I took a self defense class and I now realize that was a total waste of money. 

I know what to do. I know how to act. I know when to call for help.

"Help!" I scream. "Rape!"

The blond guy clamps a hand over my mouth and I bite down until I taste blood. 

"You bitch," he sneers. His hand makes contact with my cheek in a millisecond and it feels like he just ripped my skin off.

"He said not the face." The guy behind me grunts and take a step back, me still caged in by his arms.

I don't have time to think about it any longer because I'm now lying on the ground. My ribs are soaring with a sudden pain and I clutch the area he kicked. Every breath I take is painful and I want to lie in a ball and cry. 

I scramble to my knees but I'm kicked once again, in the stomach, and all air is knocked out of me. I'm shaking out of fear now and tears blur my vision. What do I do?

"He-help!" My voice is scratchy and I'm certain nobody can hear me.

I lie on my back and try to take a few deep breaths. I need to get up. I need to get away. I need to get to safety.

Thoughts of escape fill my mind but I know I have no chance against them. Where is a hero when you need one?

The two guys loom over me. "You stay away, got it?" 

I don't really know what he wants but I nod anyway, my bottom lip quivering. And then, with one last kick to the ribs, they leave me alone in the dark. I gasp and curl to the side.

My whole body is stiff in pain and fear. I try to take proper breaths, but every time my lungs expand it feels like I'm breaking my ribs from the inside. Tears stream down from the outer corners of my eyes. I want to lie here and just never open my eyes again.

But I know I have to. And so I do. I open my eyes. Then I get to my knees. And then I stand up. My body is on fire and I want to calm the flames with my tears but I know I can't. This isn't the time to cry. I need to get home. It's only a twenty minute walk home.

I make it in thirty minutes. The flaming pain has subsided to only a throbbing pain. The door is unlocked and at least I know Tyler got home safely.

I basically crawl up the stairs and into my bed. Once I lay my head down on the pillow, everything comes out. Tears wet my pillow like a rainstorm and my mind is cloudy with too many thoughts.

...

I wake up to sunlight streaming in through my windows. I groggily squint my eyes and stretch my body. But when I do, pain shoots through my ribs as if someone is scratching an open wound.

Memories from the night before flash through my mind and it takes everything in me not to cry again.

I lay on my right side, looking out through the window. The sun is rising and it's almost magical. Streams of light seem to be able shine trough the tiniest of cracks between the trees. 

I think the sun might be why I'm still able to even get up anymore. Because even if it dies every night, it will rise with just as much light the next morning. And even in death the sun casts beauty all around.

I get to my bathroom, carefully avoiding any sudden movements. 

I look horrible, to say the least. 

My eyes are slightly red and I have a slight pink hand mark on my left cheek. It almost looks comical and I would laugh if it didn't hurt. My hands move to the hem of my shirt and when I lift it up I let out a gasp.

The bruises are all yellow in the middle, fading out to a dark purple color. I have three in total, two on my left side of my ribs and one near my hipbone. I grace my fingers over them and I my nerves send signals of pain when I do so. 

I let my shirt fall down again and cover all signs of damage. My mind plays with the thought of skipping school, but I know it wouldn't do me any good anyways. So I get ready quickly, covering the handprint with some make-up.

Tyler is already sitting on a bar stool at the kitchen island, a bowl of cereal in front of him. I get my own bowl of cereal and sit down next to him. The tension is almost awkward and I curse Tyler silently for making it this way.

"So," he starts.

"Nope. I'm not talking about it."

"You don't even know what I'm about to say!" 

I look at him and squint my eyes. "Yes I do."

Tyler looks away in shame then gets up to leave. "It's your fault anyways," he mumbles.

How dare he?

"How dare you say that?! She fucking loved you!" I storm up from my bar stool, fists clenching.

Tyler turns around and glares at me. "You're the one who told me to talk to her!"

"I said you had to tell her about it. Not break up with her, you doofus."

"Don't you get it? It's not safe for her to know! It's not even safe for you to know. there's a reason I didn't tell anyone."

I'm almost speechless. Not safe? "That's a load of bullshit."

Tyler takes a few steps towards me, crossing his arms. "You don't know those guys like I do. You don't know what Sebastian will do to get what he wants."

"Who's Sebastian?"

"Doesn't matter. But breaking Hailees' heart wasn't my decision." Then he leaves.

...

I'm basically fuming when I get to school, and if I wasn't in so much pain I'd strangle Tyler.

"Wow, are you on your period or something. You look about ready to kill."

I turn to my left and see Jackson smirking at me.

"I'm not in the mood for your dumbness Jack-ass."

Jackson blows out a low whistle. "Damn, you're feisty. Let me guess. Tyler did something?"

I only look towards the board, trying to ignore him. Luckily, he gets the hint and doesn't try anything until class is over again. 

I'm rushing towards my locker but I halt in pain when somebody prods my ribs. 

I turn and see Jackson. He has a confused look on his face.

"Did that really hurt?"

I look down. "No."

