Nathaniel's POV:

  I  spoke to Chole's father and spilled out some of my frustration.

   I told him the truth, and he was not angry. I was shocked since I had confessed that I had been able to protect her from the first sexual attack against her. I had felt bad that I had let her down.

   I had been there when it happened, but I had been rendered unconscious for a while before she showed up. I recalled hearing her screams when I woke up. Screams that would haunt me forever.

  I felt responsible for what happened to her. I should have protected her.

    I failed. 

   I sighed shortly after the retired mayor left with Sarah.

     I  felt so hopeless. Would she ever be able to forgive me when she found out? I was sure she would someday, because I could not lie to her. I loved her too much to do that to her.

     Even if she hates me, I have to tell her. I was unsure that telling her my hero identity was appropriate, so I decided not to say anything about that. It must remain a secret.

     I closed the door to her place and locked it. I set the alarm.

     I entered her kitchen to find something to drink. I saw some sodas, iced tea, and lemonade in the fridge. I smiled, she was amazing. I sighed once more as I fixed myself a glass of iced tea, and added a small lemon slice. I fixed her a glass of lemonade.

       I  went to her room and saw she was still asleep. I set her glass on the cup holder on her nightstand beside the bed. I saw scratch marks on it for the first time.

        I sobbed. Is that where she tried to reach out for help the day he ruined her? 

        I noticed the phone in the room was new.  

        I  sat on her bed careful not to wake her. I wished for all my love for her I could help her.

       How could I be the man she needs? The man her father sees in me? 

         I drank some tea, then went back to the kitchen. I set the glass in the sink and heard her moan in her sleep.

          I  entered her room slowly so as not to scare her. I was unsure what state to find her in considering what happened earlier. I hoped Sarah could forgive me someday for failing to be all I could for her mother and her. I  felt a few tears graze my cheek.

       "Bee," I whispered.  I sat there afraid to disappoint her. What if she ends up despising me? 

         "Chole, I am here," I said softly. I saw her flip over so that she lay on her stomach. 

              I gasped when the edges of her clothes blew loose from the fan. I  saw the small gashes, burns, and a tattoo there.  The tattoo was a bumblebee with the letters, "B-E-E," across it. I didn't know she had gotten a tattoo.  I blushed when I looked closer and saw the other letters below it that spelled out, "N-A-T-H." When had she gotten it?

               "Nath, I need to tell you," She whispered in her sleep.

                  I  saw her left hand open and wept when I saw what it held.

                   I  picked it up and examined it. It was a small broken chain.

                   I recognized it.  It had been my mother's, but how had she gotten it?

                   The chain still had the small rose with the daisy pendant beside it.

                    Chole opened her eyes and looked at me. "N-Nath, I-I have to tell you," She stutters.

                     "Tell me what?" I ask.

                       I  hold her hand gently rubbing my fingers from the other hand over it.

                      "I  found this in the dirt at my workplace," She said.

                     "Found what?" I inquired of her.

                    "The chain you are holding now was in the dirt outside the gate where I work, but I am not sure how it got there,"  Chole says.

                         "It was my mother's bracelet," I say.

                   Chole frowned.  "Your mother's, but that can't be," She says.

                        I squeezed her hand. "Chole, it is alright. Listen, I have to tell you something, and you may despise me, maybe even hate me for it, but I have to tell you," I say. I hear her gasp, "Nothing could be so bad that I could hate you, never." She says.

                         "I  was there the day, he well, it is not easy for me to say it," I began.

                       "what is it, Nath?" She asks. She looks at me with that adorable grin.

                       "Bee, I went to speak to Jeff, and you were not there yet. He started to say, some horrid things about you to me, but I did not believe them. I tried to defend you, but he came at me. I punched him, but it was not enough. He hit me and I passed out cold." I started to weep at the memory.

                        "He did what?"  Chole's eyes widened. 

              "He made me blacken out, and I swear I did not mean for him to take it out on you. I am sorry, it is all my fault, if I had been better at protecting you none of that would have happened. You see, I woke up in my car, and I do not recall going back to it, but the worst of it is I heard your screams. I  yelled, but he kept on raping you. Chole, I failed to protect you," I sobbed.

                       "Shh, Nath, it is not your fault, " Chole says. She puts a finger on my lip.

                         "You don't want me to leave and never return?" I say feeling my voice tremble as I speak. "Don't be silly, you never were to blame for what he did to me. Besides, I know you would helped if you could have,"  Chole says. She starts to play with my hair.

                        "You have a tattoo of a bee, but when?" I ask. "Oh, that I got that while you were in the hospital. It is kinda silly," She says. "No, it is not, I like it," I say and wink at her. Chole blushes. "Why does it have your nickname for me below the bee?" I ask. "Because you are the only one allowed to call me that, and because you are the man I love," Chole answers. 

                         Chole sees me shake my head. "Nath, I will never stop loving you," she says. Chole kisses me and I feel like everything around us stops. I kiss her back and gently rub the sore places on her back.  

                      "Bee," I whisper against her lips. I pull away and see her smiling at me.

                  "Chole, I sent Sarah to stay with you at your father's place, and I promised not to leave you," I  started to say. "Nath," She whispers. Chole closed her eyes and kissed me again. This time it was slower than before. She slipped her tongue in so that it met mine.  I moaned, wishing for more, but I knew neither of us was ready.

                     I  kissed her.  Soon, she pulled away this time. "I better find you a toothbrush, " She says. I nodded my head. I watch her exit the room and I sigh. "Oh, Chole, you don't know what you do to me," I whisper in the silence. I  stood up and exited the room.

                   Chole saw me in the hallway looking at the photos with a frown. "Why isn't there one of us on the wall?" I ask. "I haven't put one up yet," She says. She frowns when she sees one she dislikes. "Ick, that one is no good," She says. She yanks the frame off the wall and throws it in the trash.  "There, it is right where it belongs in the trash because that is what he made me feel like for three years, trash," She remarks.

                     She hands me the toothbrush. "Thanks, Chole," I smirked. I entered the bathroom and brushed my teeth.  Chole followed me and brushed her teeth too.

                    The two of us sat and held hands for a while. I yawned, and Chole said, "Nath, go on to bed, I will be up in a minute."  I blushed,  but I entered the guest room. I lay down and fell asleep.

                     I woke up feeling her arms holding me. I kiss her cheek, "Good night, Bee." I whispered. I  closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

         Find out more in Chapter 44

      Until then,

bye-bye,

little owlets!

Summer out!