Opened Sores by Zarah Smith (uplifting books for women .TXT) 📖

out of school and down the street with their hands tied together. Gavin watched Alyssa stare at her feet as she dragged them against the cement. He stopped walking, pulling Alyssa towards him so that she was facing him. When Alyssa failed to meet his gaze, Gavin became concerned.

"Hey," He said softly putting a finger under her chin gently tugging upwards. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just not too thrilled to go home." She said staring into his eyes, hoping he'd rescue her.

"Why?" He started to ask but stopped remembering the date. "Well do you want to do something before you go? Stall?"

"No, I might as well just go. It won't make a difference." She said averting her gaze again. Gavin frowned wanting to help her but knowing there wasn't much he could do.

"Should I come with you?" He asked hopefully.

"No, not really." Alyssa muttered turning to walk. Gavin grabbed her hand, slowing her down so he could walk alongside her.

"Well i'm coming over later." Gavin stated watching Alyssa's reaction.

"But..."

"And I won't take no for an answer." He smiled softly, squeezing her hand.

"Okay," She smiled as they arrived to her house.

"I'll see you tonight," He said leaning in to kiss her.

Alyssa threw her arms over Gavins neck as he felt his lips touch her. She felt as if time had stopped in that moment. A smiled played on Gavins lips as he felt her arms tighten around him. When he started to pull away he felt Alyssa groan and started to laugh. He held on to her hands as he kissed her on the cheek before whispering an 'I love you' to her.

"I love you too." She whispered back.

Alyssa walked inside her house, briefly turning back to see Gavin walking away. She closed the door and turned to see her mother sitting on the couch. She was reading a book and wearing her glasses. Alyssa hadn't seen her mother do that since she was six and it freaked her out to find her doing that now.

"Hey sweetie, how was school?" Mrs. Cameron asked in a warm motherly voice, peering up from her book, only for a brief moment.

"It was...okay." Alyssa replied wondering what was making her mom so cheery.

"Where's dad?" Alyssa asked hesitantly.

"Oh he's in the kitchen." Mrs. Cameron smiled. "Hun! Alyssa's home!" She yelled almost instantly. Alyssa winced at the sound of her moms yelling. It wasn't angry and piercing like usual, but loud and high pitched. Nothing like Alyssa has been used too.

"Hey hun," Mr. Cameron said smiling as he peered into the room. He walked over and gave her a small hug. "How was school?"

"Good." Alyssa muttered.

Alyssa took the time to study the people sitting in front of her. She noticed her fathers clean shave and his silver rimmed glasses. His hair was combed and neat. As he spoke, she took the liberty of taking a whiff of his usual maladorous odor only to find out that he smelled quite pleasant. His eyes didn't have horrid bags under them and he looked happy. Mrs. Cameron's hair was nicely parted and fell over her shoulders. Her blue eyes were smiling and neatly lined with eyeliner and mascara. They were glowing.

"Oh, hun, guess what?" Mrs. Cameron said excitingly as she set her book onto the wooden coffee table.

"What happened?" Mr. Cameron laughed.

"Alyssa has gotten a boyfriend!" Mrs. Cameron yelped, almost sounding like a squeal.

"What?!?" Alyssa and her father both said in shock.

"Did you not see it?" Mrs. Cameron smiled. "I saw them holding hands and he kissed her! Right out the window." She pointed towards the direction where she seen them. Alyssa looked down to her feet and blushed a bright pink.

"Alyssa, is this true?" Mr. Cameron asked in almost disbelief.

"Guilty," Alyssa muttered.

"Well, why don't we meet the boy?" Mr. Cameron suggested.

"What?!?" Alyssa blurted, her eyes practically bugging out of her head.

"Come on Alyssa, I insist." Mr. Cameron said, daring her to say otherwise.

"W-when?" She asked nervously.

"Tomorrow's fine." Mrs. Cameron practically sang.

"Alright." She said before turning to walk to her room. "I'm going to do some homework. Then maybe take a nap." She said slowly so they didn't question her, hoping they wouldn't.

"Okay!" Mrs. Cameron called. "We'll be going out tonight anyways! You'll be fine wont you?"

"Y-yea," Alyssa stuttered, stopping short of herself. She glanced at her parents in disbelief, realizing the fun may just be over.

*******

Around nine o'clock, after Mr. and Mrs. Cameron left, Gavin arrived at Alyssa's front door. She opened it almost immediately letting him in. She crossed her arms and started to pace back and forth mumbling to herself.

"Alyssa?" Gavin said softly.

"I just don't get it!" Alyssa said frustrated while throwing her hands in the air and plopping down onto the couch.

"You don't get what?" Gavin asked trying to calm her.

"My parents." Alyssa said her voice muffled as she pressed her face into a cushion.

"Did they do something?" Gavin asked; voice serious, his eyes narrowed.

"Oh they did something," Alyssa sat up looking into Gavin's eyes. "But nothing horrible. Far from it."

"Then what was it?" Gavin asked confused. Alyssa told him what happened just minutes after he left.

"They want to meet me?" Gavin asked in disbelief. Alyssa nods.

"And then tonoight they went out and when they come home I don't know what to do because usually when they go out and then come back..." She rambled.

