalker! I was just worried! I thought something bad would happen," he said, looking sorry.

"You could've just asked to walk me," I said.

"I did."

"...Oh."

He sighed and said, "Please don't be mad. I know I shouldn't have done that but if I hadn't then who knows what could have happened? If I hadn't come along then you might've" -he gulped- "...died." He looked at me with a pure concerned look in his honey brown eyes. I was taken aback by this. No one has given me that kind of look for eight long years. It bothers me...

"Thanks, Freckles..," I muttered. Elijah smiled. I looked down at myself and sighed. Despite that I am mad at him for following me, I'm grateful. He's right. If he hadn't come along, I'd be left for dead. I'm glad that he came along too. I don't want to die. At least not in that way.

Laying a hand on my bandaged stomach, I asked, "Did you treat me?" Elijah nodded. "I put peroxide on your cuts and grazed arm and I put soothing cream on your bruised areas." I looked down at myself again, noting that I wasn't wearing a shirt, just the bra and bandages. I turned my head to Elijah and asked, "Did you enjoy the view like a little pervert?"

When he realized what I meant, his face turned cherry red and he quickly shook his head. "Of course not," he exclaimed nervously, "I would never! N-Not that your body is unattractive!Believe me, it is very slim and really, really nice."

I raised an eyebrow at him and he turned an even darker shade of red. "B-But I wouldn't stare at you like an indecent pervert. Not that your body is only meant for that! It's not! But its not unattractive either! Wait-! Oh god.. Look, what I'm trying to say is: You have a nice body but I wouldn't be a pervert. I'm not like that."

"Relax, spazz," I said, calming him down, "Its fine. Not the first time I expose myself to a man, anyway." Elijah almost looked hurt by my statement and I was surprised by the look on his face.

"I'm kidding..! Jeez," I said, smirking slightly.

"Oh thank god," he breathed. I gave him a look and he stammered again, "I mean, that's okay! It's not like...I was concerned...over that..."

I just shook my head and he looked away with flushed cheeks. I looked around the room and then shuffled my way to the edge of the bed. I got out and Elijah asked me, "Wait, wh-what are you doing?"

"Leaving," I stated.

"Wh-what?" he said.

I limped over to where my clothes were and picked them up. Something tumbled out onto the small table and I looked down to see the book I was reading. I left it there as I put on my shirt and jacket and then picked it up. I started making my way to the door and I told Elijah, "It was nice seeing you. I'll be going."

I opened the door and as I was stepping out, Elijah rushed over, grabbed my arm and he exclaimed, "Wait!" I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him. He quickly let me go and fiddled with the hem of his shirt, yet while still looking at me. "You can't leave! Not yet! Your injuries aren't healed yet. You can't go out there like this," he said.

Frowning, I said, "I'm not some weak girl. I can take care of myself."

"Still," he continued, "You can't make it out there while you're still healing. You'll get hurt again! Who knows what could happen to you in your condition? Please just stay."

"I said no," I growled and began turning away again.

"Please!" Elijah pleaded.

Without looking back, I muttered, "Look, I appreciate the help but I'm not staying here. I've got my own place." I started taking a step forward.

"I know you're lying."

I froze in my place, and my eyes widened. How could he...? I scowled and then slowly turned my head to look at him, sending my glare to him. "What...?!" I hissed.

He inhaled and said, "I know you don't have a place to stay. I know this because you're lying. And I can tell you're lying because you don't make eye-contact when you do."

I frowned harder. "Maybe I just don't like looking at people in general-."

"Last night, you made complete eye-contact with that thug who pulled a gun on you. And when you're lying to me you don't look at me. You even lied to me again, just now."

I sneered. This kid's got some damn nerve...! How dare he?! He doesn't know me! He doesn't know a damn thing about me!! I was already fed up with him and it hasn't even been longer than a minute. I sharply turned to him and snapped, "Alright fine! I'm lying! I don't have a place! I'm fucking homeless! And look! I'm looking right at your damn eyes! Am I lying to you now?! Is this better?!"

