PART TWENTY-ONE
I looked at my arm to see a dark blue circle around it. Shocked, I looked at the other. I had no idea his shaking me would leave marks. I looked at Pam with a paniced expression. I didn't have an excuse for this one, I didn't know what to say.
"Did Jared do this to you?" she asked.
I didn't know what to say, I just started crying.
"Oh, Sarah," she said as she leaned over and hugged me. I just cried on her shoulder for a long time.
"I'm just so scared," I whispered.
"Shh...I know, I know," she said as she stroked my hair.
I pulled away and smiled at her. "I think I'm going to go to bed."
"But"
"Pam," I interrupted. "I don't feel like talking about it right now, okay?"
Pam smiled and nodded at me. "I understand, SJ."
"Goodnight," I said as I turned and walked up the stairs to the guestroom. The second I closed my door, I leaned against it and cried. I was so terrified, what would happen tomorrow? Would he come looking for me? My knees gave out and I slowly slid down the door. I was so scared, I just cried and cried, unsure of what I was going to do. 'How could this happen?' I asked myself. It felt as if my life was slowly slipping out of my hands and there was nothing I could do but watch it fall apart around me. I wanted so badly to tell someone about it. JC, Pam, anybody. But, somehow, I couldn't. I was scared of what Jared would do if he found out that I had told them.
Pam took a deep breath. She was scared for me and didn't know what to do. Who knew what else Jared had done. Her hands were shaking as she picked up the telephone.
"Hello?"
"JC? It's Pam,"
"Hey, what's up girl?"
"Well, JC, I'm worried about Sarah," Pam said.
"Why, what's wrong?" JC asked with concern in his voice
"Well, we were talking and stuff and I playfully hit her in the arm, only to find bruises on her arms. I asked her if Jared did it, she didn't answer, just started crying and saying how scared she was and then quickly went to bed. I'm really scared, JC."
There was a long pause on the phone. "Did she happen to take her hat off while she was over there?"
"No, why?"
"She's got a huge gash above her eye. I mean, huge. She says she just tripped while in her dorm room and hit her head on her bed post."
Pam sighed and put her head in her hands. "What are we gonna do JC?"
"I'll tell you what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna kill the son of a bitch."
PART TWENTY-TWO
"JC, calm down, okay?"
"Calm down? How do you suggest I do that?"
"I'm sorry, I know, I just didn't know what to do," Pam whispered.
"Where is she?"
"She's in bed."
"I'll be over there in twenty minutes," JC said before hanging up the phone.
~*~*~*~
My light switched was turned on and I slowly sat up. I looked to see JC and Pam in my doorway. JC slowly walked over to my bed and Pam just stepped inside the room.
JC sat next to me on the bed. "Let me see your arms."
I started crying. "JC, don't do this," I whipsered.
"SJ, let me see them."
I sighed and slowly pushed up the sleeves of my shirt to show him my bruises. I just looked down at the bedspread, ashamed, while JC looked at my arms.
"Oh, Sarah, when did he do this?" he asked me.
I just cried, unable to tell him what happened. I didn't want to tell, I was so embarrassed. JC pulled me into his arms and held me. He started rubbing my back and I jumped.
"Your back too?" he asked. I wasn't able to answer him, just nodded. "Let me see it."
I looked up at him with pleading eyes. This was humulating enough. "Please don't do this," I told him.
"Sarah, you're my best friend in the whole world. Everything's going to be okay, I just need to know what's going on."
I knew I wasn't going to get out of this, so I slowly turned around and lifted my shirt, just far enough for them to see my back and I heard Pam gasp.
I turned back around to see JC looking at me with wide eyes. "Tell me what happened, SJ."
My crying slowly subsided and I told him about going to Jared's apartment, our fight, him kicking me and then at the movies. I looked up to see a tear roll down JC's face.
"I'm going to kill him," JC whispered.
"Oh, Josh," I said as I pulled him towards me. I hugged him for a long time, never wanting to let go. "I'm just so scared."
He pulled away from me and looked at me. "You don't have to be scared anymore, we'll take care of this."
"We?"
"Yeah, me and the guys."
"No, JC," I cried. "Please don't tell them about this!"
"Sarah, there's nothing to be ashamed of."
I just bowed my head and started to cry. Pam walked over to me and held me. "Shhh....it'll be okay," she kept telling me.
"I'm going to go call Joey," JC said, getting off of my bed.
"No!" I cried. "Don't leave me!"
JC walked back over to me and kissed my forehead. "I'll be right back, Pam will stay with you," he whispered and left the room.
JC walked out to the living room and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Joey, hey, we need to talk."
PART TWENTY-THREE
JC hung up the phone and ran up the stairs to see Pam still holding me. I looked up as JC entered the room. He sat down right beside me and smiled warmly.
"What did you talk to Joey about?" I asked him.
"Nothing, really," he said, moving a piece of hair on my forehead.
"I'm tired," I said, pulling away from Pam and laying back down. I saw Pam and JC get up and I called JC back.
"What is it?" he asked me.
"Don't leave me," I whispered.
JC removed his shoes and layed down in bed next to me. I layed my head on his chest and was soon fast asleep.
~*~*~*~
I awoke to someone knocking on my door. I looked to my right to see JC gone. "Come in," I said, slowly sitting up.
Joey slowly opened my door and peaked his head in my room. "Hey, SJ," he said.
