Angela

"I was in a hurry to see you" the words had slipped out of my mouth before I could catch them. Again Angela raised her eyebrow, this time when she did it she placed her hands on her hips. "And why is that?"

I stepped closer to her and passed my hand over the side of her face, she inhaled sharply and I moved even nearer tipping her chin up just a little. "Because I missed you." I told her with my lips almost touching hers. She leaned in just a fraction of an inch and kissed me. At first it was just the soft stroke of lips against lips but I wanted more, as far as I was concerned this was my first kiss and I had big plans. Sure I'd been kissed before but I had never once felt like I was falling off of the edge of a cliff. My fingers were in her hair and her arms were wrapped around my neck when we I parted my lips and licked the small space between hers. I could feel my tongue brushing against her upper teeth for a moment before she opened her mouth for me, then it was hot wet and juicy between us lips tongues teeth and moans. That's what I remember. I didn't even want to breathe if it meant my lips being away from hers but eventually we did part both of us panting flushed "What did you do that for?" She asked me

I blinked because I wasn't sure what had happened. "Why did I kiss you?" I asked her. She just looked at me with the contempt that I'd first seen in her golden eyes. She might as well have kicked me in the stomach, that's how much it hurt. I looked down at the ground trying not to cry an effort at which I failed miserably. I turned away from her and walked out of the room leaving the door open as I went. I ran down the stairs and out the front door and to my car. It took me less than two minutes to get to my house and I was still crying. I locked the car and armed the alarm before shutting the drivers side door, I didn't notice Joey until it was to late.

He was parked on the opposite side of the dark street and before I could unlock the door to my house he had ran across the road and up the driveway, I almost managed to get the door unlocked before he grabbed me by the arm, spinning me around he slammed my back against the door causing my head to bounce with a hard crack against the wood.

My vision blurred with new tears and I almost blacked out but I knew I couldn't do that.

"Where the hell have you been Mia?" He screamed at me I could smell the alcohol on his breath. I opened my mouth to answer and before I had even realized that he'd lifted his left hand, he back handed me. Again my head snapped back and slammed against the oak door, I tasted blood in my mouth and I knew if I didn't get away from him he would either kill me or hurt me very badly. Because he has still holding my upper arms I could barely move around let alone run for it. I relaxed my body and did what I always did, I started apologizing to him and pleading with him. He may as well have been deaf for all the good my words did. He started dragging me toward his car and I knew that if he got me in there he would rape me because I certainly wasn't about to consent to anything. I started to struggle but he just laughed and picked me up. I had a small frame but I was tall so it wasn't easy for him to haul me kicking and screaming to the car. He had to put me down after a few paces and press his hand over my mouth to silence me, as he dragged me by the hair toward the street I bit down as hard as I could and tasted more blood in my mouth but this time it wasn't mine. I kicked him in the head as hard as I could while he bent over clutching his injured hand to his stomach. He reeled back and fell to the ground, he was in pain but not incapacitated. I took off running I could hear him getting up to chase me and I knew if he caught me I'd wake up in a hospital room somewhere. I kicked my shoes of leaving them on the ground, before continuing to run. I went the closest place I could think of which of course was Angela's house. I didn't bother to ring the doorbell and wait, there was no time. Instead I opened the door and walked in slamming and locking it behind me.

I sat on the floor with my back pressed to the door hoping he wouldn't find me. My whole body was shaking and I was more afraid than I'd ever been before, Angela was coming down the stairs I guess to see what was going on and at the same time her mother was walking out of the kitchen both of them looked shocked when they looked into my face. It was Angela who said "Jesus Mia what the hell happened to you?" Then she ran down the stairs and kneeled in front of me. I don't remember what happened after that. Everything just went black and for a moment I felt peaceful.

When I woke up I was in the hospital and my head was pounding and Angela was sitting in a chair next to the bed watching me like a hawk, as soon as I opened my eyes she leaned forward. "Are you okay Mi?" she asked quietly. I tried to smile at her but my mouth hurt too much. I just nodded at her unable to make my vocal chords work. She got up and got me a glass of water and opened the straw that was sitting on the little rolling table top.

