Chapter Sixteen

Lisa hobbled back into practice the next day at the last minute.  Not that, that was rare for Lisa, living with her father, never made it easy to leave the house.

Carrie quickly went over to her, “What’s up?”  She questioned, “You didn’t come home last night and your phone was off.”

“I stayed with Jeff last night.”  She replied with a shrug,

“Really?”  Carrie asked skeptically,

“Call him up, he’ll vouge.”  She shrugged,

“Did you go home?”

“Yeah.”  She replied twisting her mouth to the side,

“And?”

She shrugged, “And what?  You know what happened.  I just wasn’t at the receiving end of it this time.” 

“Are you okay, though?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.”  She smiled a little smile, “I’m leaving practice early to go see Jeff again. He has to go back to tour with the band again.  I’ll call you tonight.”

“You’re not going to…” Carrie asked, knowing her friend’s affinity for lying about where she was going.

“No, I’m not.”  She said shaking her head.

“Okay babe.”  She said hugging Lisa, “I was really worried last night.”

“I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“I know sweetie.”  Carrie said and helped her over to the couch, “Do you need anything?”

“No, I’m fine, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”  Carrie replied after she had settled Lisa onto the couch.

---

          Lisa got up and started to leave practice as the group filtered back from a break.  She was hobbling through the door when she ran into JC,

“Hey Lisa.”  He said softly and she smiled weakly,

“Oh, hi.”  She said quietly and moved around him to keep on moving.

JC turned and followed her, “Hey Lisa?  I have a question for you.”

She stopped and turned to face him, “I-I have to go.”  She said nervously, her stomach was turning into knots at the nearness of him. She turned to hobble away when JC moved in front of her.

“It won’t take long.”  He said blocking her from leaving,

“Lee!  Come on!”  Jeff called out to her and she looked over JC’s shoulder at Jeff before looking back up at JC,

“I have to go, I’m sorry.  I’ll be here tomorrow.”  She said and hobbled around JC to catch up with Jeff.  Jeff gave JC a hard glare before placing a protective arm around Lisa.

“That guy bothering you?”  He asked rather loudly,

“No,” she shook her head, “he wasn’t doing anything.”

“If he does, let me know, I’ll break his legs.”  He threatened throwing another glare at JC as he helped Lisa through another door.

“Jeff, please, everything is fine.  Nobody here bothers me in anyway.”  She soothed,

“They better not.”  He muttered and walked out of the dance studio with her.

          JC stood there and contemplated Lisa for a moment.  He didn’t know what to do, she was in an abusive relationship, he was sure of it now.  He wondered if anyone else realized what he knew. Then the thought hit him, the one person who always knew what was going on with Lisa was Carrie. She would want to help Lisa. JC went back into the practice room, where everyone was still taking their break. He quickly pulled Carrie aside,

“Hey Carrie?”

Carrie was starting to get used to JC pulling her aside suddenly, “Yeah Jace?”

“Is everything okay with Lisa?”

She knew something was up with JC because of all the questions he kept asking about Lisa, “Yeah, she’s fine.  Her hips are getting better everyday.”  She shrugged,

JC crossed his arms, “I mean besides her hips.”

Carrie claimed innocence, “What do you mean?”

JC leaned in and lowered his voice, “I think she may be in an abusive relationship.”

“Oh.”  Carrie said frowning slightly, “Nah, she’s fine.”  She lied remembering her promise to Lisa.

JC saw the fear in Carrie's eyes, “Are you sure?”

Carrie looked away quickly, “Yeah, there’s nothing that you need to worry about Jace.”

“Okay.”  He replied unsurely,

“See you around Jace.”  She said and walked away before JC could ask anymore questions.

JC watched Carrie walk away. He couldn't shake the feeling that Carrie was hiding something from him. If Lisa was in an abusive relationship, why wouldn't Carrie want to help her friend escape it? He knew there were more pieces to this puzzle, he just had to figure them out.

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