His eyes showed complete hurt yet he still held himself together and nodded. When I noticed how his eyes gleamed from feeling upset, my frown softened and I looked away. I felt...bad. I shook my head and looked back at him, only to see him staring down at the floor with that upset look on his light, freckled face. I sighed and muttered, "Listen, kid, I'll eventually find a new place, okay?"

Elijah didn't answer me. I just took this as my signal to leave and so I began to walk out again. But I was stopped yet again when Elijah said to me, "Let's make a deal."

I stopped and hesitated to turn around to face the boy. And once I did my body completely froze. Elijah held a hard expression on his face and it shocked me to see him give me that look, yet his hard expression still looked innocent. I stared at him, wide eyed, as he spoke to me in a serious tone. "I know you're the type of person who likes to do and earn things yourself. And that's fine. But that isn't the case here. We can make a deal. You can stay here; where I'll provide you with food, clothes, shelter, and company, until you get back up on your feet. If you choose not to accept then you're welcome to leave." He held out his hand for me and I figured it was a seal-the-deal handshake. I shifted my gaze from him to his hand. I can't accept his offer. As mush as I would want to, I could never stay in a place like this. It'll only be a matter of time where I'll get him in trouble with the law for harboring a criminal. Besides, he'll only grow to hate me in the end. I could never stay here, in a place like this, with a boy like him. Yet, as I look in Elijah's nearly golden eyes, not only did I see his seriousness but I also saw...yearning. A yearning for me to accept the deal and stay here like he wants. And, a look like that sent my knees feeling shaky and until it came to the point where I could just plead for my own body to buckle to the floor. Why does this kid impact my emotions like this? I frowned and grit my teeth. Looking down at his hand, I sighed.

Damn this kid...!

I firmly grasped Elijah's hand and shook. He seemed surprised by this and he was late to react and shake back. "Only until I can find a new place," I reminded him. He slowly began to smile and he nodded. "Great," he said, joyfully. We stopped the handshake and he added, "Don't worry! I promise you will enjoy being here. If there's anything you need, I will get it. You're my guest and it's my job to make you feel welcome. I promise you this!" He stuck out his pinkie and I intertwined my own with his. His childish smile grew wider and he said, "I'll go clean up the mess in the hall."

"Oh yeah," I muttered, "Sorry about the lamp..."

He chuckled, "It's okay. It wasn't anything important. I'll go clean up and then afterwards I'll make dinner! I think you'll like it!" Excited, he rushed past me and down the hall, jumping over the broken lamp as he did. "M-My name is Jane, by the way!" I exclaimed, but he was already off. Shaking my head, I closed the door and took off my jacket. I put it back at the foot of my bed, along with the book. I got back into my bed and sighed, letting my body relax again. Everything seems to be going by pretty fast. One minute I'm getting pulverized by a street gang, the next I'm staying in a wealthy, out-of-my-league estate with a naive little red-head aiding to my every beck and call. This point in my fucked up life is the wildest I've had. And I had a feeling it would only get crazier. I looked back up at the ceiling and that's when it dawned on me. And it dawned on me pretty hard.

"What the hell did I just get myself into?"

...

After a while, I got up from my bed and walked out of my room. I limped my way to a set of stairs and each time I took a step down, my body would ache and jolt in slight pain. I held my stomach as I walked and followed the smell of food. I turned a corner and walked through an wide, open doorway and gaped at what was practically a ballroom of a kitchen. The tiled floor had a black and white checkered pattern and the walls were plain white. There were silver pots and pans hanging on racks, silver utensils washed clean on a dish rack and basically everything else was either white or silver.

I looked across the kitchen to see Elijah cooking just like he said he would earlier. Judging by the smell of the food, he's just about done. I watched him set down a wooden spoon and turn off the stove. He turned around, only to yelp loudly and clutch his chest in surprise. "Oh god, you startled me," he breathed.