"I remember when I woke up in the hospital" she said "I was so thirsty and not one of the nurses bothered to bring me a straw." She went on as she held the cup out to me. When I sat up my head reeled and I felt nauseated. I took me a moment to get control of my motor skills but I tried to take the cup from her hand. Seeing the way I'd sat up she held the cup out of my reach and seated herself of the side of the hospital bed. Holding the water near my mouth she used her other hand to slide the straw between my lips. I drank the water as if I had been stranded in the middle of the Sahara for weeks the small paper cup was empty in moments. Angela refilled before I had the chance to ask her, she sat back down on the bed and held the cup while I drank. When I had emptied the second drink she set the cup down on the table, "You want more?" she asked.

"No." I said finally able to speak. I noticed that the side of my face hurt when I spoke but there was something I really needed to tell her so I looked past the pain and talked.

"Thank you for staying with me, you didn't have too." I told her She looked at me for a while without saying anything then she reached out and held my hand, squeezing gently. "I wanted to stay Mi." She paused before going on. "I didn't mean to make you cry you know?" she whispered softly. I didn't know what to say so I just nodded although I didn't know any such thing.

"Why did you kiss me?" she asked letting go of my hand and standing up and beginning to pace. She didn't seem mad just restless.

"Because I've wanted to kiss you since the first day I saw you in the hallway." I told her, it was the God's honest truth too.

She didn't respond and I wondered if I'd said something wrong. Before I could ask her a short brown haired nurse came in, she was smiling and looking like a grin alone could heal. "Glad you're awake kiddo." The nurse said, she was acting way to familiar for my liking. I just eyed her while she went on speaking. "The doctor's going to release you in a little bit and he'll give you a prescription for some pain medication. You're basically fine except for the pain and swelling. "

Great that meant my face was a mess, I wasn't even worried about being good looking so much as I wondered how I would explain what happened to everyone at school. When the chipper little nurse left I looked at Angela. I wanted to ask her about the kiss we'd shared and gage her reaction but I didn't want to push her on a subject she'd obviously rather drop. Instead I asked her "Where are my clothes?" Beneath the thin hospital sheets the only covering I had was a medical issue backless gown. Had Angela been in the room when they had undressed me? I blushed despite myself.

"You clothes are in there." She pointed to a blue plastic bag marked personal items that was hanging on the back of the door. "They're all messed up so you can't wear them, anyway we have to take them down to the police station. The police were here but you had already been sedated so they couldn't talk to you. I packed you some clothes to wear though." She went over to the other chair in the room which was situated in the corner by the window. She handed me a pair of loose jeans and a hooded sweatshirt along with a pair of cross trainers socks and a hat. I looked at the hat I was holding in my hands and turning it this way and that just to be sure. "Isn't this like your favorite hat, you wear it practically every other day." She raised an eyebrow

"For your information that's my lucky hat, and I don't let just anybody wear it. But I am glad you notice what I wear." I blushed again before swinging my legs over the side of the bed. My whole body ached but there was nothing I could do but clench my teeth and slide the pants on one leg at a time, standing only to button and zipper them before sitting down again. I pulled the loose sweatshirt over my head and used it as a cover, under which I untied and took of the hospital gown. Then I slid my arms into the sleeves. The clothes were ridiculously loose but really comfortable, and best of all they smelled like her. I wished I had a comb and a tooth brush but wishes weren't any good without a fairy godmother and so I made due and jammed the hat over my wild mass of curly hair. The doctor came in a few minutes later and by then I'd managed to get the socks and sneakers on all by myself since I had stubbornly refused Angela's offer to assist me.

The doctor talked to me about the pain medication and told me to come back if I had reoccurring dizziness or bleeding, I took the prescription from his hand and told him I'd be sure to come back if I had even the slightest problem. After that I was free to go although I had no idea just then where I would go. I couldn't go home yet because I was just too afraid and I didn't have one friend I could tell what had happened who wouldn't tell the whole damn school, well in truth I guess I didn't have one friend. Not a real one anyway. I almost started crying right there in the hospital lobby but then saw Angela's parents pull up in their van and I relaxed. I wondered when she'd called them or if they had just known what time I was due to be released. It didn't matter really I was just so glad to see them. Before I could even get through the automatic sliding doors her mother had jumped out the car and run up to me. She embraced me lightly as If I were made of glass, but her arms still felt sure and strong. I hugged her back for a long while before letting her go, Angela's Dad was right behind her mother and although I'd only met him once or twice in passing he hugged me too. "I'll hurt him bad sweetie. You just say the word." He told me as we briefly embraced. I could have smiled then I had never had anyone try to protect me before, not in the real sense, not like this.

