Page 3 of Raise Me Up

Nervously, I meet her gaze and get lost in her big brown eyes. She looks…soft. Her voice is even softer when she speaks. “Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?”

All I can do is nod. I don’t know why tonight is hitting me so hard.

Signaled along by Hail, I follow Stasi up the spiral staircase in their giant house. They operate like a practiced team, making me wonder if it’s normal for them to sneak around at night. I’ve always been a night owl. Late hours are when my dad passes out in his recliner, and I can pick up my guitar to practice music.

She motions me into a bright yellow bedroom. Curiosity mixes with adrenaline as I step inside, and she shuts the door.

It’s the first time I’ve been in another kid’s room. I imagined there’d be posters and sports medals on the walls.Somekind of display of who she is or what she likes. But there’s no trace of personality anywhere. Just a thick stack of textbooks on a plain white desk by the windows.

Stasi turns on the light in a connected bathroom, and Hail appears from the other side. He sets neatly folded clothes on the counter. “These should fit. I think we’re the same size.”

He doesn’t mean it as an insult, but his words poke at an open wound, anyway. I was held back twice in school, and I’m still too small for my age. Too bony and weak.

Hail slips away like a ghost again. I get the sense he doesn’t like to sit still.

“Do you want to rinse off?” Stasi asks, eyes dropping to my bloody, dirt-covered feet.

Worried she’ll get in trouble if I mess up the clean carpet, I give her another nod.

She leaves me in the middle of her bedroom to start up the shower. When I don’t follow, she comes back to get me, gently tugging on my baggy sleeve. “It’s okay.”

For some reason, those two words settle me. Or maybe it’s her sweet smile. I don’t think I’ve ever been around someone who didn’t make me feel like hiding. Whose touch didn’t make me want to cower.

She guides me into the bathroom. I’m not thinking clearly because I start to peel off my hoodie with her still in the room. Her eyes go wide as they fall to the yellow and purple bruises splattered like paint across my skin.

“Please,” I whisper, frantically shaking my head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Her little nose scrunches, but she eventually nods. “I’m a good listener, Liam.”

Instead of pushing me for more information, she closes me in the bathroom. Suddenly, I’m deflating. Pushing all the air from my body like I’ve been holding it for years.

I dare a glance at my reflection, frowning at the stringy, dark-haired, dark-eyed kid staring back at me. He doesn’t look like someone I’d want to be friends with.

Turning my body, I examine the bruises and scars across my back from steel-toed boots, beer bottles, and cigarette burns. Hot coffee when I burned breakfast one time.

Stripping out of the rest of my clothes, I step under the hot spray of water and stand there like a statue until the water runs clean. Then I dress in the clothes Hail left for me—a black band tee and a pair of sweats with a drawstring I have to tie extra tight.

I startle when I open the door and find the twins waiting for me on the edge of Stasi's bed. They both seem genuinely worried about me, and I don’t know what to do about it. Part of me wants to assure them I’m good now. No harm done this time.

The other part wants to break down and ask them to hide me in their rooms forever.

Stasi peeks at her brother.

“Rooftop,” he agrees. “I’ll grab the stuff.”

Do they share thoughts like they share features?

Hail darts from the room, and I’m left to stand awkwardly in front of his sister. She hops to her feet and moves over to the window. Cracking it open, she climbs up onto the ledge.

“Hey—” I lurch toward her, terrified over the height of her window in comparison to mine.

Perfectly calm, she turns and holds out her hand to me. “I won’t let you fall.”

Swallowing in the face of those warm, confident eyes, I place my shaky hand in hers.

I don’t think I breathe again until we make it over the peak of the roof. We’re not super high up, but a fall from this height would do some damage, so I cling to her hand like I’m the one saving her life tonight, not the other way around.

We sit beside each other, hidden behind the tall trees in their backyard, gazing up at the endless night sky. It’s hard to make out any stars with the light pollution, but a few shine through, desperate to be seen.