Ten

"..Danielle?" A timid, soft voice enquired.
"Yeah?" I dropped a spare pillow at the head of a sleeping bag I`d laid down on the ground beside my bed.
I`d asked him earlier if he was the comfort of my own bed, or even the couch, but he politely refused and insisted to lying on the bag on the carpet.
Oh hearing his voice I turned around to see him standing in the shadow of the doorway with a slight look of nervousness on his bruised face.
"Can I, um... go back to the house for a few minutes?" He asked, as if only under my permission he could leave.
But why in hell did he want to go back there?
"Why?" I raised my eyebrow to try and conceal the worry that was already building in me.
"Um... just to get some.. stuff." He was too slow in answering.
"It`ll be okay, though. He`d be gone by now." He added.
"Are you sure?" I urged.
"Yeah... he`s normally out at this time in the evening, anyway. And especially since he`s going out of town."
"Alright. What do you need? I could come with you and -" He cut me off.
"No! I mean, I - I`m barely getting anything, anyway. Just stuff like underwear... y`know?" He gulped when he explained it. It made me wonder more thouroughly what he might possibly be hiding.
I suspected there was probably a deeper reason he wanted to go back.
"Oh... okay." I murmured, unsatisfied. "Are you certain he`ll be gone?"
"Yep." He smiled weakly in encouragment. "Don`t worry. I won`t be long."
That grin of his - even though I`d saw it before - lips cornered in a way that struck me so much, it was almost like a new experience.
I nodded, because aI knew myself his house was only a street or two away from mine. If it was any furthur of a distance, I wouldn`t have took `no` for an answer to walking him there.
"Be careful." I ordered. He nodded in response before vanishing from the doorframe.
I heard the gentle click of the door opening an closing behind him, then it was quiet.
He had barely made any noise himself anyway, but now he wasn`t here the silence was eery in the room.
I gulped. Then I retrieved another spare pillow from Brent`s room and set it on top of the other one I had left for Stanley.
Then I went downstairs to the kitchen and made sure the heating was turned on, as I figured Stanley`s cold little frame could use it later.
Once pleased with the pleasent warmth now emitting from all areas of the house, I checked the kitchen cupboards for any snacks.
There wasn`t enough to feed the 5000, but the wooden cupboards contained a can or two of meaty soup probably belonging to Brent, coco powder which I was certain had became toxic with old age, and a small, half empty box of chocolate-chip cookies. They would do.
I clutched the box and was about to make my way back upstairs, when the doorbell screeched through the household and made me jolt.
I half-jogged to the front door and opened it.
Thankfully, I now opened it to a half-smiling, cleaned-up Stanley. Unlike the bloodied-and-beaten, sobbing one before.
"Hi, again." He semi-whispered shyly.
I gestured for him to come in, so he took a minute step inside. The little movement made the plastic bag he now held in his hand rattle.
"Hey," I greeted, then looked down as his bag. "What`s that?"
"This?" He held it up. "Well, socks and stuff like that. Remember?"
"Oh." I grinned. "Well, do you wanna change in the bathroom now? Or later, whatever floats your boat."
He chuckled at the saying.
"Okay, I`ll change now."
"Alright! I put a pair of pyjama`s on top of the cabinet in the bathroom for you -"
"I forgot to say," He shook the bag gently again," I brought my own; I guess I thought I might as well since I was over... but thanks, anyway."
"Uh... no problem. Brent`s probably would`ve drowned you, anyways." I giggled, and he did the same. I wanted to add "you`re too damned skinny" which would flatter most people, but he reason for being so thin most likey wasn`t under his control.
It made me think - did they have food in Stanleys house? His Dad probably did... but not him.
He walked soundlessly towards the bathrooms across the halland locked the door behind him.
It was only then I noticed that one particular pockets on his jeans was bulging.
I decided to ignore it.
♥♥♥
By the time he was ready, I was already changed into my own sleepwear and curled on the couch.
The bathroom door opened with a low click, causing me to spin my head around.
He opened the door and stepped out cautiously, in grey sock-covered feet. I looked at his attire; a simple pair of pyjama`s consisting of a faded red T-Shirt that clung to him like a secondary skin. It revealed the majority of his ribs, which looked like little ripples through the fabric.
He also wore a simple pair of baggy, black bottoms.
"Quit staring!" Stanley mumbled, not able to look a t me in the eye as if he were embarassed. "I feel stupid."
He was shifting nervously and fumbling with his fingers - I found it adorable.
I guessed it was to do with the fact he hadn`t been to a sleepover before; or any other social activity.
"I`m not," I corrected, "And the sleepwear is fine, fashionista! Now, let`s go upstairs. I got cookies for you."
"Cookie`s?" He beamed. His face had instantly lit up.
I gesured for him to follw me up the wooden staircase and then into my room.
"Where`sa cookies?" He asked eagarly and childlike.
"What are you, five?" I joked, and picked up the cookie packet I`d left on the bed. I handed it to him.
"Thank you!" He gushed gratefully. He then took a cookie from the box in bony fingers, and devoured it desperately whilst I dropped down on the bed.
It was 8.40pm. A little early for sleeping just yet.
"Its not exactly late yet... how about a movie?" I suggested.
"Okay." He seemed up for it. But his mouth was so crammed full of chocolate chip, making it the number one source of enthusiasm in the meantime.
I went quietly to the corner of my room wheremy DVD rack stood with pride - stacked full with over 40 movies of all kinds. He followed me.
"Pick one!" I grinned. I motioned smugly atmy large collection.
"Me?" He raised his eyebrows in surprise and flattery, that he could pick whatever he wanted. Like a kid in a candy store.
"Yes."
"Wow.. okay!" He smiled and immediately dropped to his knees in front of the rack, eyeing each disc dover carefully for titles he found appealing.
I looked down at him while he picked through the DVD`s.
Pulling an odd one out and reading the back, then fumbling to stick them back into their slot if they didn`t sound interesting.
I just hoped - for his sake - he wouldn`t choose one too violent. I ddin`t want him to droop back down again from the delighted mood he was currently in.
I thought that if he saw something in the movie vaguely familiar from what he faced at home from his Father... well, I didn`t want to think of the reaction.
Eventually, he choose one with the title "Artillery To Hold Fire". It was one of Brent`s that I hadn`t watched before.
"This one!" He held up his chosen disc proudly.
"Okay." I took the DVD from him and approched my TV which was positioned at the endof my bed.
It was a pretty good place for it, in my opinion, as I could always just perch with my head on a pillow and view whatever I wanted.
Slipping the disc into the DVD player, I motioned for Stanley to sit with me on the bed after I had myself.
"Lets get this show on the road." I said, and pressed play on the remote.

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