"It'll be fine," Gavin said softly.

"How do you know that?" Alyssa pouted throwing her hands on her face bowing her head.

"I just do." Gavin said taking her hands in his, willing her to look at him. "Besides, I'll be by your side the whole time."

*******

Alyssa awoke to the soft yells of her parents arguments. It was two o'clock in the morning and she was the least bit surprised to be woken up. She got up from her bed and walked over to the door. She placed a hand on the wooden frame and pressed her ear against it.

"What if she questions us?" Mrs. Cameron yelled quietly.

"She won't." Mr. Cameron said.

"And how can you be so sure?"

"Because she's Alyssa!" Mr. Cameron yelled furiously. "Name one time she has questioned us!" Mrs. Cameron didn't say anything and averted her gaze.

"Exactly," Mr. Cameron said simmering down. "Now, just go to bed."

"Gladly," Mrs. Cameron muttered pulling the covers over her body.

****

Gavin came over to Alyssa's house right on time. He was a little nervous but only because of Mr. Cameron. He knew that the slightest thing would make him furious. He simply couldn't stand the sight of him, let alone being in his presence but he didn't dare tell Alyssa.

Alyssa opened the door and instinctively peered over his shoulder. She stepped aside playing all of the nights events through here mind. Imagining every way possible that this could go wrong. She turned around after shutting the door waiting for her parents to come down the stairs. After moments of waiting, Mrs. Cameron practically ran down the stairs.

"Well look at you," She said with a smile from ear to ear. "You are even cuter in person."

"Back off mom, he's mine." Alyssa joked trying to lift some of the tension she could tell Gavin was feeling. Alyssa's mom burst into a fit of laughter.

"You must be...." Mrs. Cameron said waiting extending her arm letting Gavin finish the sentence.

"Gavin Reed." He said taking her hand.

"Oh that's a cute name," Mrs. Cameron giggled. "Just think, Alyssa Paige Cameron-Reed. Oh how cute."

Alyssa looked away before sneaking a peek at Gavin's amused face. She was sure she was blushing hard. She had no idea her mom would have said that. She looked into her mom's brown eyes and searched for some kind of answer. Usually when Mrs. Cameron had a smile on her face and in her eyes, there was some sort of hint that she was still as sour as she has ever been. As Alyssa looked, she couldn't find anything other than pure happiness. Mrs. Cameron was genuinely happy to see someone taking such good care of her daughter.

"Oh how cute, your blushing hun. I see no reason." Mrs. Cameron pointed out slightly laughing.

Gavin looked at Alyssa and seen her blushing a dark crimson. He thought it was so cute of her to be blushing over him. Alyssa Paige Cameron-Reed sounded like music to his ears. He loved it and he loved her. Gavin smiled at the both of them with a huge grin on his face. He thought Mrs. Cameron was very amusing.

"What do you think, Gavin?" Mrs. Cameron asked.

"The cutest." He smiled grabbing onto Alyssa's hand.

"What's the cutest?" Mr.Cameron asked walking down the stairs with a small smile on his face.

"Our daughter," Mrs. Cameron answers.

"I'll say," Mr. Cameron said calmly. Gavin tried his hardest to not narrow his eyes in hatred while looking at Mr. Cameron. He was the one person he despised most. He looked away trying to calm his mind letting go of Alyssa's hand and gently rubbing his neck.

"Shall we eat? I made dinner," Mrs. Cameron announced breaking the awkward silence that had briefly came amongst them.

"Oh yes," Mr. Cameron said motioning everyone towards the dinning room.

The four of them ate dinner in anything but silence. It never came near silent with Mrs. Cameron there. She was practically glowing. She lifted the mood with her stories and amusing jokes. Mr. Cameron sat and listened and laughed only at rare times. His eyes were focused on Gavin the whole time and noticed that Gavin never looked his way, not even once.

As dinner was coming to an end, Alyssa looked around the table. The night came nowhere near the disastrous events that played in her head hours before. She was pleased with this night but there was one problem. Her father. She could tell her father was trying to bring the mood down with his death glares and mind shattering laughs. Whatever it was that he did or said, Mrs. Cameron simply wouldn't allow it. She simply ignored him and gave all her attention to Alyssa and Gavin.

"While they're in the kitchen, I suppose we should have a little talk." Mr. Cameron said lowering his voice motion to Mrs. Cameron and Alyssa cleaning up a few things.

"About what." Gavin said, gaze fixed on Mr. Cameron.

"About my daughter." Mr. Cameron said slowly.

"Clearly we don't. There's nothing to talk about anyways." Gavin said coldly.

"You better not hurt her." Mr. Cameron threatened.

"Or what?" Gavin said narrowing his eyes into small slits.

"You don't want to know." Mr. Cameron said, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Yea," Gavin scoffed. "Besides, i'm not the one who's been hurting her."

"What did you say?" Mr. Cameron hissed, hands tightly gripping the edge of his table.

"You heard me," Gavin spat glancing towards the two women walking into the room.

"I think I better go," Gavin said turning towards Alyssa, his face softening.

"Okay," Alyssa whispered.

"Well, Gavin, it was so nice having you here. We'll have to do this again. You're just a pleasure to be around." Mrs. Cameron said