In the car Angela's parents told me that I would be staying with them, the tone her mother used let me know it wasn't an invitation it was a demand. I was relieved and not the least bit put out. Before we could go back to the house however I had to go down to the police station. The police asked me a few questions but it was clear that Joey wouldn't get more than a slap on the wrist in this town, he was a star player for the varsity football team in a town that lived and breathed for state championships, plus his father was a judge and could have his son out of the system in the blink of an eye. Plus he'd already made a statement to the police, finally after an hour of going round and round with the cops I stood up and walked out of the room, they were calling my name but I didn't even bother to turn around, what was the point. Angela and her parents were waiting in the filthy stale smelling outer room when I emerged. No one said anything as we walked out of the building, when we got in the car I told them that I wouldn't be pressing charges. Still no one said anything, I didn't want to seem like a fool so I explained to them how the questioning had gone and how the officers had basically tried to make it seem like we were rough housing and things got out of hand. My lip was split and the my right eye was black and swollen almost shut plus I had a slight concussion from where my head had slammed against the door not to mention the five stitches on my hairline. He had split my head open with his class ring when he back handed me, and the cops thought this qualified as rough housing. Good thing he didn't really assault me or I might have ended up dead.

Angela held my hand and whispered that it would be okay and as crazy as it seems I knew she was right. When we pulled up to the house Doc opened the door I knew it was him because he had a model of the human brain in his hand. They all spilled out of the house including Asia who was in the arms of one of her aunts, they had apparently been waiting by the door for the car to pull up. I felt bad all of a sudden I'd probably scared the kids when I ran into the house last night.

By the time I got out of the car all of the kids were talking at once, mostly they were asking if I was okay and I assured them that I was hurt but I'd be fine. They all looked at Doc and he nodded as if to affirm the fact that I was telling the truth and all the kids seemed to trust him on it. Asia reached out for me but her mother stepped up and took her before I could get her. "Mi I'm not going to argue with you about this, you need to rest and Asia is not exactly a sedative. The child began screaming when she understood that all the words her mother had said meant one thing. "No"

Angela didn't pay her any attention as a matter of fact no one did, by the time we made it into the house Asia had simply stooped screaming. She hadn't gotten any attention so it seemed she wasn't about to exhaust herself by screaming her head off. Smart kid.

Angela set the baby down and motioned for me to come with her. I went with her to her bedroom and sat down on the bed. She closed the door and turned to me. "I know it'll be kind of crowded to stay here since you're used to being alone and everything so I was thinking that you could sleep in my room and I'd sleep with the girls. Asia would still need to use her own room, but I'll make sure she's asleep before I go down and after that she's no problem, I swear."

She spoke fast as if she were afraid I'd interrupt her speech and she'd have to start all over again. "First of all being here is a big relief I was so scared I'd have to go home and be alone, secondly we can both sleep up here, and I promise not to attack you or anything." I told her with a smile well almost with a smile. She laughed and sat down on the bed with me. Her face grew serious as she watched me and she reached out and gently stroked the side of my face, I flinched expecting her touch to hurt but it didn't. There were tears in her eyes or so I thought maybe it was the way the light was hitting them, I couldn't be sure. Without a word she leaned in and kissed my uninjured cheek, then sitting back she asked "Why did he do this? Was it because of me?"

I shook my head "No it wasn't because of you, it was my fault I know how mad he gets and I stood him up last Friday then I didn't call him at all, and I avoided him on Monday, his feelings were hurt and he gets Really jealous, I should have called him. It's not your fault."

She looked at me like I was crazy, "Mi it's not your fault either, don't you ever say that I don't care how mad he was he doesn't get to beat you."