"Oops," I said, nonchalantly. He eventually calmed down and gave me a peachy smile. "Come here," he said and waved me over. I raised an eyebrow and hesitantly limped my way towards him. He picked up the wooden spoon, and scooped up some soup he was apparently making. He held it out to me with a hand under the spoon to keep the soup from spilling to the floor. "Try some," he offered and I wasn't sure if I should. I don't trust this kid. He's wayyyy too nice. I'm not sure if I like that. Just as I was about to decline, the aroma of the concoction got to me big time and I could feel my stomach ache from hunger. I scolded myself and couldn't restrain myself from opening my mouth and allowing Elijah to put the spoon full of soup in. I practically clamped my jaws down on the utensil out of hunger and eagerness and I shuddered once I tasted the amazing food Elijah had made. Its been so long since I've tasted something this good. Eight years to be exact. And during those eight years I've had to live off of convenient store snacks or nothing at all. It feels so good to have something so decent- better than decent!

It took me a while to realize that I still had my mouth around the wooden spoon and Elijah was patiently waiting for me to let go. I snapped out of my food induced trance and opened my mouth to let Elijah take back his spoon. He chuckled at me and said, "I take it you like the soup?" I looked at him and then looked away. "Its pretty good," I muttered. He just smiled and put the wooden spoon down.

"Well, everything is already done so, if you'd like, you can take your seat in the dining room," he said, "it's the room right across from here."

I nodded and made my way out of the kitchen and into the dining room. I was a bit taken aback by the decor of the room. Large lengthy windows lined the wall opposite from me, with red curtains that were tied to the sides with ornate tassels. The fancy rug under the dining table felt soft and comfy under my bare feet. I pulled out a chair and carefully took my seat since my body still ached. I sighed once I leaned back into the chair and looked up, my eyes widening at the very beautifully sculpted twin chandeliers attached to the ceiling above me. They shined and sparkled gorgeously and I couldn't help but stare at them. Jeez, the only shining thing I've ever come close to staring at were knives and police lights. This is a big change..

I heard the door open and I turned my head to see Elijah coming in with a fancy little serving table. He walked up next to me and set down a bowl of soup and some sort of little plate of salad. "I tried making something that you'd be able to handle right now," Elijah said, as he poured me a glass of water. He set it down beside my bowl and set down a fork and spoon in a cloth along with it. "You can start eating now," he said, "if you're still hungry I'll gladly give you seconds."

He carted the serving table away and I looked down at my meal. I want to scarf it all down so bad but I was afraid of traumatizing Elijah with my mad eating skills. But I also didn't want to disappoint him so I went ahead and started eating. By the end of this, I hope the bowl was still on the table and not six inches within my esophagus. As I was taking in spoonfuls of soup, I looked across the table and saw Elijah already back and sitting on the other side, writing on a journal with two textbooks on the table in front of him. I stopped eating for a second to just look at him. The way his brow furrowed and he leaned forward made it obvious that he was putting a lot of focus on whatever he was doing. His hair cast a bit of a shadow over his eyes but I could still see the light in them. Now that I think back on it, that light was always there no matter what expression he ever showed to me. I bet if he was yelling, I'd still see that light, though enraged yelling doesn't seem like something he'd do. I bet if he cried, I'd see the light, and I'm sure he'd have a better chance crying than with yelling. He seemed that naive and fragile. So innocent. So easy to break.

I clutched the spoon in my hands. Even though he was just so easy to tear apart, I knew I couldn't do that. I had a feeling I would never be able to bring myself to do so. I frowned at him. A kid so innocent as him should never hang around someone like me. There's no chance he would last.

But then, why am I still here with him?

I looked down at my soup and thought. Elijah has already seen my face. The second he saw me, he would've called the police or thrown me out of his residence. I'm not the best looking and he knows that. For Christ's sake, he can tell when I'm lying, and I'm pretty fuckin' good at lying. Elijah is clearly a smart kid and the first thing he should've done was call up someone to be rid of me. Now that I think of it, he should know who I am. I'm everywhere around this city: on the news channels, newspapers, wanted posters and on social media websites, really. Not everyone knows exactly what I look like but I'm still around. Little kids would even know who I am. Elijah should have the commons sense to recognize me somehow and call the cops.

"Hey, Freckles," I called him. Elijah looked up from his journal and textbooks and said, "Yes?"