"You can come in, Joey," I said. He smiled at me as he came in and sat down next to me. He just stared at the gash on my forehead, and I bowed my head and looked at my bedspread.
"JC told you, huh?" I whispered.
"Yeah, and I'm so sorry," he said, putting his hand over mine.
I looked up and smiled at him. "Where's JC?"
"He's downstairs waiting on me, I just wanted to come and check on you."
"What time is it?" I asked.
"Only 7:30," he said, smiling at me.
"How can you be so damn cheerful this early in the morning?" I asked, sliding back under the covers and laying down.
"Lots of practice," he said. I closed my eyes and I felt his lips on my cheek and I smiled. "Sweet dreams," he whispered before closing the door behind him.
"Bye," I whispered.
~*~*~*~
Joey walked down the stairs to see Pam and JC on the sofa. JC immediately stood up when he saw Joey enter. "Ready?" JC asked him.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Joey told him.
"Be careful," Pam told them as they walked towards the door.
"We will," JC said before closing the door behind him.
JC took a deep breath and started his Jeep. "You sure you wanna do this?" Joey asked him.
JC looked over at Joey. "I figured you'd be the first one to jump at the chance to do this."
"I know," Joey said and took a deep breath. He recalled the huge gash on my forehead. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!" Joey said as JC pulled out of Pam's driveway.
PART TWENTY-FOUR
Paul opened the door and tried to focus his eyes. It was almost eight in the morning, who the hell could be at the door. His eyes finally got adjusted to the sun and he saw JC and Joey standing in front of him.
"Where's Jared?" JC asked him.
"In his room asleep," Paul said, letting them into the house. JC and Joey made their way to Jared's room while Paul made his way back to his bed.
JC and Joey opened Jared's door to see him sprawled out on his bed, sleeping. JC leaned over the bed, grabbed him by his shirt and heaved him against the wall.
"What the hell?" Jared yelled, half asleep. He focused his eyes to see JC standing in front of him and Joey off to his right. "What the hell do you two want?"
JC's face grew bright red with anger. This punk had hurt his best friend and now wanted to know what we wanted. "I want to bash your skull in, that's what," JC said, still holding Jared up against the wall.
"What are you talking about?"
"What am I talking about?" JC yelled, letting go of Jared. He stumbled and struggled to regain his composure, straightening out his t-shirt. "You beat the shit out of Sarah, now I'm here to beat the shit out of you."
"Whoa whoa whoa, what?"
"I saw the bruises, Jared. Don't play with stupid with me."
"What bruises? What are you talking about?" Jared asked, putting on a fake shocked look.
JC laughed. "Nice try, Jared." He said, walking up to Jared and getting in his face. "This is your only warning. You stay away from her, you hear? If I hear that you've come anywhere near her or even thought about her, I'll beat your ass and don't you think for a second I won't."
"Good, I don't want that skanky bitch, anyways!" Jared yelled back at him.
JC ignored him and walked over towards the door. "Is that it? I thought we were gonna jump his ass, JC!" Joey said.
"I don't want to stoop to his level. Plus he's not even worth the effort it'd take to hit him, Joe. Let's go."
Joey turned around to leave. "Wish I could say the same," he muttered and turned around and punched Jared in the stomach, causing him to fall to the ground.
"You lost your chance, buddy. She's mine now," Joey said.
PART TWENTY-FIVE
I slowly sat up and rubbed my eyes. My back ached terribly. I sighed and looked over at the alarm clock that was sitting on the nightstand. 10:54. I slowly got out of bed and went into the bathroom. I attempted to wash my sore, bruised face. Tears came to my eyes, realizing my bruise hadn't faded any. I redid my messy ponytail and walked downstairs. I didn't even feel like changing out of my flannel pajama pants and my little white t-shirt. I just felt like being lazy and lounging today.
I walked into the living room to see Pam and Justin getting pretty hot and heavy on the couch. I just stood there for a second, and overwhelming feeling of happiness filled me. I was glad someone could find some happiness during all this mess.
I walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water, trying very carefully to be quiet, to not disturb Justin and Pam. I was filling my glass up with water when I heard someone come into the kitchen.
"How you feeling, kiddo?"
I turned around to see Pam and Justin standing in the kitchen. Justin was behind her, his arms around her waist, his head sitting on her shoulder. He saw my face and his eyes grew large. 'He hasn't seen my face yet,' I remembered. He let go of Pam and walked over to me.
"Oh, SJ," he said, leaning down to get a good look at my face.
"I'm not in the mood, Justin," I told him as I pushed passed him and went into the living room and picked up the remote. Justin sat down on the recliner and pulled Pam onto his lap.
"You guys can go back to what you were doing," I told them, flipping throught the channels. "I'll just be watching some TV."
I looked over at them to catch Justin kiss Pam quickly on the neck and I smiled. "So, is it official?" I asked them.
They looked at me. "Official?" they asked in unison.
"Are you two a couple?" I asked.
They looked at each other and smiled. "You could say that," Justin said and kissed Pam on the neck again and I smiled.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Pam said, jumping up off of Justin and over to the dining room table. She picked up a letter and handed it to me and sat back down again.
"What this?" I asked her, examining the folded piece of paper.
"Just read it," Pam said. I unfolded the piece of paper and started reading the letter, a small smile formed on my face as I read.
TO BE CONTINUED