Romance on the Dancefloor - Ch. 7

We were sitting at a dinner café at the side of the highway, a few miles away from home.
"So, are you now going to tell me what happened?" I took a deep breath, trying to get rid of the stress and fear I still felt. I was still shaking, still in shock. He looked at my hands that didn't stop trembling.
"Are you sure you're okay?" I quickly hid my hands under the table "Yeah, I just need some time to recover from all of this". I smiled. A fake smile to hide how I was really feeling. Fear, pain, hurt, lonely, ...
"Take all the time you need". He’s voice was so comforting that it made my stress slowly disappear.
After a few seconds of silence I took a sip from my coffee and then began to tell him what happened. He directed his full attention on me. He frowned his eyebrows a little making him look serious and concentrated on my story.
"So why don’t you want to go to the police with this?"
"I can’t…"
"Why not? I heard everything he said throughout the phone, Layla. He’s clearly not going to let this go."
"Okay and then what? I’m under-aged. They’ll put me in some kind of institution. I’m not going there."
"When will you turn 18?"
"In 2 months" it was quiet for a while.
"So what’s your plan?" Sean said.
"For now I will crash in a hotel or something, and then I’ll see."
"Are you out of you mind? He’s going to find you."
"I have no choice"
"I’m not going to let you do this." He shook his head.
"Well, I’m sorry but you can’t stop me." I took a last sip of my cup of coffee and got up from my chair.
"Wait! Where are you going?" he stood up from his chair and grabbed my arm. His touch made me shiver. I looked at his hand on my arm but he quickly let go of it.
"I told you, I have to leave now. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I really owe you".
"Wait! My mother…"
"Is on a business trip again? I interrupted him. "I’m not going home with you again." people started looking at us.
"You make it sound like I’m trying to trick you into my bed?" he had a teasing smile.
"Besides that’s not what I was going to say. My mother might be able to give you advice. She used to do volunteer work in those institution she has some experience with that kind of stuff." I started thinking. Maybe it was a good idea to talk to someone with experience. I had to know what my options are.
"So?" he looked at me waiting for my answer.
"Okay".

It was late when we arrived at his place. Being in his house again made me think of the other night. I stared at the door where he kissed me. The thought of it made me shiver again. I took a seat on the couch.
"My mother’s not home yet. She’s probably still at work"
"So late?"
"Yeah, she’s a workaholic" he said while rolling his eyes.
"Better a workaholic than an alcoholic."
"True" there was an awkward silence. But it was quickly interrupted by a key noise.
A beautiful young woman appeared. I got up from the coach, Sean stood next to me.
"I didn’t know you had a sister" I whispered.
"I don’t" he went to her and gave her a kiss. "High mum". It is his mother. I really didn’t expect his mother, or any mother, to look like that. She was tall and slim, looked about 30 years old. She was wearing a dark, tight suit and high heels with off course a matching purse. She was very fashionable and gorgeous at the same time. She had beautiful dark eyes with long lashes and a big smile that looked like Julia Roberts’.
"And who might this pretty lady be?" she looked surprised.
"Layla" I reached out my hand to greet her. Her handshake was strong. Definitely a self confident woman.
"Nice to meet you Layla" she had a big smile on her face while looking at Sean. "It was about time you brought a girl home."
"Oh no, we’re not…" we both said.

"Layla is a girl from school and she kind of needs your advice on something". A girl from school? Is that it? I was disappointed to be referred as ‘just a girl from school’. But then again, despite how I was feeling, I was just a girl from school.
"Okay, I suggest I set up some tea and then you can explain to me everything" It was clear that she understood the importance of my situation. After a while she came back with tea and some cookies.
"Okay I’m listening". I told her everything, from my mothers’ phone call to Dan’s abuse and threats. She listened to me the whole time. She had the same look on her face as Sean, when he listened to my story at the café. Only she had tears in her eyes. "I'm afraid you'll have to go to the police with this. Not going could cost your life Layla."
"And will I be able to live on my own?"
She sighed. "I’m afraid not. There are organizations that…"
"I know those kinds of ‘organizations’ and I refuse to go there." I could see in her eyes that she understood me.
"Isn’t there another option?" Sean said.
"Well there is a possibility to find a family where you can live with for a while. But to be honest the chance to find a family who’s willing to take care of a 17year old is very little." It was quiet for a while. "But I can always try." She looked at me as if she wanted to know what I was thinking.
"I’m not too happy about my options, but if I had to choose then I think I prefer the second one."
"Okay. I suggest you stay here for the night, let it all sink in, and tomorrow we’ll go to the police".
"No, there is no need for that. I will crash in a hotel." I stood up to leave. "I really appreciate your advice, but now it’s up to me to handle this."
"Layla, I’m afraid I can’t let you go. It’s not safe to be alone right now."
She was right, it wasn’t safe. It was quiet for a while but then agreed to stay.

