Not My Hero

Colton holds me, and as he lowers his head, I feel his breaths skim over my neck.

I close my eyes, and even though I’m thoroughly rattled by what happened, I have to admit, I do feel better.

Colton once again saved me. Maybe I should trust him because, so far, he’s done nothing to hurt me.

Pressing harder against him, I admit, “I do trust you.”

Colton’s hold on me tightens, and I feel his lips skim over my skin as he whispers, “Thank you. I won’t let you regret it.” He pulls back, and bringing his hands to my face, he frames my cheeks. There’s a different look darkening his eyes as he stares at me.

Something weird and unexpected begins to grow inside my chest. It’s an emotion I haven’t felt before – filled with warmth and excitement.

There’s a knock at the door, and we instantly pull apart.

Mrs. Lawson peeks into the room. Her eyes fall on the bags at the foot of the bed, and then she smiles. “I’m glad to see you’re moving in, Brie.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Lawson,” I reply, and still feeling uneasy about just moving in, I stand up and ramble, “I’ll help with the chores. I promise not to be a burden.”

She waves the words away and walks closer. “It will be nice to have another woman in the house.”

Colton let’s out a chuckle. “Yeah, I’ll be outnumbered.”

Mrs. Lawson takes another step closer and slowly lifts a hand to my face. I instantly stiffen, bracing for the worst. But then she tenderly brushes the bangs away from my forehead.

“I hope you’ll feel right at home with us, and if you need anything, you can tell me,” she says.

I nod, and not used to affection, especially from a mother figure, my chin begins to tremble.

Mrs. Lawson slowly pulls me into a hug, and fear makes my heartbeat speed up. I stand frozen as she begins to rub a hand up and down my back.

Then something strange happens, and warmth begins to spread through my chest from her soft touch. Embracing Mrs. Lawson feels so different from hugging Colton.

It becomes more comforting.

It’s everything I ever wanted from my mother but never had.

She smells like flowers, and she feels like… a mom.

Overwhelmed by feeling the gentleness of a real mother’s touch, tears flood my eyes because it feels so good. It’s so soothing.

She doesn’t snap at me for being over-emotional. She doesn’t accuse me of being dramatic.

She just holds me and continues to rub a gentle hand over my back.

When Mrs. Lawson pulls back, there’s a motherly smile on her face, and her eyes shine with unshed tears. She lifts a hand to my hair, and again she brushes the strands away from my eyes. Then she glances around the room. “I think we should go shopping to get a few things for the room. You know, to make it yours.”

“Okay.” There’s a fluttering of excitement in my chest, easing some of the tension I feel.

“Maybe something to hang on the walls? And fairy lights? What’s your favorite color? We can get a new bed cover and pillowcases to match then.”

My eyes dart over the room, and a million thoughts pop into my head. Still too overwhelmed, I can’t voice any of them, so instead, I mumble, “Anything will be great.”

“We can make it a fun project.” Then she grows serious. “Is it okay if I ask you a couple of questions?”

I nod and nervously clasp my hands together. Colton just sits on the bed watching us, but knowing he’s here makes me feel safe.

“You’re a senior, right?”

“Yes, I’ll be eighteen soon.”

There’s relief on her face as she says, “That’s good news. When’s your birthday?”

“September twenty-third.”

Her mouth curves into a smile again. “Oh, Colton is October twenty-third. It’s an easy date to remember.” Then she adds, “It’s in two weeks. We’ll do something special and go shopping for everything then.”

I smile at the idea because I’ve never celebrated it before.

“What did your mother say when you left?”

The question makes the smile drop from my face. Ashamed, I answer, “Ah… she told me to leave.”

Mrs. Lawson’s eyebrows dart up, but then she schools her face, hiding the surprise. “Maybe that’s for the best, then she won’t try to fight us for you.”

Her comment makes anxiety worm it’s way back into my chest. “I don’t want to cause you and Colton any trouble.”

Mrs. Lawson waves her hand. “You’re no trouble at all. I just want to be prepared, but with you turning eighteen soon, you’ll be an adult, so I’m sure even if she did make a fuss, everything would work out fine.”

The encouraging words make me feel a little less apprehensive.

“I’ll leave you to get settled.” Mrs. Lawson gives me another sideways squeeze before she leaves.

Even though the morning was a nightmare, I really do feel better after all the comfort Colton and his mom has given me.