“Where in the hell have you been?” screamed her father turning on the lights.
“I was at the club,” she replied.
“The hell you were! You were out with that guy again!”
“Daddy, I was at the club. Yes, Nick was there. I go every night.” she tried to say calmly.
“Why are you home late? I told you 10 o’clock and I meant it!” he said getting closer to her.
“I’m sorry...I was singing and I lost track of time and--” he hushed her with a hard smack on the face. She fell to the floor and began to hold back the tears from the shooting pain.
“Get up!” her dad yelled. She tried to move but was doing it very slowly.
“Danget bitch I said get up!” he yelled kicking her in the stomach. She couldn’t move and just whined from all her pain. He picked her up and hit her face again and through her on the floor.
“I’m sick of this!” he said and kicked her one more time and walked out the door. She layed on the floor and cried and cried until she fell asleep.
The next morning Jess awoke still on the kitchen floor. She could barely move without it hurting. She crawled slowly to the window and saw that her dad’s truck was still gone. She then saw the phone on the floor not far away. She crawled to it and rested against a wall while she slowly dialed a familiar number.
“Hello?” she heard on the other end.
“Nick--” she said quietly.
“Jess?”
“Yes-Nick--” she said starting to cry.
“Jessie what’s wrong?” But all he got was crying on the other end, “Shh, babydoll, I’ll be there in a minute.” And with that he hung up. 5 minute later, Jess heard the front door open.
“Jess?” Nick yelled.
“Nick--” she said not very loud. Nick walked to the room he heard the voice from and saw Jess leaning against a wall with her knees on her chin. He knealt down to her and saw the bruises.
“ Oh God Jess, I will kill him,” he said as he wrapped she wrapped her arms around him and let the tears fall.
“Nick, whatg am I gonna do?” she asked still crying.
“Shh...we have to call the cops,” he said.
“No! We can’t! He will just hurt me more! I know him, Nick, and I know what he will do!”
“But Jess, you can’t let him get away with this!”
“Please Nick, don’t tell anyone. I don’t want it any worse!” He just looked at her, “Promise me Nick!” she said.
“Ok, I promise...but if he does it again, I swear Jess, I’m telling the cops.” She looked at him and nodded and hugged him again. Suddenly Nick spoke, “Jess....I uh....I love you.” She quickly let go and looked at him. She wasn’t expecting that but she knew how to respond.
“I love you too,” and with that he began to kiss her passionately.