Kareem was now looking at the girl with extreme remorse and shock. Somehow he had felt a sense of responsibility towards Sheryl, right from the day he had first seen her. He was now somehow feeling that he had failed to fulfill his duty to protect her and to keep her always happy. His grip on the girl's wist had loosened up considerably and his mind was constantly filled with guilt.
Sheryl finally turned to look at the silent man. It was no surprise to her that the man had no reply to her words. She had expected Kareem's silence on this matter and she once again gave a sad smile. "It is ok Kareem. You do not have to answer me. Why would you want to settle down with a girl who has been gang r.a.p.ed. Nobody would want to marry a girl like me and I do not expect you to do that either. You fldo not have to answer my questions. If you can please excuse me now, I shall go and look for Cheryl. You can comfortably rest here, in my room. It is absolutely fine."
Sheyl got off from the man's lap and had now started walking towards the door. Somehow her heart was now paining walking away from the man but she knew it was for the best. She knew that no man would accept her after knowing the truth about her and she never wanted to hide it from Kareem in any case. He deserved to know her dark past, not keeping him in dark as he was falling madly for the girl. She had walked just walked steps ahead when suddenly something very strong had clutched her waist yet again, making her lift in the air.
In just next few seconds she was once again sitting on the man's lap, his clutch on the girl's waist even more stronger than before. Sheryl was taken aback for a few seconds. She was now sitting on the boy's thighs, facing him directly. The boy was not looking at her face but he had now rested his head on the girl's shoulder. His eyes were closed and he was just feeling the closeness with the girl's body now. "Do not leave me please. What you told me, does not bring any difference in my love and affection towards you. It just makes want to protect you even more. Can you deal with my protective nature for you? Am i too suffocating for you to handle?"
Sheryl was stunned to hear the man's loving words. She had expected the man to back off immediately from her, but here he was resting his head on her shoulder and clutching her waist even more tightly, as if scared of her running away. "What...? What do you mean? My past does not bother you at all? That is not possible Kareem, I do not trust your words at all." Sheryl nodded rapidly head in a disapproval, feeling extremly surprised.
"Offcourse it does bother me. It bothers to me that you have underdone so much physical and mental pain, and I could not do anything about it. I could not protect you in any way. It bothers me that you still have that mark of pain in your head and you are under constant fear from past so many years. Offcourse it bothers me! Why would it not bother me?"
Kareem did not pick his head while speaking but Sheryl could feel wetness on her shoulder as if the boy was crying. She was too stunned to speak any word further. As if the boy's reaction was not enough, how was now sobbing lightly taking Sheryl by surprise. Sheryl could not believe that the boy was actually crying, feeling for her. She had never felt this amount of care and love from any person except from her mother. She was not used this feeling and it was making her extremely uncomfortable and at the same time more vulnerable to the boy. "You... You are crying?" Sheryl finally spoke in disbelief.
Kareem who was used to being strong and to not let his emotions out, wiped away his eyes from the girl's tee shirt and picked up his head and looked at the girl. "Offcourse not. I never cry." He nodded his head in a 'no' like a little kid, hiding away his face from the girl.
Sheryl could not help but chuckle looking at the man. His cheeks were stained with falling tears and his eyes were extremely red. "Then why are your eyes so red?" The girl held his face with both her hands and made him look staright towards her own face.
"I... um.... I am just sleepy. I want to sleep peacefully." Kareem finally looked at the girl trying got hold back his teras. "Can you help me? I promise I will not do anything that will make you regret it."
Sheryl smiled and nodded her head in an approval. She wiped the tear stains from the man's face and then finally retraced back her hands on her thighs, giving a green signal to the man. Kareem let out a big yawn and then once again lifted the girl from her waist. He picked up the girl in his arms and made her carefully lie down, comfortably on the bed. He then covered the girl with the comforter yet again, looking constantly at her beautiful face.
The girl was also looking at the boy's face constantly their eyes constantly meeting each other. Their expressions were unreadable to each other, but their silences were speaking a zillion words of trust and comfort. Her heart was racing rapidly as the man walked over to the other side of the bed picking up the pillow and other comforter from the floor. Sheryl now had her back towards the man and she could hear the mattress moving a bit. The man had lied down besides her on the othee corner of the bed. She could feel the man's silent gaze on her and her heart raced even more rapidly, feeling extremely nervous.
Kareem waited for a few seconds looking at the girl's back and then sighd a bit and closed his eyes trying to sleep. He was happy that atleast the girl had coped her fears and allowed the man to sleep on thes ame bed as hers. He was taking deep breaths and could faintly hear the girl shifting every now and then. Her mere presence was making the boy feel extremly calm and relaxed.
Suddenly the man felt the girl coming closer to him and then her one arm slowly encircled his waist. She placed her head close to his shoulder and closed her eyes peacefully taking deep breaths. Kareem opened his eyes and smiled looking at the snuggled up girl, next to him. The girl lifted her head too and their eyes met again. The boy placed his arm, below her head, making her head rest comfortably on his arm. They both then closed their eyes and soon dozzed off to sleep extremly peacefully, enjoying each other's bodily warmth, experiencing no bad dreams and no fear of being misused.