I could hardly walk the next morning. My entire body hurt, guess the punching and the pulling really paid off. I went downstairs and followed the smell of the coffee to the kitchen. Sean and his mother were already there.
"Good morning" I said.
"Good morning" they both replied. They were both staring at me. Trying to figure out how I was feeling. I felt awful, physically and mentally. But they didn’t have to know that. So I tried my best to hide my feelings by putting a fake smile on my face.
"So Layla, Sean and I have been talking and he told me how you’re a good and nice girl and that you stay out of trouble…" I took a glimpse at Sean and raised my eyebrows. Trying to tease him just with a glimpse.
"so we would like for you to live with us for a while"
"What!? No no no, uh. It’s very nice of you, but I can’t accept this."
"Why not" she didn’t understand why I didn’t want to. I couldn’t tell her that her son was actually my ‘enemy’ and that I was attracted to him at the same time. That it would be too awkward living side by side with him.
"You know it’s either that or with a family you don’t know, if you get lucky off course" she continued. Sean just stood there, didn’t say a word. Was he okay with this?
"Look we’ll go to the police station now and in the mean time you can think about our offer."
"Okay" I replied.

After giving the declaration to the police and explaining everything, again, Mrs. Miles drove me back to their house.
"Now we only need to wait for the police to call us as soon as they catch Dan. In the meantime it’s better for you to stay in the house" she said. "I have to go to work now. Just make yourself comfortable, okay" she said
"Thanks Mrs. Miles"
"Please, just call me Kate" she smiled.
"Okay, Kate" I got out of the car and made my way back into the house. I heard music coming from upstairs. My curiosity made me follow the music and it lead me to a door next to Sean’s room. The door was open. I looked inside to see a place that looked like a small empty gym with wooden floor and a big mirror that covered an entire wall. And there was Sean, dancing. I have to admit that I always admired his talent. I loved seeing him dance. He saw me but that didn’t stop him from dancing. He continued till the song stopped. The sweat on his body made it clear that he was dancing for hours.
"Not bad" I said.
"Me or this room?" he said while wiping his face with a towel.
"I will let you guess that one".
"Okay." He smiled.
"But I like this room too" I said with a smile. I looked around the room. At the back of the room there was a corner with a couch and a small table.
"So, how did it go at the police?" he said
"It was great. I had the time of my life" I said sarcastically.
"And did you decide what to do next? Are you going to stay with us or not?"
"You ask a lot of questions"
"And you always avoid them" it’s true I did avoid questions. I didn’t know why I did that. I guess because the less I answered them the less people knew things about me. And he knew enough.
"Look, if you refuse to stay with us just because of me, don’t worry I won’t be breathing on your neck if that’s what you think"
"What makes you think I’ll refuse because of you?"
"You agree to stay with strangers but you don’t want to stay with us. You’re just afraid of being around me all the time" I raised my eyebrows.
"You really think you have that effect on me?"
"I don’t think, I’m sure"
"Don’t flatter yourself" I tried to prove him wrong, but I knew he was right. I was afraid to be around him all the time. I was afraid that my feelings towards him would grow and that I won’t be able to suppress them anymore. But how did he manage to read me? Did I give him that impression? Or was it just his arrogance and self-confidence that made him say those things? It could be just a wild guess. But I had to prove him wrong.

So that evening I was sitting in the kitchen with Kate, it was clear that the kitchen was the most liveable place in the house, and she first explained to me what the police told her about Dan.
"They found Dan at a café near the house. Normally they have enough to keep him locked for a while. Seems like there were other complains about him. Bar fights, steeling, etc…" I was relieved.
"So did you think about your next step?"
"Yes, I can’t say how much it means to me that you offer me your home. And I really like you, so it’s only logical to accept it." I could see she was thrilled by my decision.
"You took the right decision Layla. I’m glad you did." I was happy to see her so enthusiastic it made me feel like she cared. Something I haven’t been feeling in a long time now. She cared more than my own mother cared for me.
"Now, I hope you understand that there are rules in this house and we need to sit and talk about it."
"Of course" she then went to the stairways and called Sean to come downstairs. She made us both sit in front of her.
"Okay, Layla agreed to stay with us" she said while looking at Sean. I wished I could see Sean’s’ reaction but as he was sitting next to me I couldn’t see his expression.
"So, to set things straight, the rules for Sean apply for you too. That means no boyfriends coming over when I’m not around. No alcohol and/or drugs"
I nodded.
"As Sean doesn’t have a curfew since he reached 18 it’s only fair that you don’t have one either. But… That doesn’t mean you can stay out all night. I trust you will come home at a decent hour. Sean and I have a relationship build on trust and I hope we can have that too" she continued while looking at me.
"I know I’m not home very often but I want you to know you can come to me for anything. School, relationship issues everything. Okay?" I nodded.
"And one more thing, and that’s why I called you Sean, I hope you two can behave as brother and sister, if you know what I mean" She looked at us in turn.
"Oh you really don’t need to worry about that." I said.
"Sean?" she then said.
"Don’t worry mum, besides we’ll give each other space" he replied. That was a good idea.
"Good idea, but you can give each other space after you both cleaned up the guest room. That will be your new bedroom Layla." She continued. Bad idea, me and him in the same room, alone. Bad idea.

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