Jackson takes a step closer and I see his shoes standing a foot before my own.

"I saw you flinch. Why did that hurt?" His voice is hard and I can't help but look up. 

"It didn't." I keep my face neutral but I can feel my heart beating in my throat.

Jackson looks at me, his eyes ever as calculating. Then he grabs my wrist and drags me to the handicap toilet. He locks the door and everything happens so quickly I don't even get to react.

"Wh... What are you doing?" My eyes are bulging at him and I don't know if I should panic or not.

Jackson doesn't answer, but he walks towards me and before I get to stop him he rips the bottom half of my shirt up.

"What are you doing?!" I rip myself away from him but I know it's too late.

"Who did that?" His voice is calm but when I don't answer he gets angry. 

"Dammit Adeline! Who. Did. That?" 

I still don't answer and look down. "Was it Tyler?" 

I whip my head up in a heartbeat, almost getting whiplash. "No. He would never do that."

Jackson clenches his fists. "Then who did it? Just answer me."

I let out a sigh. "If I tell you, will you let me go?" 

Jackson nods. 

"I was walking home and these guys came at me. They didn't even want money or anything. They just kicked me a little." I look down when I explain it. I don't want to see his reaction.

"What did they look like?" he asks, voice neutral.

"I don't know. I was kind of busy trying to not die." My voice is sarcastic and bitter.

Jackson huffs. "Well can you try to remember? Anything."

I look up annoyed. "Why does it matter? It's not like you can do anything about it..." 

"Just tell me." Hi voice is almost pleading.

"Fine, one of the guys had blonde curls and I think the other guy had a tattoo but I'm not sure. I didn't really see him. The blonde one had blue eyes, like really blue."

Jackson studies me for a while. Why does he always do that?

"What did they say?"

"Nothing that made sense."

"What did they say?"

I roll my eyes but Jackson is expecting an answer. "They said something about staying away. I don't know. Like I said, nothing that made sense..."

Jackson stands still but then all of a sudden his fist comes flying. The mirror smashes and pieces crumble to the floor.

"What the hell?!" I walk up behind him and I look at a thousand reflections of Jackson in the mirror. All of them are angry. His fists are clutching the sink and his shoulders are tense.

"You're such an idiot. Your hand is bleeding," I say. I take his hand but he's quick to snatch it back.

"You need to go to the nurse."

"Like hell I do." His voice is bitter and sneering.

"Stop being such a dickhead."

I grab his wrist and walk out of the toilet. I'm glad the hallway is empty because otherwize this would look wrong on so many levels. I begin dragging him to the nurses office and I'm glad the roles are reversed. 

I know Jackson could easily get loose from my grip but he doesn't.

I don't even bother knocking and just storm right in. The school nurse, Jackie, turns around in surprise.

The office smells faintly of rubbing alcohol and the lighting is awfully sharp and white.

"This guy smashed a mirror." I state and hold up his hand. Jackson grunts in the background and rips his hand away.

"I'm fine. We're leaving." He begins turning around but I grab his collar and push him in the direction of Jackie.

"I'll see what I can do," Jackie says. Her shock is evident but she tries to cover it. Her brown hair is in a low ponytail and the white coat she's wearing looks surprisingly good against her pale complexion.

Jackie leads him to the bed and Jackson begrudgingly sits down, holding out his right hand.

"Hmm.. How did it happen again?"

"He punched a mirror."

Jackie nods and continues tending to his hand. She's cleaning it and rubbing on stuff I don't know what is.

"Well, it's not that serious. It's just a scratch. But don't do it again, okay?" Jackies' voice is calm but stern and Jackson nods in response.

"But, may I ask you what you were doing when punching the mirror?"

Jackson and I look at each other and I shake my head, trying to telepath my thoughts to him. He seems to understand what I mean and doesn't tell her what we were doing.

"Things got heated and I needed to let out some steam." Jackson doesn't even realize how wrong that sentence sounded but my eyes are ready to pop out of my skull.

Jackie looks shocked as well and turns a light shade of red. 

"It wasn't like that!" I exclaim. Jackie clears her throat awkwardly and Jackson finally realizes the innuendo he just made.

"What? No! I'd never go for her," he states. 

I roll my eyes. "Wow, thanks Romeo."

"What? It's true."

"Okay I get it! I'm ugly. You don't have to rub it in!"

Jackson looks shocked. "Hey! That's not what I said."

"Oh sure it wasn't-

"Hey, both if you. Stop it. His hand is fine and I'm sure he doesn't think you're ugly."

Jackie looks expectantly at Jackson and I smirk.

"Right?" Jackie presses.

Jackson huffs. "I didn't mean it like that. You're not ugly." I smile smugly. "You're just not that attractive to me."

I gape at him and move to hit his chest.

"Okay out! Both of you. And you need to report this to the principal. I will if you won't." Jackie interrupts me before I can do any damage and moves to open the door. She hands Jackson a slip and then shove us out.

---

A/N: 

Kind of a filler chapter. Sorry :)

Rememeber to vote if you liked it though :)

xoxo