"He didn't bea..." I started

"Yes Mia, yes he did." Angela cut in not even letting me finis h the lie of denial that was fresh on my lips. I knew she was right and the fact that I'd blindly jumped to Joey's defense sort of scared me. It was reflex and I guess old habits really did die hard. Suddenly I was very tired but I felt gross, in what must have seemed like an abrupt manner I asked Angela for a towel and a washcloth she went and got me one of each and even managed to find me an unused tooth brush. She gave me the stuff and then left to give me some privacy while I showered. I locked the door behind her and went into the bathroom. I examined my face in the mirror and sighed it wasn't as bad as I thought but it was bad. Putting my appearance out of my mind I took a long hot shower washing and conditioning my hair. When I got out I realized I had no clothes to wear so I put on the clothes Angela had given me at the hospital and laid down on the bed.

I had forgotten the door was bolted until I heard the lock click. Angela had opened the door with her key "You've got some damn nerve locking me out of my room Mi" she said with a laugh. Sorry I mumbled already half asleep. "It's okay, I was just checking on you, I see you're almost out but you've got to wake up for a second.

"No" I mumbled

"Yes" she said sitting down on the bed and bouncing a little.

"I went and got your prescription filled and I went to your house and packed up some clothes for you. You need to wake up and take your medicine then I promise you can sleep. I sat up and my head felt like it was going to explode I snatched the white pill from the palm of her hand and swallowed it not even bothering with the cup of orange juice she had brought up. I could hear her laughing before I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up I was all kinds of disoriented, it took me a few ticks to get my bearings. I sat up slowly and miraculously my head felt ok except for the muted pounding at the base of my skull. It was a far cry from the headache I'd had earlier and almost a relief. I stood up and walked to the door without even a hint of dizziness I made it downstairs to the kitchen and felt as though I'd run a marathon in mud. I ached like crazy but at least I hadn't passed out or anything.

The whole family was in the kitchen eating dinner, and laughing I felt like an interloper as soon as I walked in. That feeling lasted about five seconds, at which point Doc looked at me and crossed his eyes. "What are ya new aint'cha ever ate dinner before?" I sat down at the table and looked at the options as good as it looked I knew both my mouth and my stomach would rebel at the thought of eating lasagna salad and garlic bread. Obviously Angela or someone had thought of that. She got up from the table and went over to the stove when She came back she passed me a bowl of soup and a spoon. Whoever had made this chicken soup hadn't gotten it out of any can. I ate two whole bowls of it and tried to help clean up but even the preteens were waving me away, so I sat at the table and talked to Asia. Leaning in toward her I said "It's just you and me kid." She laughed like she knew what I was talking about then reached out her little hand to gingerly touch my face. "Boo boo?" she asked. I nodded and she stared at me. "Kiss it." She told me puckering her lips as if to show what a kiss was. I leaned over more and she kissed my face and patted my hair. "Okay now." She stated as if just by virtue of saying it, it was true. Forgetting about my boo-boos she focused on something infinitely more important. "Cookies" she whispered pointing to a plate of chocolate chip goodies on the counter. Obviously she'd been told no or else she wouldn't be whispering. "Did your mommy say no?" I asked her. She didn't answer instead she looked away ignoring me completely. I almost laughed she was too young to be dismissing me but she'd done just that.

"Uh oh" Angela said coming up behind me "now you've ticked Asia minor off." I laughed and shrugged my shoulders "she wanted cookies but I wasn't sure if she could have them."

"She knew she couldn't, I told her no that's why she asked you." Angela said

"I figured as much."

The little girl still wouldn't look in my direction but her anger was so cute. Angela hoisted her out of the highchair and carried her into the family room we hung out for a while before I started to get a massive headache; Angela brought me another pill and a glass of juice which I drank gratefully after swallowing the bitter little pill. I was off to sleep less than a half hour later, before crawling into bed I changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that she had gotten from my house. It was only about eight o'clock but I was dead tired again, I didn't hear Angela put the baby down to sleep but I did stir when she herself came to bed at about midnight. She was laying blankets out on the floor and trying to be quiet, she wasn't doing a good job of sneaking about as she hadn't turned on the light. The room was pitch black save the stream of moonlight that cascaded through the window.