Looking at him with a frown, I asked, "Why aren't you disgusted with me?" Elijah gave me a strange look and mumbled, "Wh-What do you mean?"

The corner of my mouth twitched and I said, "Don't play dumb, kid. You're smart. And you have eyes. It should be plain and simple what I'm talking about."

"You mean...your face...?" Elijah said, though he said it like he was still clueless. I sighed and replied, "Yes, my face. Why aren't you repulsed by it? Aren't you the least bit creeped out? At all?"

To my surprise, he hasn't replied with 'A little' or 'Yes' but he simply shook his head as a no. He wasn't even hesitant about it at all.

"Why not?" I asked, feeling the spoon in my hand dig into my skin as I clutched it harder.

Elijah closed his notebook and looked up at me, with his answer as, "Because, I think you're beautiful."

My body froze, the spoon slipped out of my loosened grip and fell onto the tabletop with a small, metallic ting. I stared at him, wondering just what the hell was wrong with this kid. Surprise and confusion flitted around in my mind. But deep inside I could feel a strange sense of...relief. Why?

"I'm...beautiful...?" I asked.

Elijah nodded and started, "Yeah. I mean, you don't look like other women but I still respect you and appreciate you like one. Just because you look different doesn't mean I should treat you like trash. You're not on the streets anymore. You're here with me."

Something about that last sentence seemed awfully possessive though I might just be imagining that. I clenched my jaw and listened to Elijah as he continued. "My mom always told me to see the beauty in everything bad as I was growing up. And, I know you are scary to other people but I don't see that. If anything, your look is more beautiful than any other girl out there. Your skin is practically like snow, a-and I love snow. I like the way your hair curls and makes pretty, black swirls. And I like your eyes too, even if they don't have color to them. They shine in a certain way that's enthralling. I also think the way you scrunch up your nose is pretty. And that half smirk that you do that's so close to being a smile. I bet if you smiled it would look pretty too. And-."

Elijah suddenly stopped and fluttered his eyes as if he was getting out of a trance. I stared at him with my eyebrows knit yet I wasn't the slightest bit angry with him, for some odd reason. I almost enjoyed how into his words he got. Elijah looked at me and I could see the blush coming upon his cheeks. He looked away and tugged at the tips of his red hair nervously. "S-Sorry," he mumbled childishly, "I didn't mean to get carried away with that. I hope I didn't creep you out or anything." My eyes never shifted away from him and I noted how red his ears grew too.

I shook my head and said, "It's fine.. I'm just a little surprised. Well, actually, very surprised."

"Why?" Elijah asked.

I looked down at the table and stifled a dry chuckle. "Because, no one has ever said that about me. You'd be surprised by the things people can come up with to insult me. So, all of this is a first for me. I'm not sure how I feel about it."

"Well...I don't expect you to get used to me right away," Elijah said.

"I should say the same for you," I said and Elijah stared at me for a few moments before realizing what I meant. He was about to open his mouth, when something rang somewhere out of the dining room. It sounded like a telephone. "S-Sorry," he said, "I have to take that. I'll be right back."

Elijah sat up from his seat and then pushed it back in before walking out of the dining room to answer the ringing phone. I waited until the sound of his footsteps faded and his voice was but a faint whisper down the hall. I looked down at the table again and pursed my lips. That kid worries me. He's going to deal with a lot of shit and here he is being nice to me, totally unaware of the consequences to having me here. Does he even know what I've done? Maybe that's why he hasn't kicked me out yet. Though still, my looks should be enough justification throw me out. I'm not sure if I understand it myself but, the fact that he's not bothered by me freaks me out.

Sighing, I grabbed my glass of water and took a sip, mentally slapping myself because..

The fact that he's not bothered by me also relieves me.

-

THE PICTURE IN THE MULTIMEDIA DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I FOUND IT ON GOOGLE AND IT LOOKED GORGEOUS AND PRETTY ACCURATE TO ELIJAH. MEH. CREDIT GOES OUT TO THE ORIGINAL ARTIST. (I wanna digitally draw like yoooouuuuuu) HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER! :D

Stay Creepy, My Friends!~